Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
There are two mythological cycles that I have a fondness for – the Story of Troy and the Volsung saga. In fact, I prefer Norse myths to Greek. I’m not entirely sure why, but I always have.
Heathen is a comic book that draws upon ancient Norse stories but adds more.
The story is about Aydis, a young woman who is a warrior, despite her wearing bikini type clothing in the north. Unfortunately, Aydis has been labeled unnatural by her village because she likes other women. She does not want to get married, at least not to a man.
The story of how her life is saved is actually one of the most touching stories of acceptance, I’ve seen lately.
Because she has lost almost everything (she still has her horse Saga), Aydis decides to go on quest. She is going to brave the fire and rescue Brynhild, but this quest becomes more difficult as the focus on her quest changes – she is going to challenge the status quo in a more direct way.
To be honest, the artwork in this volume isn’t to my taste. This is just a preference issue, not an artistic judgement. Certain aspects of it are appealing – such as the horses and the wolves. The women just look a little strange. It’s like Aeon Flux – storytelling is great, but the art work is my type of thing.
There is some humor here – particular when it comes to animals – and if you are familiar with Norse myths and legends (not the Marvel version, BTW), you will get some of the character names. The book also draws more closely on the mythology than the Marvel comic, and there is even historical reference to the coming of Christianity.
What is more important, and just lovely, is the book does examine the question of love and truth though the characters, including the goddess Freya who meets Aydis.
It really is a wonderful human story.
Look, I loved it so much, I went to see when new issues would be coming out.

A quick read, with an excellent balance of adventure and fighting, romance, and backstory. It's a modern retelling of the Brynhild myth, but remains set in the Viking time period, but addresses issues of romantic freedoms that are very current.

This book. Oh my god, this book.

I downloaded this from netgalley late last week. I was just scrolling around absent-mindedly in some different genres, and I requested it purely based on the art quality on the cover. I just dug the coloring style, and I was like yeah. I can do Vikings.

I had less than no idea that I was going to be impacted so deeply by this.

The comic opens on a young Viking woman. She stands in the snow with a horse, idly telling it an old tale of the Gods and Valkyries. In the style of an ancient storyteller, she talks of Brynhild, Valkyrie Queen cursed for the crime of disobeying Odin.

Her story comes to a halt when they're interrupted by her friend, and it's revealed that our storyteller (Aydis) has been driven out of her clan for the crime of kissing another girl. Her father was ordered to sentence her either to death or to marriage. He chose death, but let her go: off on her own, to find a life she can lead.

Aydis doesn't seem scared--rather, she shows eagerness to go out into the world and chase her own destiny; soon, we learn that her design is to find the fabled Brynhild. The valkyrie's curse is to marry a mortal, but a mortal of her choosing. She waits, engulfed in a holy flame, for the mortal brave enough to earn her hand. Which is exactly what Aydis plans to do.

That's the most fantastic premise I have ever heard. Keep in mind, I'm a young queer woman, not much older than Aydis appears in the comic. And going in, I didn't know this was about lesbian Viking warriors. It might be the first time I've ever found representation of myself at this level without actively seeking it out.

But that's not where my love for this ends. It's so well executed, and heart-wrenchingly good. It combines that otherworldly, mythological vibe of an epic journey with some really powerful concepts and dialogues that just pack a punch.

For instance, it doesn't live exclusively in the realm of myth: it addresses its historical context. During our story, Christianity is beginning to spread throughout the Nordic regions. In one scene, Brynhild confronts a mob of villagers who are looking to put a witch to death. Having been away from the world for so long, she demands why they would attack a witch--someone performing a job thats been integral to their society for generations upon generations. We see firsthand how this is a changing world, yet the problems the villagers are so keen to punish the witch for resonate powerfully from a modern context.

Throughout the story, we're introduced to a diverse cast of characters from many walks of life, but their struggles are timeless. They're relatable, even though they're worlds away.

What originally drew me to this was the art, and I was not disappointed.

