White Stag (Permafrost Series #1)

by Kara Barbieri Narrated by Kimberly Woods

Overview

"A promising debut from a gifted young writer!" - Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the After series

White Stag, the first audiobook in a brutally stunning series by Kara Barbieri, involves a young girl who finds herself becoming more monster than human and must uncover dangerous truths about who she is and the place that has become her home.

A Wattpad break out star with over a million reads! Now expanded, revised and available in print and eBook.

As the last child in a family of daughters, seventeen-year-old Janneke was raised to be the male heir. While her sisters were becoming wives and mothers, she was taught to hunt, track, and fight. On the day her village was burned to the ground, Janneke-as the only survivor-was taken captive by the malicious Lydian and eventually sent to work for his nephew Soren.

Janneke's survival in the court of merciless monsters has come at the cost of her connection to the human world. And when the Goblin King's death ignites an ancient hunt for the next king, Soren senses an opportunity for her to finally fully accept the ways of the brutal Permafrost. But every action he takes to bring her deeper into his world only shows him that a little humanity isn't bad-especially when it comes to those you care about.

Through every battle they survive, Janneke's loyalty to Soren deepens. After dangerous truths are revealed, Janneke must choose between holding on or letting go of her last connections to a world she no longer belongs to. She must make the right choice to save the only thing keeping both worlds from crumbling.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

11/12/2018
In this brutal fantasy (originally self-published), a young woman who’s spent the past century serving as thrall to the goblins who slaughtered her village must now fight for her life during a contest to determine the next Goblin King. Janneke has lasted this long by learning to rise to every challenge, and her master, Soren, chooses her to help defeat his loathsome uncle Lydian—her original master, who raped and mutilated her. The first goblin to hunt down the fabled white stag will rule the rest, and Soren, to whom Janneke is increasingly attracted, is one of the strongest contenders. Janneke realizes that her time in the goblins’ land of Permafrost has changed her, and as the hunt progresses, she must choose between her fading humanity and the goblin spirit she has developed. Barbieri’s tale, which blends Norse folklore and Goethe’s Erlking, features an emotionally raw tone and dwells on survivor Janneke’s pain and trauma. Though the intense tale weaves together romance, action, and magic in sometimes compelling ways, the worldbuilding is atmospheric without detail, the plot sprawls, and elaborate portrayals of violence and assault contribute to a problematic, possibly distressing novel. Ages 14–up. (Jan.)

From the Publisher

"Janneke’s epic journey to overcome past horrors and seize her rightful place in the world is packed with equally gripping action and emotion. Readers will flock to this compelling debut." - Booklist, Starred Review

"A promising debut from a gifted young writer!" - Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the After series

School Library Journal

12/01/2018
Gr 10 Up{amp}mdash;The Wattpad author debuts with a violent YA fantasy that draws heavily on elements of Norse mythology. In the first installment of a planned trilogy set in the Permafrost, humans and a society of beautiful, fierce goblins uneasily coexist in adjacent kingdoms. Seventeen-year-old human Janneke has been enslaved to the powerful goblin lord Soren for 100 years, ever since her village was burned, her family massacred, and she was captured by Soren's ruthless uncle Lydian. After enduring unspeakable brutality at Lydian's hands, Janneke tolerates Soren as a master but still views all goblins as monsters. When the ancient goblin king dies, Janneke and Soren join the legendary white stag hunt to determine who will succeed him. Along the way, they must outwit "svartelves," battle a pair of vicious "lindworms," and fend off attacks from rival goblin gangs. Throughout the adventure, Janneke struggles to come to terms with her traumatic history as she discovers mysterious newfound powers, emotional strength, and a growing tenderness toward Soren. In her interior monologues, Janneke repeatedly and vividly relives Lydian's brutal abuse, which becomes particularly problematic when scenes of graphically described rape are invoked to demonstrate Lydian's{amp}mdash;and his fellow goblins'{amp}mdash;monstrous nature. Although Barbieri tries to portray Janneke as a strong female lead, she seems to be defined mainly through her relationships with men, and her character growth is underdeveloped. VERDICT Not recommended.{amp}mdash;Kelsy Peterson, Forest Hill Coll., Melbourne, Australia

Kirkus Reviews

2018-09-30

A scarred survivor must decide if she will be predator, prey, or something more.

Violently orphaned, then tortured, 17-year-old Janneke has spent a century in Permafrost as a goblin thrall. When the Erlking's death sets off the Hunt for the white stag, Janneke accompanies her current master, Soren. Together, they must stop Lydian—Janneke's abusive first captor and Soren's maniacal uncle—prevent a war, decide Janneke's humanity, and resolve their unusual relationship. Video game-like action sequences, obligatory fae political machinations, unnecessary mystical ordeals, random animal slaughter, and melodramatic brooding ensue. Suffering from chosen one syndrome—prophecies, magical birth, inexplicable uniqueness, and desirability—Janneke survives the Hunt through stubbornness, specialness, and a repeatedly mentioned but superficially discussed childhood of being raised as a male heir (she reserves the feminine form of her name, Janneka, for intimates). Russet-haired, green-eyed Janneke has dark skin and suggested Scandinavian origins, while Soren is white-haired, purple-eyed, and blue-gray skinned. Dazzling descriptions and morbid humor aside, debut author Barbieri eschews original dialogue and subtlety in favor of anachronisms, clichés, blunt moralizing, and insensitive treatment of sexual abuse.

Originally self-published online, this tale reads more as impassioned fanfiction than a fully realized, judiciously edited novel; best for existing fans. (Fantasy. 16-adult)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169255416
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	01/08/2019
Series:	Permafrost Series , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

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