The Witch's Heart

A mythological tale of the witch Angrboda, thrice burned and pushed into hiding from Odin and his court due to their fear and greed over her prophetic powers, she flees into the dying forest of Ironwood to try and survive. Here she meets the trickster god Loki whom tramples her initial distrust of him and grows to deeply love him. From this union she is given 3 children, each unique in their own right as well as in the path before them. Throughout her journey to regain her abilities she learns that the life she has carved for her and her children is destined to be plunged into a dark and dangerous path. From here she has to make a choice whether she will accept that this is the fate that awaits her and her family or if she will attempt to change it. This book definitely felt like an epic/mythological tale while still being a contemporary novel. Forgoing more archaic language for the aspect of being a two part tale similar to older epics in a before/after story. While the beginning of this story is very heavily character development and less on the story/tale of Angrboda it does delve more into her impact on Norse mythology towards the second half. I think this book did a good job at bringing to life a lesser remembered aspect of Norse Mythos while still bringing a contemporary feel.

I love a good witch story, and I'm always ready to read books based in mythology, especially if it features characters who are not usually center stage. That is the case here with Angrboda, a giantess witch from Norse mythology who is rarely known for more than just being the mother of 3 of Loki's children. Genevieve Gornichec takes this lesser-known character and weaves a beautiful yet heartbreaking story of a woman who is getting what she never dreamed she could have, but knows it will only last so long due to her visions of Ragnarok and the role her family will play in the destruction. Unsurprisingly, this book is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller's Circe!