This was a good story but I found that I couldn't connect to the characters or the plot at all. Normally when I read, I feel like I'm in the head of the characters and seeing the action through their eyes, but for some reason with this one, I just didn't connect this way. I tried and tried to work out the reason why, but I honestly don't have one. This book just didn't hit home.

I loved the author's version of the myth, probably a lot more than I'd have liked the original myth. She changed a lot to give Brynhild more agency and then to make it more gay, which is always an improvement. I loved the magic that Gudrun had as well. It was a really interesting way of doing magic.

The ending felt a bit off though. It made sense that she set up loads of threads to make the story bigger. But it kind of felt like she got to the end of the myth and then panicked because the book was too short and so put in extra stuff to make it longer. It just didn't feel so connected to the original myth.

If you're interested in Norse Mythology it might be worth a read.

I'm a big fan of Myths and Legends. I love stories of magic, gods and heroes. I have read quite a few Greek Myth retellings recently so it made a nice change to read a story based in Norse Mythology.

The Valkyrie is a beautiful, lyrical tale of Brynhild, a fallen Valkyrie and Gudrun, princess of Burgundy. We hear the POVs of both these powerful women which is written like as a conversation between the two of them. I really enjoyed this style of writing and thought it was reminiscent of Madeline Miller's style.

The integration of real world events and politics of the time give this retelling a solid foundation and made it a very compelling read. While the God's Odin, Freya and Hel are not the focus of the novel, they do make appearances.

I do enjoy a mythology retelling, and especially myths that I've read less about, like the Norse ones. The Valkyrie is a feminist retelling that explores many complexities.

Brynhild, head of the legendary Valkyries, has been exiled by the All father, Odin. Meanwhile, Gudrun, princess of a people within a waning Roman empire, faces a deadly foe, and fights to keep her Kingdom together...

I enjoyed the dual points of view of Brynhild and Gudrun as their lives intersected and diverged in the tale. They are both powerful women, and The Valkyrie also includes many more, which I really liked. The women really steal the show in this retelling. It took me a while to get into, but the pace picked up as I read on.

Heartfield's interweaving of Norse mythology within the historical setting of the waning Roman Empire was skilful and fascinating. I also liked the different afterlives depicted in the book and Brynhild's reflections on these. Brynhild's gradual realisation of how narrow her world-view had been, and how manipulated it had been, showed great character growth in a being hundreds of years old.

I have yet to read the traditional tales of Sigurd, Brynhild and Gudrun. Heartfield's insightful author's note has given me some great books to start with, and I'm sure I'll appreciate this retelling even more after reading them.

The Valkyrie is a retelling that combines the Prose Edda, the Völsunga saga and the Song of the Nibelungs. While sticking pretty close to the original story, Heartfield manages to bring a distinct narrative voice and a female perspective to the tale that is severely lacking in the original.

The story follows the valkyrie Brynhild after she is cast out of Valhalla and forced to live as a mortal woman. After meeting the mortal Sigurd and slaying the lindworm Fafnir, they get embroiled in the politics of the Burgundian court and the impending war with Attila the Hun.

The book is written from two perspectives: Brynhild's and that of the Burgundian princess Gudrun's. I found myself enjoying both POV's immensely, with Brynhild's warrior strength and Gudrun's political cunning. The prose flowed well and was very much reminiscient of Madeline Miller's Circe.

The author wove the mythical aspects of the Prose Edda with real history from the 2nd century CE together seamlessly. I had some prior kowledge of the Song of the Nibelungs so some story elements were familiar to me. Apart from the ending, the book stayed very close to the Völsunga saga, so perhaps not knowing the story will enhance the reader's enjoyment. As it was, I wasn't bored necessarily, but none of the plot was all that surprising to me. I didn't know that much of the historical time period the book covered, such as the raids of Attila the Hun and the fall of the Burgundians, but I feel that wasn't necessary to enjoy the book.

