Well this was an excellent book. I am trying to be very judicious about giving 5-star reviews, and this book warrants one. Where can I find more books like this?!

Absolutely beautiful. This phenomenal and heartbreaking story captivated me from the first page. The prose is magical , lending ancient myths even more of a fairytale quality. I was so impressed with the knowledge and detail ; the author definitely exudes a deep understanding and appreciation of etymology and the origin these beloved characters. Amazing narration . I adored every second!

What a beautiful story of love, loss, family and sacrifice. I smiled, and laughed, and cried. Such a beautiful story.

This book was an impulse-buy and I am incredibly particular about mythology retellings but I wound up falling absolutely in love with the story. I've reread it several times and just keep coming back which isn't something I normally do. The summary provided by the publisher really doesn't do it justice. It's just so much more than a love story based in Norse mythology. There's romance in it and it drive the plot to an extent but really Boda's journey to remembering who she is and becoming who she's meant to be is central. Beyond that the book models resilience and perseverance in the aftermath of heartbreak and repeated trauma in a way that doesn't sugar coat the sad and ugly bits which I don't think we see enough of in literature. It also doesn't fall into that toxic trope where the trauma is what makes a character who they are or gives them their edge. Boda's power is her own. There are themes of gender exploration, counterculture or being "othered" by society, and found family. There are also a range of relationships included in the story - it's not just another cis-het-monogamy-centered piece. All in all I got way more than I bargained for and highly recommend giving it a read.

captivating from the beginning.