Fans of Sistersong by Lucy Holland will love this beautiful story of a fallen Valkyrie, Brynhild, and her time on Midgard (Earth) during the Dark Ages. Exiled by Odin from Valhalla for daring to challenge his decisions on who should live or die on the battlefield, Brynhild is thrown down to Midgard. Through her battles with the monstrous worm, and her struggles to save the kingdom of her love, Gudrun and her complicated relationship with the epic warrior Sigurd, this an enchanting story of family both lost and found, of love in all its different forms and its transcendence of both death and the afterlife. It is intensely felt and the fantasy medieval story setting so minutely described you feel as though you are there next to Brynhild in every sense. I loved this story and recommend it highly.

I really wanted to LOVE this book. It was a retelling of some mythology that I am not too familiar with so was excited to explore. However I did still find it interesting, I just sometimes felt lost and did not know whos POV I was reading. I would recommend it, but I would say go in being prepared for having to make sure you know whos talking. I feel like if you are a huge Norse mythology lover you will adore this one.

Overall I gave this book 2.2 stars.

I really wanted to enjoy this book and usually I’m a big fan of retellings but this just wasn’t for me.

I think my main issue stemmed from the fact that although this book was very eventful with monsters and battles and adventures, it somehow felt very slow. The events felt rushed through and the lead up to the events and aftermath were longed out whereas for a book of this size, I would have liked it to have been the other way around.

I also didn’t understand the romance in the book. It felt like a slow-burn but without the actual romance. The majority of the book once the characters had met, they didn’t like each other and suddenly within a page they were in love? The book tells you they’re in love without showing any of it or evidencing how they’ve fallen in love which made it very unbelievable for me.

There was an overarching plot about the god in this book, however as there’s already so much happening in a short book, the plot around the gods didn’t get given as much detail. So when it got to the point in this book where it was “resolved”, it felt very rushed and random. I think this book may have been flowed better and been more engaging if it had solely focused on the battles in Midgard and Brynhild’s life after her fall from Valhalla.

However, I did enjoy the way this book was written. It’s split in two perspectives with the two main characters taking turns narrating but their narration is written so that it feels like they’re talking to you the reader, with you being the other main character. So it’s as if they’re taking turns telling each other how they experienced the events that had happened. I thought this was such a good way of writing it and very different to what I normally read.

So, overall, I gave this 2.2 stars and unfortunately didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield retells the story of the Nibelungenlied through the eyes of Brynhild, a fallen Valkyrie, and Gudrun, a princess of Burgundy. It is written in a form of Brynhild and Gudrun telling the story to each other through their own eyes and their way of experiencing the events, allowing for an interesting way showing how different perspectives will show different sides of the same experience.

When I first read the summary of this book I was very excited to read it, as the premise intrigued me greatly. Being Norwegian I am far more familiar with the Poetic Edda, so having an opportunity to read a modern retelling of the Nibelungenlied, especially from a female perspective sounded very interesting. Unfortunately for me, the story didn't fully live up to my expectations. While I still enjoyed the story, it didn't grip me the way that I had been hoping, and so my reading was slow going with breaks, which likely didn't help with the feeling of flow in the story.

I was not a huge fan of the way the story was told, going back and forth between the points of view, though it was one of the main points that drew me to it. I occasionally found it confusing, and would have preferred a third person omniscient POV as that is what I tend to like best.

However, I would still say this book is worth a read.

Very adventurous mythology retelling.

DNF at 63%. I feel quite bad at not finishing this book, but, at the end of the day, we were very near to a big final battle, and I did not care, so I decided it was just not for me.
The writing style of the book reminds me of old adventure books, where a lot of things happen, but the feelings of the protagonists are not at the forefront. As a character-driven reader, this did not work for me. At times we are told that a character was feeling in a certain way, but never shown it. Often, however, emotions were muted, extremely mild or not even considered. People die, and we don't seem to have to care, they disappear, and all we read about is how to keep things going when they are not there. They betray the protagonists, and the narrative voice gives a shrug and comments on the fact that that betrayer was not such a terrible person after all.

Plot driven reader who love adventure books might like this one, but definitely not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I love Norse mythology but tend to struggle a bit with the writing style and storytelling of mythology retellings.
So my personal experience with the book was a little bit tainted by that, but I still recommend it because I think objectively, it's a great book!