At first, I was disappointed Norse mythology didn't play more of a role, but that was rectified in the second half of the book as we see different Norse gods such as Odin, Freyja and Loki meddling with the mortals they set their sights on. I found the mix of continental Germanic history and Norse gods fascinating, and I loved hearing about Brynhild's time as a valkyrie. The perspective on Sigurd was also a refreshing one, seeing him as a rather tragic figure, so obsessed with heroism and his own legacy he fails to see the bigger picture. Talking of Sigurd, I found that Brynhild forgave his actions rather quickly, where I would have liked a bit more female rage.

My main gripe was the romance between Brynhild and Gudrun. From the beginning, we are told several times how important the two women are to each other and that they will fall in love, yet we never see that happen. By the time they get together, they had maybe three interactions in total, and none of them all that meaningful. Beyond physical attraction and shared trauma, we never saw what made these characters fall for each other. In the author's note, Heartfield mentions she was struck by the interactions between Brynhild and Gudrun and wanted to make that a focal point of the story, but sadly, that didn't happen. Thus, I would have liked the middle part of the book to be a bit longer, detailing the blossoming relationship between Brynhild and Gudrun more. In the end, I felt I understood Brynhild's relationship with Sigurd more than I did her connection to Gudrun, which was a shame.

As for the side characters, like Gudrun's brother Gunnar and her friends Hagen and Volker, again, I would have liked a bit more depth. Especially Gunnar's decision to woo and betray Brynhild and his marriage to her felt like such a sidenote in the overall story, when there should have been more outrage from Brynhild.

Having more focus on the relationships would have also given the reader some time to sit with the charactes and process. As it was, we were kind of pushed from event to event without room to breathe. The book suffered from wanting to include everything. I felt there were just too many factions for such a short book, with the Norse gods, the Huns, the Burgundians and the Roman Empire all fighting for and against each other with shifting loyalties. The ending, as well, felt a bit rushed but I liked how it wove all the elements from the Völsung saga and the Edda together to complete the story. I found myself struggling to rate the book because while the overall plot and themes were amazing, the little details were where the story was lacking for me.

All in all, a great feminist retelling of Norse myth and the Germanic folktales for fans of Madeline Miller's Circe. 3.5/5 stars.

A bit of faithful Norse mythology, like that of the Greeks, rarely goes too far wrong for me. In The Valkyrie, we follow Brynhild, a Valkyrie fallen to Midgard, out of Odin's favour, resuming her mortal life. No more guiding worthy warriors to Valhalla, instead she sets a course to uphold justice in the human realm. And what a world it is. Very detailed and fleshed out in all its glory with Burgundians fighting off Huns, a small kingdom under the cosh in need of aid.

In the original story Brynhild falls in love with Sigurd, who breaks through a ring of fire and Odin's sleeping enchantment, they become lovers and he goes off and marries Gudrun. Much occurs after that which I do not want to spoil. It's fair to say there is some tinkering with the core of the story making it more (sadly) modern and expanding the scope to add more 'meat to the bone'. It's jolly successful and well executed. The added elements increase the world view well beyond Midgard and make the story sing. Not sure I agree with the bending of the relationship dynamic quite as much as it didn't seem to happen naturally but felt like a last minute addition. But I did like what the author did with most the rest of the tale. Brynhild and Gudrun narrate beautifully and are well crafted as characters, both being strong women on their own missions, so it is useful to have access to their thoughts. The Valkyrie gets four stars from me as there is so much to find interesting in Norse myth and I like that this story brings it to the fore.

Valkyrie is a Norse mythology retelling that just didnt pull me in.
Let me start by saying The Embroidered Book was my favorite read of 2021 when I read the ARC during New Year's Eve I was absolutely obsessed and it is now one of my all time favorite books. The writing and character development plus athmosphere is *chefs kiss*. When I saw the author is coming out with a new book I immediately jumped on the opportunity to review! Unfortunately this one is not for me. The writing is different in that it almost feels like our two main characters are reciting letters from their adventures to each other until they meet. The worldbuilding is more telling then showing because of it, and our Valkyrie is just not giving me the badass lady vibes I was hoping for. However, if you are a fan of Norse mythology, appreciate the magical creatures, Odin being a d*ck, and ready for an adventure please try this book as I might be for you!

