The Witch’s Heart

 

Author: Genevieve Gornichec

Publisher: Ace Books

Year: 2021

“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑎 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠, 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑜, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑒.” 

The Witch’s Heart is an engrossing retelling of Norse mythology. Angrboda, a witch, refused to give Odin the knowledge he desperately wanted. He burned her on a pyre three times and cut out her heart. But somehow she survived. Hiding out in a far corner of the Iron Wood, Angrboda just wants to be left alone and heal. But since she’s a woman, we know that can’t happen. Loki the trickster found her heart and wants to return it. As she recovers, Angrboda begins making her potions and spells again and starts a relationship with Loki. Even if you only know Loki from the Marvel Universe, you know he’s kind of a jerk. He keeps leaving Angrboda and their three children in the forest, going back home to his other wife and children when it suits him. 

Angrboda uses her witch powers to learn that her children (a half dead girl, a enormous wolf, and a gigantic snake) will somehow be involved with the end of the world. Will she sacrifice all to save them? 

I only knew the very basics of Norse mythology going into this book, so I didn’t really know what to expect. But I really enjoyed this story. Angrboda is a wonderful character. I really liked seeing her courage and determination grow thanks to her relationship with Skadi the huntress.  The drama pulled me right in and I quickly get lost in this epic story of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. This is perfect for fans mythology, or the supernatural, or any reader looking for a feminist take on an ancient tale. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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