The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
In this stirring, daring debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology, an exiled witch risks the wrath of the gods when she falls in love with the mythical trickster Loki.
The narrative of Angrboda starts with a burning, which is how most witches’ tales conclude. The fire renders Angrboda damaged and helpless, and she escapes into the furthest reaches of a lonely forest as punishment from Odin for refusing to give him knowledge of the future. A man who later reveals himself to be Loki finds her there, and her initial mistrust of him is replaced by a deep and enduring love.
The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
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Their union results in the birth of three strange offspring, each of whom has a hidden destiny. Angrboda is eager to nurture these children at the edge of the world, away from Odin’s prying eyes. However, as Angrboda gradually regains her prophetic abilities, she discovers that her contented life—and perhaps even the entirety of existence—is in peril.
Angrboda must make a decision on whether she will accept the fate that she has predicted for her cherished family…or rise to change their future with the aid of the formidable huntress Skadi, with whom she has developed a growing bond. This book creates a tale of love, sorrow, and hope for the modern era from the oldest of myths.
The kind of book I’m actively looking for right now is one that broadens and enhances women’s stories from both history and mythology, just like The Witch’s Heart does. books that fill up the historical gaps shaped by women. books that give voice to female characters who, in the stories in which they feature, have been marginalized and silenced. Incredibly, women are considered to have only made up about 0.5% of recorded history despite making up half of the human species. It’s imperative to address this, and I believe authors have a significant role to play in doing so.
The Witch’s Heart narrates the tale of Angrboda, or more precisely, a composite character based on a number of individuals mentioned in the Prose and Poetic Eddas (our primary sources on Norse mythology). Since this is essentially all we know about Angrboda from the remaining stories, Gornichec combines these characters to create a cogent, emotive narrative of a Norse witch and giantess who is more than just a seeress (as many of the other figures Gornichec draws from are in the surviving myths). Gornichec is able to weave together a number of (often incompatible) events and stories using this straightforward freedom to create an incredibly well-organized and logical canon.
A novel, however, can scarcely get by on in-depth research, crafty retellings, and modern-day subversions. The emotional weight the protagonist’s story bears is The Witch’s Heart’s most impressive achievement. In this interpretation of Norse mythology, Angrboda has fled Asgard after having her heart removed and being burned alive (again!) and has sought sanctuary at the edge of the planet. Angrboda embarks on a journey of self-(re)discovery after a chance encounter with another giantess and a developing romance with everyone’s favorite Norse misfit, Loki.