The story follows a princess of Burgundia and a fallen Valkyrie, and this combination is just so good. Both storylines were so interesting, and I love how they flowed into each other.
I really appreciated how this book was a combination of Norse mythology and Germanic history, especially since the latter is something I haven't yet read about in a fiction novel.

There are battles and wars, betrayals and betrothals, royalty, diplomacy, court politics, Gods, and even a dragon!
It was so much fun to read and learn about all of it.

As mentioned in the beginning, I struggle with the storytelling of mythology retellings because they always feel more impersonal, and I just find it harder to get into the story. There was a part in the middle where I lost a bit of interest, there is a lot happening at the beginning and the end, but the bridge between the two felt long.
The writing style as a whole was coherent with the story and world, but there were a few instances where modern slang was used (like a 'Go fuck yourself") and it took me out of the story for a short moment.

Overall I recommend this book to fans of books like Circe by Madeline Miller, or anyone who has an interest in Norse mythology.

As soon as I heard this was a Norse mythology retelling, I knew that I would love it - and I really did! The writing craft on display is brilliant and I am so excited to see what is next from this author

I adored this book, Kate Heartfield has woven 2 stories together so perfectly it was so enjoyable to read and to wait for the stories to become bound together and see where they went next, can't wait to read more from this author!

The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield is a modern retelling of the song of the Nibelungs, a German heroic epic about Sigurd, who bathes in the blood of a dragon-like-creature (lindworm) and becomes almost invincible + rich, and the happenings at the royal court of Gunnar, king of the Burgundians, who famously uses Sigurd's gifts to obtain a wife - Brynhild, the name-giving Valkyrie of this book.

I am a sucker for this story in all its forms. I like the somewhat funny-sounding names, I like the lindworm lore. I like the tragic endings of our "heroes". I liked that this rehashing of the old myth was particularly well-written and I would recommend it to anyone that has an interest in the Nibelungs. Yes, it took some liberties with the source material, but that didn't bother me (much, except the lovey-lovey between Gudrun and Brynhild, was a tad much).

The only thing I really didn't care for, was Loki reimagined as a woman. It wasn't necessary and rather distracting.

Thanks, NetGalley and the writer for the advance copy!

There were aspects of this story that I loved, but I did find my attention waning at times. The conversational style of writing between Brynhild and Gudrun was refreshing and engaging, although it did take me a while to figure out who they were talking to. I haven't read any Norse mythology inspired fantasy in a very long time so it was great to revisit these tales again and my interest has certainly been renewed after reading this book

I really loved this book as I have been in a binge of all of the similar historical fictions that seem to be coming out but I am here for it! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley for accepting my request for an ARC of this book.

The Valkyrie is a brilliant duel pov novel which draws on characters from history and mythology. This book follows the stories of Brynhild, a Valkyrie who has been banished by Odin and Gundrun, a Burgundian Princess as both women face dragons, politics, marriages and betrayal but still hold onto love for those around them,

Written as a conversation the reader has access to the feelings that the women have for each other, the people around them and their responses to the wars waging around them. The writing style feels lyrical but in a slightly different way from the original sagas. Two very different but equally brave women sharing the stories that brought them together, the fight to remain together involving challenging the gods themselves. The presence of more familiar characters such as Odin, Loki, and Attila, would in some books take focus away from the main two characters but in this case, they remain bit players. Brynhild and Gundrun are strong characters whose actions and thoughts keep the reader's eyes trained on them.

I would recommend this book to people with an interest in mythology, specifically Norse as it provides a different viewpoint on the Norse tales featuring Brynhild, Sigurd and Gudrun. I little prior knowledge of these characters may come in handy to enhance your reading but the story is easy to follow without.

I will definitely be on the look out for more of Kate Heartfield's books in the future. Also, as someone who loves history, the book has encourage me to look closer into the history of the Huns and Hunnic Empire.

At times I wish I'd had a bit more knowledge of the Norse legends the book is loosely based on. At times it was difficult following which of the central characters, Gudrun and Brynhild was narrating. That said it was an enjoyable read and both of them proved themselves as strong protagonists, willing to do whatever it took to keep their people safe.

Thanks so much Netgalley and HarperCollins for sending me a copy of The Valkyrie.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just couldn't get into it. I really struggled to love it as much as I wanted to. I don't know what about it just made it very difficult for me to read. I couldn't connect to the characters. I did enjoy the story arc over all, but it wasn't a book for me personally.