I'm a sucker for some masterful coloring, and that's exactly what I got. Colors hold a lot of power in visual storytelling, and Alterici uses hers masterfully. Things are eerie, or serene, or foreboding, or idyllic: the art draws you in and sets the mood wonderfully.

And the character designs! They're gorgeous. Everything about them is dynamic and exciting.

The other thing Alterici does wonderfully is weave in the mythological content--which is obviously a necessity for a story like this. Aydis is a storyteller--she doesn't identify
herself as such, but she returns to the craft time and time again. Through her retellings, we see glimpses of the world and reality she lives in, as well as how she sees the world: what makes her a warrior, and why she thinks it meaningful to be one.

We see iconic figures of Nordic mythology, as well as lesser known creatures and beings. But the narrative always stays true to the tone of that ultimate source content, and transports you to a time when magic and Gods were wilder and messier and absolute.

This was a completely beautiful work of literature and art. It was visually stunning, and it left me absolutely needing more. It tackles issues and ideas that are so close to my heart, and it does so in a way that's somehow responsible and brave. I want everyone to read this.

This is from an advance review copy for which I thank the publisher.

You never quite know what you're going to get when Net Galley has a 'read now' offer, and it's often a mixed bag, but in this dive into the mixed bag of fortune I came out ahead! This is the second graphic novel out of three that I really enjoyed, so I have no idea why it would need a 'read now' offer. I guess people don't appreciate quality when it comes stealthily in on a longboat and attacks their insular little village of life, huh?!

This is a beautifully illustrated (by the writer in rather fetching sepia-like tones) series which collects several individual issues into one volume. It's about Aydis, a young female Viking who kissed a girl and she liked it! Whether this really was the punishment for this "crime" in Viking times, I don't know, but apparently Aydis's sentence was either marriage or death. Knowing the one would be no different from the other in Aydis's case, her wise father took her out of the village and returned claiming she was dead.

Meanwhile alive and well, Aydis vows to free Brynhild, who was imprisoned behind a wall of divine fire by Odin. A quick chorus of "O-Odin can you sear...." Okay that was bad, Scratch that! Moving on...Aydis's hope is that with Brynhild and the Valkyries on her side, she can take on Odin, bring an end to his not-so-divine patriarchy, and finally get some freedom and independence for women!

Riding her talking horse Saga, who isn't above having the odd adventure him- or her-self. I wasn't sure, and maybe that was intentional. Or maybe I wasn't paying sufficient attention! Aydis is quite a distraction with her mind rampaging in six different directions at once. Anyway, she sets off for the mountain wherein Brynhild is trapped. The last thing she expects is to be kidnapped by the goddess of love, Freya, and despite her proclivities, she's not happy about it! And so the story continues!

I loved it, and if you have a liking for a Viking like none you've met before, set your course for this Norse and you'll love it too. A Norse! A Norse! My Vikingdom for a Norse! Okay, no, that didn't work either. Never mind! Seriously, this was a true pleasure to find and read, and I recommend it unreservedly. Besides how can you not want to read a book by a woman with a grand name like Natasha Alterici?

A young Norsewoman, exiled from her village after she was caught kissing another woman, sets out to overthrow the reign of Odin... except that the Norse weren't even that fussed about homosexuality* until they were tainted by the far more poisonous patriarchy of Jehovah, at which point surely Odin's power was already waning. Which it doesn't seem to be in this landscape of immortals and talking beasts, even though the christians are already on the scene. The details along the way are lovely, from the bleak landscape to the charming faces. But unless and until further volumes explain the discrepancy, it seems to have a glaring inconsistency at the base of its plot.

*Beyond the classic active/passive distinction and expecting that all should be willing to breed, anyway. And there are some indications you could even dodge that bit via the priesthood, like in christianity, though hopefully without the same apparent obligation to fuck kids instead.

While I know many people who would enjoy this story, I found it to be very predictable. When you can already see where a story is going, it takes away from the enjoyment and surprise. Despite feeling like a repeat or rehashing of other stories, the setting and artwork was really great.

