Publication Date: March 30, 2023
From SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Kate Heartfield comes a glorious, lyrical retelling of one of Norse mythology’s greatest epics
Brynhild is a Valkyrie: shieldmaiden of the Allfather, chooser of the slain. But now she too has fallen, flightless in her exile.
Gudrun is a princess of Burgundy, a daughter of the Rhine, a prize for an invading king – a king whose brother Attila has other plans, and a dragon to call upon.
And in the songs to be sung, there is another hero:Â Sigurd, a warrior with a sword sharper than the new moon.
As the legends tell, these names are destined to be lovers, fated as enemies. But here on Midgard, legends can be lies…
For not all heroes are heroic, nor all monsters monstrous. And a shieldmaiden may yet find that love is the greatest weapon of all.
Whether you call it fairy tale fantasy or medieval historical fiction, some readers have a tough time wading through stories in these genres.
Author Kate Heartfield reimagines one of Norse mythology’s greatest tales in The Valkyrie. However, this version explores the connection between Brynhild and Gudrun.
As a fallen shield maiden exiled by Odin, Brynhild starts the story in first person as if she is having a conversation with Gudrun, the princess of Burgundy. Later, the point of view alternates, so Gudrun is the narrator speaking to Brynhild. This sort of back-and-forth creates a sense of intimacy between the two.
While the author is quite lyrical in putting the words together, I simply couldn’t get traction with the story. Perhaps part of it is because I am unfamiliar with the original tale. Regardless, I struggled to identify with the characters and even understand the world built around them.
The Valkyrie offers a new perspective on an epic tale for those readers familiar with Norse mythology.
Kate Heartfield is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling The Embroidered Book, the Aurora-winning novel Armed in Her Fashion, and the Nebula-shortlisted novella Alice Payne Arrives, along with dozens of other stories. Her interactive fiction projects The Road to Canterbury and The Magician’s Workshop were shortlisted for the Nebula in game writing. She lives in Canada.