<< arc provided by netgalley >>

i love mythology and retellings and this met that criteria perfectly! i’ve never read norse fiction before so i didn’t really have any ground expectations but this is well written. the characters??? 🤌🤌 and ofc the dragon 👀👀 gah historial fiction will always have my heart 😙 definitely one of my favourite reads of the year so far 😌

The Valkyrie is a lavish and beautifully written story based partly on historic events interwoven with the myths embedded into ancient Norse culture. Brynhild, Sigurd, and Gudrun all come from Noise myths and are propelled into real world events alongside the gods and magical elements to great effect, though sometimes real history dominated the novel. This is quite slow paced at times, but written well so that you're immersed in the story which also references myths from other cultures which is an interesting addition to the narrative.

This wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me. It definitely a slow burn with a lot of description. I wouldn’t say it’s a quick read so definitely pick it up when you have time to fully immerse in the story.

I found the language and writing of this made it really difficult for me to get in to and so I couldn't finish it. I think it might have been the case of right book, wrong time and I didn't have the headspace to dedicate to interpreting it.

So this is Norse Mythology retelling from the perspective of Brynhild, a fallen Valkyrie, and Gudrun a princess. It began well and I enjoyed the battle scenes told from Brynhild's POV. I struggled a little with the pacing overall but that being said I enjoyed the story and it was an Interesting take on The Valkyries. There aren't many stories about the legendary warriors so I was so excited to dive in. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. No

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know that much about Horse Mythology so I was excited to read this however I was left quite underwhelmed.

Around the story very slow moving especially in the middle. It's hard to get back into when taking a break. Parts of the story were particularly fairytale-seque especially in the beginning with defeating the dragon to get the gold and save the city. Then the middle is just a battle and the end is trying to stop the gods starting wars to fill Vahalla. It wasn't really obvious that this was what was happening though.

I liked the way the chapters were told as if Bynhild and Gundrun were telling their parts of the story to eachother. The chapters also had titles that added to the fairytale of the book.

I would recommend but I'm not sure I'd read again.

THE VALKYRIE is a great reimagining of an old tale, putting the women at its heart and giving them agency and voice.

The book is told from Brynhild and Gudrun's perspectives, two women who are often portrayed as jealous enemies in the legends. I really liked seeing them get to take the story back, be allies and then lovers, rather than enemies over a man (a man who absolutely is not the sort anyone should fight over!)

It is also told almost like a conversation between the two women, told in first person past tense, addressing each other and telling the bits of the tale they see and were part of. There are helpful little title headers to situate you in which perspective each chapter is, and then the narration itself is very quick to settle you into a perspective.

This retelling of a well known Norse legend is set around the crumbling of the Roman Empire and the incursions of Attila the Hun. I love when these things are merged, real battles and people added to a melting pot alongside legends.

It is not the same "reimagining of real events" as THE EMBROIDERED BOOK. For a start, there is much less known about this period (early 400s north-western Europe), giving the book more flexibility to imagine new events. It also is a book retelling a Norse myth with a sapphic slant, so it's not trying to cleave to the little we know of the period. However, the setting helps ground it for me, gives it a time to anchor in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the re-release of Kate Heartfield's debut under a new name, THE CHATELAIN, later this year.

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing this.

The Valkyrie tells the story of Brynhild, a Valkyrie exiled by Odin to Valhalla. We meet her at the start of her exile and follow her journey in Midgard and her influence on the people she meets. The book also shifts narrators to Gudrun, a princess and witch.

I enjoyed this, it’s one of the better retellings I’ve read. Brynhild and Gudrun are both believable protagonists and the story is told as though they’re recounting to each other. Brynhild in particular was a really exciting character. She’s a strong fighter, a good strategist, fierce and determined. I did enjoy Gudrun too, particularly when she started coming into her powers as a witch.