In 'The Valkyrie' author Kate Heartfield gives us a dual POV re-telling of the Norse tale of two women and their interwoven lives.
Brynhild is an exiled Valkyrie, fallen foul of Odin, who has been cast down to Midgard, made Mortal and left to fend for herself.
Gudrun is a Burgundian Princess, victim of an arranged marriage to a leader of the Huns who wants nothing more than to support her brother the King and help to keep their lands safe.

This is a really well written book, the chapters are a back and forth conversation between the two women as dragons are slayed, myths are created, heroes welcomed and defeated and love is found. Their memories of the way the myths played out are the basis of the entire book and it's such a clever and interesting way to tell this story and for us as readers to experience it.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for the chance to read and review this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Having read a few mythology retellings through fantasy recently I was really excited for this book - and it didn’t disappoint.

This is a retelling of Norse mythology and has everything from mythical creatures, heroes, villains, politics and epic battles. It shows a world intertwined of Gods and Mortals and the game of power played at every level.

For a fantasy read, the world building isn’t complex and with the addition of character cameos from Odin, Loki, Freyja & Attilla it makes the world feel wholly familiar all at once.

The story is told through a dual POV between Brynhild, a fallen Valkyrie disillusioned by the god she followed, and Gudrun, a princess/witch seemingly destined to a political marriage to serve her people and save her home. What begins as a heroic folklore tale of battles and war ends as a tale of love between these two main characters.

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Valkyrie
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Kate Heartfield
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mythology
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 30th March 2023
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬:
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4/5

”The world is wrought by people’s hands, and if you change the hands, you change the world.”

”Let them say what they will, but let them remember that we burned down the world to save it, and the nature of the world is that it can always burn again.”

Please let feminist Norse mythology be the next big thing.

Other than what I’ve gathered from Marvel things, and what I’ve read in Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, my knowledge on the subject is pretty dire.

But, that didn’t stop me with Greek mythology and it didn’t stop me now.

And who needs knowledge anyway because The Valkyrie is an amazing story in its own right. Perhaps some context or symbolic meaning was lost on me, but I can’t miss what I don’t know, and even from the very little that I know, this story is an original retelling.

Brynhild is a Valkyrie, exiled from Valhalla and sent to Midgard for her defiance. Gudrun is princess of Burgundy in a royal family that continues to grapple with external forces for the throne. The Valkyrie depicts both their point of view, but they also speak to each other in their monologues which I found endearing.

The story was fast paced and so, so, easy to get lost in, in the sense that I was utterly immersed but also sometimes I found myself confused. There were so many chess pieces in play here and often the chess pieces were being moved by different people, so it’s a story that I had to really focus on.

But with pleasure I can say it’s worthwhile.


𝑲𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉 @ 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒉 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚
🧚‍♀️🤍

I was offered The Valkyrie as an ARC via NetGalley and was excited as I have a bit of a passion for mythology and fables. I have to admit that I really struggled with this book. The whole book is written in the first person persepective from the point of view of two women Brynhild and Gudrun. The problem I had, personally, was that the voices were not distinct enough to be able to instantly tell which character's perspective you were reading from. This ambiguity was made obvious when both characters were in the same place at the same time. Yes within a paragraph or two you could work it out but I felt that the book would have worked better if it had been written in the third person as it probably would have helped clarify the point of view for the reader far more quickly and easily. Overall I found it to be a bit of a slog for the length and the characters, being fairly similar in my mind, didn't grip me to the extent that I had been hoping.

A sapphic retelling of norse mythology with two unapologetically flawed and fascinating female characters in dual POV.
In a blend of history, mythology, and fantasy, Kate Heartfield spins a story with lyrical prose of two women making their own way through the world and falling in love along the way. This story is inspired by a norse myth, which I didn't originally realise, but the story is easily accessible to those unfamiliar with norse mythology.
Brynhild is a Valkyrie who is exiled from Valhalla to Midgard (aka Earth) where she teams up with a monster hunter, whilst Gudrun is a human princess and a witch. Each woman is well defined and there is wonderful character development that unfolds on page.
I would recommend this to fans of feminist mythology retellings like Circe, but also those who enjoy fantasy sapphic stories.
I look forward to reading more of Kate Heartfield's work!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

Unfortunately it was not for me. I was really looking forward to as I know virtually nothing about Norse mythology and I usually like this type of book. I just couldn't get to grips with it and had to keep rereading chapters. Having subsequently looked at other reviews, I might have enjoyed it had I known some of the myths.