Title: The Witch’s Heart

Author: Genevieve Gornichec

Publisher: Ace Books 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 359

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Angrboda’s story begins where most witches' tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to be Loki, and her initial distrust of him transforms into a deep and abiding love.

Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who Angrboda is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin’s all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she learns that her blissful life—and possibly all of existence—is in danger.

With help from the fierce huntress Skadi, with whom she shares a growing bond, Angrboda must choose whether she’ll accept the fate that she’s foreseen for her beloved family...or rise to remake their future. From the most ancient of tales this novel forges a story of love, loss, and hope for the modern age.

All the shades of Madeleine Miller’s Circe wrapped up in Norse mythology. I very much enjoyed following Angrboda’s story as she comes to terms with who she is, loves, suffers, and eventually accepts the events of Ragnarök. We slowly meander through Angrboda’s years for the first part of the book. I enjoyed getting to know her and Loki and Skadi and Gerd (and then the children). The action picks up in Part II arriving at a crossroads before the last section of the book. I loved how Gornichec weaved multiple characters and versions of stories into a cohesive sequence of events. I loved that she focused on a “side” character from Norse mythology while still allowing appearances from the well-known characters. It was a bit weird watching the MCU’s Loki series while reading this book. Two versions of Loki with an interesting contrast. If you are a fan of Norse mythology or of Miller’s work, this would be a great follow-up.

Next up on the TBR pile: