Set in 10th Century Norway, three young girls make a blood vow, always to be true to one another; even after they hear the prophecy - that one of them has a dark and powerful fate that may ensnare them all…

Years later, when tragedy strikes, two of the young women will do anything they can to find their lost third and bring her home.

But there is another trio of powerful women who are opposing them.

A story written with magic and heart, it’s a historical fantasy populated with richly drawn characters. The prose is easy to read and compellingly smooth as Gornichec brings the world to life in a tale of witches and warriors, friendships and fates, queenship and queerness, and even some enemies-to-lovers romance, as a feud that is consuming the royal family threatens to overtake them.

A great historical fiction, with blood, battles, and magic, set in Viking times. I loved the strong female characters, and the acceptance of diversity without any hesitation. Well written, with a descriptive narrative and a well-researched setting, the story kept me hooked all the way through. (My only niggle was a couple of modern terms, which took me out of the story a couple of times.)

If you love historical fiction, this is a must-read! Highly recommend.

The Weaver and the Witch Queen is such a gorgeous read, a story full of friendship, feminism, the inclusive kind of feminism too , nothing like reading about sisterhood that accepts all sisters ,I loved the characters, I could relate to them so easily, the world building and magic systems are so well done, I loved the mythology around it. This is a beautifully written book, which makes it so easy to fall into, but not so easy to put down. 100% wholeheartedly recommended


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a ripping yarn. I found the start slow, but once the story gets going, it’s increasingly engrossing and becomes a real page turner. The writing style is easy to read and the author provides just enough detail to give the reader a good sense of time and place, and what was normative for the Old Norse cultural context (which was fascinating). I am not familiar with the Icelandic sagas in the same way I am with ancient Greek or Roman myths, so the storytelling was all the more gripping because I had no idea what was going to happen. The characters felt like real people and gender identity diversity was deftly and sensitively addressed. Despite the travails the characters went through, I wouldn’t classify this as an emotional read - but I certainly enjoyed it and will read more by this author.

The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec is a spellbinding tale that weaves Norse mythology and folklore into a rich tapestry of adventure and magic. The author's vivid and evocative prose brings the world of the story to life, immersing readers in a realm of gods, witches, and ancient prophecies. The protagonist, a skilled weaver and a strong-willed woman, embarks on a dangerous quest to save her people from a looming threat. Gornichec masterfully blends elements of mythology with captivating characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. The pacing is excellent, keeping the reader on edge as the story unfolds. The book explores themes of power, destiny, and the complexities of relationships, adding depth and resonance to the narrative. The Weaver and the Witch Queen is a mesmerizing read for fans of mythology-based fantasy, showcasing Gornichec's talent for storytelling and her ability to craft a vibrant and compelling world.

I loved this book.
I felt it was a cozy read with sisterhood and romance, alongside elements of peril and violence. That’s not to say there isn’t action as there is plenty.
The use of Nordic mythology and weaving this into a fantasy novel was amazing! I even read the authors note at the end for further details and I never do that!
I liked the inclusion of gender identity as I find this often is missed in historical fantasy.
The magic system was so interesting to read and original as well.
All of the characters are compelling, I enjoyed reading about them all.
Overall I really savoured this read and I would re-read this book. So for that it has to be a 5 star.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an E-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

The power of women. These women are strong, bold, powerful, courageous and choose their own fates. I loved every one of them, and each character felt unique yet combined in their struggles. The viking setting was really well portrayed and added depth to the storyline. The natural back-and-forth of the characters and how they interacted was fantastic, and quite humourous at times! It added that light element needed to counteract the heavier storyline and well-written action scenes. Overall, witty, action-packed, tense and beautifully written, would highly recommend to fans of historical fantasy and mythology

4.5 stars

THE WEAVER AND THE WITCH QUEEN is a historical fantasy, retelling sagas of quasi-historical figures in this thrilling tale of sisterhood.

Historical fiction, when done well, is time travel. It's a world that is, in some ways (mostly by nature of its geography and school lessons) familiar, but is different all the same. And then add a thread of magic, that other that imagines not simply what was, but what more could have been. And that is why I love good historical novels.

THE WEAVER AND THE WITCH QUEEN is one of the good ones. So much work has clearly gone into researching the world. It makes it feel real, the care and effort standing out. Plus there's an author's note at the back explaining the author's approach to the book too, which I appreciate. This is not the other worldly, unknown world of THE WITCH'S HEART, but Norway, our Norway from centuries ago. It is a world you can touch in reality, and this is another way of doing it.

Nestled into this richly drawn world is a tale of sisterhood. This is two women fighting to save their stolen sister, but their own bond strains in it. I loved that it explored both blood sisterhood and chosen sisterhood, the intense bond between women who will do anything to for one another, but do not always make the best choices.

