Title: The Witch's Heart
Author: Genevieve Gornichec
Pages: 384
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: 4th May 2021
Blurb from Goodreads:
When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary
trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive
debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology.
Angrboda's story begins where most witches' tales end: with a burning. A
punishment from Odin for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future,
the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest
reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to
be Loki, and her initial distrust of him transforms into a deep and abiding
love.
Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who
Angrboda is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin's
all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she
learns that her blissful life—and possibly all of existence—is in danger.
With help from the fierce huntress Skadi, with whom she shares a growing bond,
Angrboda must choose whether she’ll accept the fate that she's foreseen for her
beloved family…or rise to remake their future. From the most ancient of tales
this novel forges a story of love, loss, and hope for the modern age.
Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop
My Review:
*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest
review. Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley*
Angrboda is a witch who survived being burned alive by Odin
for refusing to give him the dangerous knowledge of the future that he sought.
While recovering in a distant forest, Angrboda is visited by
the trickster Loki.
Angrboda falls in love with Loki and together they have
three unique children. Angrboda is determined to protect her children but knows
that she must be careful with how she uses her damaged powers in order to stay
hidden from Odin.
Can Angrboda and her family remain concealed in their forest
home? Or does fate have other plans?
As a fan of Norse mythology, I was excited to read this
book, especially as I didn't know much about Angrboda.
Angrboda was a likeable and relatable protagonist. Despite
the hardships that she had been through, Angrboda didn't wallow in self-pity
and cared a lot about others. I enjoyed seeing how she interacted in different
situations.
Loki was an interesting character, as was Skadi the
huntress, who I would like to find out more about.
The plot was interesting and held my attention throughout. I
did wonder at one point if the book would drag, because there was still a lot
of the book to go, but it didn't, luckily. The emotion really hit me at one point,
and I had to fight back tears.
The writing style was easy to follow, and I thought the
author did a good job of making the mythology easy to understand, incorporating
it well into the story.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read.
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