I LOVE THIS! Lesbian vikings? Sign me up! It's so cool to read a graphic novel and be able to relate to the main character, gender wise. The story is so good and the art is fantastic. If you don't mind me, I'll be here rereading this graphic novel.

Heathen V. 1 does a lovely job of intersecting old and new questions that teenagers and many adults have about the world around them. Why do these societal rules exist? Must we live by them? How can we break free of the expectations that others have of us? With artwork that is darkly colored and masterfully painted, Natasha Alterici draws the reader into the world of Aydis, a recently outcast young Nordic woman. Alterici begins with Aydis telling a story of her people, and moves into the story of Aydis herself.

This book is thoughtful and beautiful. The mortal and the immortal struggle against their bonds. Readers meet goddesses, valkyries, and wights. The dark landscape is the perfect backdrop for a defiant yet outcast tone. Heathen V. 1 is excellent, and I look forward to purchasing it and reading more about Aydis.

Awesome art work, a strong female warrior, and Norse mythology? Yes, please! I wish this was longer. You get a brief glimpse of the series' overachieving theme--something along the lines of being accepted for who you are or the freedom of loving whoever you want--before this volume ends. Mature rating for nudity. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

An engaging story throwing in several elements of traditional norse mythology with incrediblly artistic and gritty art that sews it altogether.

When I first saw the cover and read the description I knew I had to read this graphic novel. Heathen by Natasha Alterici is a fantasy tale set in Eastern Europe involving the Nordic gods and a female warrior whose father helped her escape instead of imposing either the death penalty for kissing another woman.

Okay. I know this is the part where I go into the plot a little bit. But, first thing’s first. Please allow me to gush about the art.

Dear god. This art! I’ve never seen any art quite so alive as this. It’s not just beautiful, it’s nearly magic. The art is so very alive, not static in the slightest. Everything bears a painted feel, brush strokes visible, colors blending beautifully into one another. The art shines throughout the entirety of the novel, but nothing can compare to the scenes with moving images. You can nearly feel the character’s moving, feel the wind rush past when they’re on horseback. Battles feel brutal, dark, and full of chaos. But nothing, nothing, can compare to the way flames dance across the page, their heat almost palpable, their beauty only matched by their danger.

Here, the art is alive. It’s as if its moving on the page, even when you know its not possible. I was utterly drawn in by the art style. It was as if I was there, watching the story unfold before me. I’ve never seen art done quite like this before. At least, not with such magnificence or such skill, and you can bet your first born that I will be seeking out more of the creator’s work.

The story itself only adds to this graphic novels quality.

Heathen is about Aydis, a woman who was exiled from her village. After being seen kissing another woman her father was given an ultimatum – marry her off to an eligible bachelor or sentence her to death. Aydis was sentenced to death, a ploy by her father to aid her in escaping, despite knowing she would be doomed to never return. Angry and alone, Aydis decides to chase a legend told to her in her youth, a story about the goddess Brynhild, the former queen of the Valkyrie. Cursed by Odin, she was locked by a ring of fire atop an impenetrable mountain waiting for a warrior to release her from her prison.

Aydis decides to prove that the warrior doesn’t have to be a man. It can be her.

Seriously, if you’re looking for a strong female character, Aydis is it. She sets a goal for herself and is determined to see it through. Despite adversity, despite any possible anxiety about her choices, she still remains firm in her decision – she will break Brynhild’s curse, she will make it to Odin, there is nothing wrong with her and who she chooses to love, and she will prove that she is just as great a warrior as anyone else from her village. Honestly, Aydis is one of the best female protagonists I’ve read about this year.

Now, let me admit something here. As much as I was loving the beginning, I was afraid that the graphic novel was going to fall into the age old insta-love trope. I figured the plot was going towards the standard ‘save the goddess in distress and live happily ever after’ plot. However, that is not the case; the story proves to be much deeper than the old tropes.

Brynhild has a very interesting past which comes to light as the story unfolds. Instead of instant-love, we see two strangers come to understand each other and form a bond of friendship. As Aydis learns more about
Brynhild, she decides she wants to help her and get this curse lifted once and for all.