It is also a book that showcases many forms of strong women. There are warrior women in the book, but the two protagonists - Gunnhild and Oddny - are not that sort of women. They fight, but in their own ways. Gunnhild has her magic and overt defiance. Oddny has her compassion and unwillingness to bend when her morals are challenged. There are also many other women in the book.

I liked the mirroring of Gunnhild and Oddny's primary opponents being women, and the war of (mostly but not entirely) men was secondary. It let women be the focus of the book, the men a backdrop to a battle for power they were far from players in.

It is a standalone, meaning you get a whole story in one shot. I look forward to Genevieve Gornichec's next book!

I love the concept and the focus on female friendships. I found the actual writing a bit dry, the worldbuilding a little thin and the dialogue pretty anachronistic. While you don’t have to write dialogue in old Norse, you can definitely add historical flavour by avoiding glaring modernisms. Same with the brand of sexism tbh. I’m not saying there was none, just that the reasons behind it and how it was depicted would have been different. So this was fine but not quite what I want out of historical fantasy.

'The Weaver and the Witch Queen' is another excellent novel from Genevieve Gornichec, following her successful debut 'The Witch's Heart' (also well worth reading). The novel is largely a work of fantasy fiction, but is loosely based on some of the events in the Icelandic sagas. Set in Norway during the Viking era, the story centres on two young women - Gunnhild and Oddny, who together with Oddny's sister Signy swore an oath of loyalty to each other as children. When Signy is kidnapped in a Viking raid, the two women take extraordinary actions to rescue her. Ultimately the course of their efforts will form part of the history of Norway as well as changing both their lives in ways they could never have imagined.

Gornichec is a writer who makes reading feel effortless. The chapters fly by as you are drawn along by the story. Although the story is based on historical documents, as she explains at the end, there are different and contradictory versions and the sagas themselves may not be entirely reliable having been written centuries later and by people with a different set of beliefs from their ancestors. Therefore even if you knew the sagas (and I'll bet most readers don't) you would still be able to be surprised by the plot.

The characters are likeable whilst also being flawed - in some cases, extremely flawed. In fact, a lot of them spend much of their time arguing and in conflict. The central characters are complex and never unequivocally good - but some of the supporting characters are loveable. The hardest thing I found to accept was that all the men (and some of the women) would go off each summer murdering and stealing from other places. The raid on Signy and Oddny's home is horrific, and yet the majority of characters - including many very likeable ones - regularly do the same to other people. That was just the way things were done back then, but it's an odd thing to imagine.

It is a work of fantasy, with plentiful magic and people using runes to cast spells and trances to leave their bodies in animal forms. But it's the kind of story where the magic only serves the purposes of the story, it is not in itself the story. The point of the book is not that Gunnhild uses magic, it's that Signy has been kidnapped and the friends need to get her back. Magic is a tool they use in that quest - and an important one - but the book never gets bogged down in needless tricks or explanations.

If you enjoy fantasy fiction, you will very likely enjoy this. Even if you're less keen on fantasy, but have an interest in Scandinavian history and culture, I would recommend it (unless you really can't bear any fantastical elements). It's really well written and an exciting story with good characters. If you enjoy this, as well as Gornichec's other novel, I'd also recommend 'The Witch and the Tsar' by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore - a novel with a very similar 'feel' to this one that is possibly even better.

I was so excited to receive the arc of The weaver and the witch queen. I’ve read the witches heart more than once and have preordered this one too. What can I say, this does not disappoint. It kept me enthralled from the start and I can honestly say I loved every moment I could sit and slip into this world.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan for the arc.

“I wish to be feared and respected. I wish to be seen.”

“There’s nothing that will cause you greater grief than trying to fulfill or avoid a prophecy.”

Thank you Net Galley for the arc💛 This was one pf the most anticipated books of the year for me. I’m so grateful that I got to read it prior to it’s release.

I love Genevieve Gornichec. She has an enchanting way of telling stories. The Witch’s Heart was one of my favorites and now, this book is too.

This is a story of three girls Gunnhild, Oddny and Signy. It was a delight to read them be girls together, be friends, be sisters. I loved the side characters too. Especially Halldor, Runfrid, Arinbjorn and Eirik.

It’s a magical story about sisterhood, love, discovering your fears and what’s holding you back, and setting yourself free. It touched my soul deeply. I was surprised by some twists and i couldn’t put it down. It was really good.

It comes out on July 25.

Looking forward to read the future books of Genevieve

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Titan and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

I loved the Witch’s Heart and have this on pre-order so was super excited to get an arc.

This book did not disappoint, indeed I want more! I would love a sequel about Gunnhild’s life as queen.

I loved the characters portrayed in this book, the sisterhood and friendship between women was fantastic. The interpretation of the sagas was really well done.

I would have loved more exploration into the magic and Gunnhild’s training.

Cant wait to see what the author writes next!