I enjoyed the Norse mythology than appears throughout the book. Several Norse Gods are mentioned and are manipulating the characters for their own machinations. Brynhild is able to see this, but others are not so wise.

Early in the story there is a battle with a Lindworm and this was particularly exciting. This early part of the book really hooked me in to the story and then I was engaged throughout. I was strongly rooting for Brynhild after this point.

A well-written story with strong female characters and fascinating mythology. I’d read more from this author after this.

The Valkyrie is an epic tale of Brynhild, a fallen Valkyrie banished to Midgard (Earth) for opposing Odin’s decisions on who lives and dies.

What does a fallen Valkyrie do first? Go on an epic journey to kill a Lindworm that is poisoning and killing the land and its people of course. There are epic battle scenes full of gore and I loved it!

It is also told from the POV of Gudrun, a princess. At times the POV switch was a little confusing but once you settle into it, it is very effective and comes together perfectly.

There is heartbreak, hope, epic battles, honour and hate.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in advance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for sending me an e-ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

In Valkyrie, we follow two perspectives, from Byrnhild and Gudrun's perspectives.
Byrnhild is a Valkyrie who was stripped of her immortality and sent to Midgard, after defying Odin. She meets Sigurd, while she's in Midgrad and embarks on a journey to defeat the lindworm.
On the other hand, Gudrun is the princess of Burgundy, a witch and talents.

I honestly, dove into this book with little knowledge about Norse mythology. Unfortunately, the book is a bit too slow for me and I often had a hard time going back into it when I take breaks. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the storytelling and action. I do think, it's best to be equipped with prior knowledge of
Norse mythology, before diving into this book.

This book was not for me, but it still left me amazed and enjoying my time reading it.

Thank-you to NetGalleyUK and HarperCollins for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun female-centric re-telling of some classic Norse mythology: Brynhiln, Odin's shield maiden (or valkyrie) and Gudrun, the Viking princess. We get action-packed battle scenes; plenty of stealth and deception in assuring the succession; a bit of court intrigue...

The writing was told from the perspective of both women, with them writing to one another, or maybe just talking to each other in their heads. At times, that felt a little wonky: particularly when they were telling each other things that they would already know, or near the start when it wasn't quite clear who they were talking to. Additionally, the narration veered between different styles. There was a part in the middle where it got quite surrealist, which was less my cup of tea, but by that point I was already fully invested.

Despite my qualms about the delivery, I found myself completely immersed in the story, so I'm giving it a 5/5 anyway!

An intriguing historical tale of myth and magic told from the perspective of two women, Brynhild the outcast Valkyrie and Gudrun, a royal and a witch. I loved how the two narratives were formed as though each of the women were telling the other the stories of their past from times when they did not know each other or were apart as well as their perspectives of their shared history. It made the story feel very personal and honest, and gave greater insight into their stories.

Watching events unfold from the perspective of two women embroiled in battles and war in different ways and experiencing their different connections to the people they both know provided a unique spin, especially considering the complex relationships between them all. The characters themselves were complex, including those who did not have their own narrative, and the involvement of the Gods created questions of fate and choice as they manipulated the characters. A fascinating read with a lot of different elements and interesting characters, and my first dive into Norse mythology - a book I would recommend!

When I read the title Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries started playing in my mind followed by Siegfried's Funeral March.
That said I enjoyed the story as the author did a good job in creating her version of the story and respecting the original material.
There's a lot of action, there's a sort of romance, and there's the fascinating world of the Nordic saga.
It's a bit slow at times but I found it well done.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

If I could only use two words to describe "The Valkyrie", they would be "atmospheric" and "heartbreaking". It's brilliant from start to finish and I loved it. There is a thread of sadness that runs through the book that adds extra depth to the story, but there is also a feeling of hope that was magical. Mythology fans shouldn't miss this one.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.