Many other characters are introduced, but not so many as to feel overwhelming. We meet other immortals, gods and goddesses, each of whom are quite interesting in their own rights.

One character I liked in particular was Freyja, the goddess of love and knew leader of the Valkyrie. While not interfering quite as directly as she possibly could have, she does cast her lot into the mix. Important commentary and a different perspective is given to Aydis. I wound up loving this character when I usually find portrayals of immortal deities of love to be a bit two-dimensional. She is fleshed out rather nicely, though, providing information and encouragement that Aydis needs when she needs it. She acts more as the goddess of love than the queen of the Valkyries. This disconnect between her as a person (or goddess, I should say) and the duty imposed on her by Odin only make her a more fascinating character, one full of contradictions.

Another interesting aspect of the story is the time period in which it is set. This is not the ancient world. The land is changing. Foreigners have brought Christianity to the land. The gods, while respected, perhaps, don’t seem to have the same effect that they once did. That isn’t to say that their power or abilities are lessened, but there is a definite disconnect between what the gods say and feel and what the humans do. The opening is a good example of this – Aydis is cast out for being queer, but goddess of love ensures her that there isn’t anything wrong about how or who she loves at all.

I really, really want to read the next installment in this series. Right now, preferably. Hopefully we’ll see more volumes published, because I need to know how this tale ends. Heathen is beautiful both visually and narratively. It is an epic quest of traditional kind while featuring very un-traditional protagonists. This is a graphic novel that everyone should read. If you like breathtaking artwork, strong female characters, and LGBTQIA+ representation read this immediately. If you don’t like stories involving gods and goddesses this might not be your cup of tea.

Aydis is a woman warrior who is cast out by her village for an "unnatural act.". She tells the story of the Valkyries, immortal women warriors but the God Odin. The most famous Valkyrie is Brynhild who disobeyed Odin. For her crime, she is to sit in a circle of fire until a brave warrior breaks through the circle of fire and marries her. Does that happen? Aydis goes on a journey where she will meet friends and foes.

Heathen tells a story about gods, Valkyrie, and a woman who is an outcast. Aydis and Brynhild have much in common as which I realize when I finished reading this volume. The artwork is terrific as well as the writing. It flows so smoothly that as you read the story, it was hard for me to stop reading. Don't miss this great story!

Interesting mix of mythology and LGBTQ theming. The artwork was sketchy, not crisp...but lended something interesting to the storytelling. I had forgotten even what the blurb said it was about before I read it..but loved every second of it. Want to see what happens in the next installment.

A graphic novel about a lesbian viking who's been exiled from her home, so she goes off on an adventure to save the former queen of the Valkyrie, Brynhild, and to rescue other LGBTQ+ individuals so they don't have to fear the same fate she underwent?

Do you think it was even possible for me to read this fast enough?!

This story was AMAZING. The artwork is stunning, the characters are warm-hearted and pure, and the plot is so intriguing and fantastic. I'm always a sucker for a warrior heroine - especially a lesbian one! - and Aydis is genuinely just... flawless. She has such a good soul and wants so badly to do the right thing, and I loved every moment of getting to know her character.

Every side character in this story is also absolutely splendid. There's Brynhild, who's a raging badass despite nurturing her own inner turmoils. Freyja, who is mischievous and scheming and yet altogether a complete sweetheart. There's Saga, the fantastic horse, and the wolf brothers, Skull and Hati, who are endearing and a little bit comical... I just can't say enough good things about the cast of this graphic novel.

I cannot wait to read more of Aydis' story! I'd recommend this to anyone who likes a good fantasy adventure, especially if you enjoy solid queer rep and some fun viking lore.

Content warning: This book does have some minor nudity as well as portrayal of homophobia, so proceed with caution if either of these things bother you!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Literati Press for granting me a review copy of this graphic novel! All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I enjoyed this tale of the interaction of mortals and immortals centered in Norse mythology. With the culturally unlikely premise of homosexual social equality. More than the plot, I found the artwork to be quite splendid, spirited, expressive and fluid. Watch this artist!

