The Witch's Heart

And when the Vanir heard of the Aesir's treatment of her, they became furious, and thus was the first war in the cosmos declared.

 

The third time she was reborn, Gullveig fled, though she left something behind: her speared heart, still smoking on the pyre.

 

That was where he found it.

 

Some time later, he tracked her to the deepest, darkest forest at the farthest edge of Jotunheim: the land of the giants, the Aesir's bitter enemies. This forest was called Ironwood, where the gnarled gray trees were so thick that there was no real path through them, and so tall that they blocked out the sun.

 

He did not have to venture into those woods, though, for by the bank of the river that divided Ironwood from the rest of Jotunheim he found the witch, staring across the water at the dense forest and mountains beyond. She sat upon a rough woolen blanket with a thick cloak about her shoulders and a hood pulled over her head. The sun was shining, but she sat in the shade, hands folded in her lap, leaning against a tree trunk.

 

He watched her for a time, shifting from foot to foot, scratching his nose, listening to the quaint gurgling of the river and the whistling of songbirds. Then he sauntered up to her, his hands clasped behind his back. He could see only the bottom half of her face, but her skin looked pink-tender, healing, new. When he got closer, he noticed the skin of her hands was the same. She seemed to be resting peacefully. Part of him didn't want to disturb her.

 

Then again, he'd always found the idea of peace to be quite boring.

 

"How long are you going to stand there?" she rasped. She sounded like she hadn't had anything to drink in an age and a half. He figured that breathing in the smoke from one's own pyre three times would have that effect on a person.

 

"You're a difficult woman to find," he replied. Truth be told, he wasn't sure how to proc

those she loves. Utterly unforgettable. Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching 

"This fascinating novel approaches Norse mythology from a brand new perspective; here old villains are now heroes, and the motivations of gods, giants, and witches are rarely what they seem... Gornichec plumbs the depths of what we will endure for family, belonging, and meaning, and traces the limits of love, friendship, and vengeance."--Linnea Hartsuyker, author of The Half-Drowned King

"Angroboda's story is a delightfully nuanced, queer, and powerful reminder of love and survival on your own terms. Read this book when the world is ending; read this book when you are looking for the world that comes next--I'm so very glad I did." - A.J. Hackwith, author of The Library of the Unwritten

"Intense and magical...The sense of place and real physical needs of the characters created a grounded, beautiful world, which made the more fantastical elements of the story feel all the more realistic. The prose was stunning and the protagonist someone I wanted to spend all my time with...I will enjoy re-reading this book for years to come." --Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

A retelling of the Norse legend from the viewpoint of a woman often left in the margins, this book deserves to be a classic. For readers of Madeline Miller s Circe and the Marvel version of Loki. Library Journal (starred review)
 
A feminist reimagining of the Norse myths surrounding Ragnarök melding together the wide range of Nordic legends, this is a story of tenderness and betrayal, friendship and loyalty, family and monsters, beginnings and endings. Offer this beautiful reimagining to fans of Neil Gaiman s Norse Mythology (2017) and Joanne M. Harris Loki novels. Booklist (starred review)

Gornichec s spellbinding story breathes life into a minor character from Norse myth, delving into the complexities of Angrboda s familial relationships and the lengths to which she ll go for both love and vengeance. This powerful fantasy is sure to win Gornichec many fans. Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Rich and artfully woven, The Witch s Heart takes the familiar tales of Norse Mythology and tells them from a fresh, honest perspective Angrboda is an unforgettable heroine, and The Witch s Heart a debut to be reckoned with. Hannah Long, author of Hall of Smoke