⋆⋆½
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK & One More Chapter for allowing me to read this ARC!
Content Warning: death, murder, violence, domestic abuse (physical, sexual, verbal and emotional), stillbirth, miscarriage, rape, sexual assault, racism, misogyny, animal death, gaslighting.
Freydis Eiriksdottir, sister of the famed Leif Erikson, has gone down in history as a traitor, thief and murderess. This story, however, is Freydis's -- told from her perspective, instead of by men who doubtlessly are biased against her due to her gender and the fact that she does not act as a woman "should." One of the first people to ever travel to North America, Freydis endures abuse at the hands of her husband, Thorvard, and fights for her freedom and the ability to choose her own life.
This concept and premise immediately captured my attention. Viking history fascinates many of us, including myself; I found the idea of reading a book not about one of the famous men of this era, but one of its most stigmatized women, very exciting. The basic idea is that we're following Freydis on this great journey not only across the Atlantic Ocean, but also on a personal mission for freedom. As someone who loves a character-driven story, I thought this would turn out to be a perfect fit for me.
Unfortunately, though, that wasn't quite what happened. Even the very first pages are filled with details of the brutality Freydis suffers at her husband's hands, and while I am by no means a squeamish reader, the graphic quality of these scenes is hard to stomach. I could handle this fine, I thought, if this is a novel about surviving and overcoming -- and in a sense, well, yes, it is. But rather than Freydis ever actively taking the reins, it seems as if everything is just happening to and around her; she's almost more like a mannequin that has been inserted into these situations.
It doesn't help that the writing -- first-person, present tense, not my favorite at the best of times -- feels slightly bland and unexpressive. She's telling us how she feels, rather than showing it through actions, telling us what's going on and all the details without any of the emotion behind it. Freydis suffers from being unlikable, so stubborn that, at times, she lashes out at people who are obviously trying to help or look after her. It doesn't make her seem strong, but rather naïve and sometimes downright unkind.
Those issues aside, I do want to say that there are interesting parts in this book, particularly when either the Norse culture is being discussed, or the culture of the Beothuk, the Indigenous peoples that the Greenlanders encounter upon arriving in Vinland. There are quite a few instances of racism, so please be aware of that, but I think the relationship that eventually unfolds between Freydis and the Beothuk was beautiful and wonderfully sweet.
All in all, this wasn't terrible by any means, just confused. What it could benefit from is perhaps some editing and a bit more focus. It felt slightly lost, more of a compilation of events in Freydis's life rather than a composed set of chapters with a purpose or goal. Many other problems I had with this book can't be discussed without spoiling too much. All I'll say is that while this book is dedicated to those who have suffered under the darkness of spousal abuse, I would not recommend this to people currently in abusive relationships or just out of them. It's just too depressing.
Unfortunately, though, that wasn't quite what happened. Even the very first pages are filled with details of the brutality Freydis suffers at her husband's hands, and while I am by no means a squeamish reader, the graphic quality of these scenes is hard to stomach. I could handle this fine, I thought, if this is a novel about surviving and overcoming -- and in a sense, well, yes, it is. But rather than Freydis ever actively taking the reins, it seems as if everything is just happening to and around her; she's almost more like a mannequin that has been inserted into these situations.
It doesn't help that the writing -- first-person, present tense, not my favorite at the best of times -- feels slightly bland and unexpressive. She's telling us how she feels, rather than showing it through actions, telling us what's going on and all the details without any of the emotion behind it. Freydis suffers from being unlikable, so stubborn that, at times, she lashes out at people who are obviously trying to help or look after her. It doesn't make her seem strong, but rather naïve and sometimes downright unkind.
Those issues aside, I do want to say that there are interesting parts in this book, particularly when either the Norse culture is being discussed, or the culture of the Beothuk, the Indigenous peoples that the Greenlanders encounter upon arriving in Vinland. There are quite a few instances of racism, so please be aware of that, but I think the relationship that eventually unfolds between Freydis and the Beothuk was beautiful and wonderfully sweet.
All in all, this wasn't terrible by any means, just confused. What it could benefit from is perhaps some editing and a bit more focus. It felt slightly lost, more of a compilation of events in Freydis's life rather than a composed set of chapters with a purpose or goal. Many other problems I had with this book can't be discussed without spoiling too much. All I'll say is that while this book is dedicated to those who have suffered under the darkness of spousal abuse, I would not recommend this to people currently in abusive relationships or just out of them. It's just too depressing.
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