Aydis is a young Viking lady who has been outcast from her tribe because she was caught kissing another girl. She is a brave, determined warrior who vows to break a curse Odin has put on the immortal Brynhild. Along her journey she meets a number of gods, the Valkyrie and immortals. A well drawn, well written graphic novel which kept me interested to the end and finished with me looking forward to Aydis further adventure in Volume 2.

This was such a delightful read. The art is pretty with a slightly messy feel. But it’s a good type of messy it fits the story perfectly and really added a lot. The art style was actually what pulled me to this book and the story was what kept me there.
Heathen follows the story of Aydis a young warrior who has been exiled form he clan for being a lesbian. But she does not give into despair or simply lay down and accept her fate. Instead she sets out to free Brynhild who is a fallen Valkyrie. In her quest, she hopes to bring justice not only for herself but for Brynhild and other people who have been cast out by society.
This book is filled with interesting characters and while many of them we only meet shortly they all have an impact on the story. They all have personality and come alive on the page. I found myself falling in love with just about everyone I met. But I love Aydis most of all. She’s such a great character with a good heart and strength to match. But what I love the most is while this is a story filled with warriors it is also a story filled with love.
By the last page I was already hungering for more and I cannot wait to read the next issue. What a wonderful series. And we’re in luck because I think the second volume was kickstarted recently so keep your eyes open!

Norse mythology, queer love, dreamy artwork - be still my heart! This is the best graphic novel I've read this year. I can't wait for the next part.
(I will be tweeting about this book on publication day.)

Heathen is so awesome that wow. I wish it had been longer, since wow. You cannot really go wrong with lesbian Vikings and Valkyries and of course awesome ladies kicking asses. A Viking girl named Aydis is an outcast for she wants to be the greatest warrior and well, she has a thing for the ladies instead of gents. She decides to save the Valkyrie Brynhild from her eternal flame doom with her talking horse and it's all about Odin. She wants to destroy him. The whole thing sounds so awesome and the atmosphere is dark and meaningful in a sense. The plot is surely interesting and I loved how the girls don't need men to be what they are. The flow of the comic is great and the rhythm is well paced so that the whole comic is over before you wanted it to be. The characters are multifaceted and versatile, which makes the comic very real.

The art is crude but light with darkness in it. It's just perfect for the comic and reminds me of rock paintings, so very Viking-like. The brownish color world is perfect and the women are gorgeous. The panels are simple and effective - more or so it's not in the art, but how Alterici has managed to put the atmosphere into her art that is quite simple. That in itself in awesome. More pages would've been better though, since the comic hardly even started. Otherwise I'm sold. I love it.

Aydis is the heroine of this story, clad in a bikini under a fur coat out in the snow. She’s telling stories to her horse—not so farfetched, as it turned out—as exposition about her quest, which is to save Brynhild—as the chief Valkyrie is spelled here—and maybe kiss her. But of course things are never that easy, especially when mythological creatures are involved; in her case, she might be lucky that becoming a plaything of the gods is the worst thing that happens to her.
It doesn’t take long to find some hilarious characters, in this case the two wolves who bicker like an old married couple. “I liked him.” “Me too. I’m glad we didn’t eat him.” The horse they’re talking about, Saga, might be my fave equine of all time, even if he’s described thusly: “Oh that’s right, you’re not the flying kind of horse, just the annoying kind.”
Best line: “Let’s walk off that stutter.”
Norse mythology is a bit different than usual here. This Freya, for example, reminds me of Aphrodite—playful yet plotting—when the two goddesses of love are usually so different. And just because I’ll never have another chance in my entire life to say this, “Don’t hate the Freya, hate the game.”
The cliffhanger did its job; I want more. This was thoroughly enjoyable; I liked just about every character, except for some of the gods. The artwork is not typical, somewhat like sketches that have been watercolored, but it works well with the stark landscapes featured here.
About 10 pages of other covers to finish things off.