I received a Digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with Zelda right away and would have enjoyed almost anything narrated in her voice, but the depth and heartbreakingly beautiful story made Zelda’s voice particularly fascinating. Her character arc was complex and took unexpected turns, making the book even more enjoyable. A lesser writer could have relied on Zelda’s voice to carry a less inventive story or a thinner narrative, but the book aims higher and is the better for it.

When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald is light, dark, charming, and sad. In essence, it has a little bit of everything. It truly is a stand out novel among upcoming fiction.

The unlikely hero of the novel, Zelda, a young woman with fetal alcohol syndrome, is everything you could want in a viking. She is funny, frustrating, strong, but not perfect. Then, trouble finds its way into her tribe. We follow her through one of the toughest battles in her life where she must decide what it means to be a warrior. (Note, this takes place in present day).

My only complaint about the book would be that I wanted more. It felt like there was more to say, though perhaps an ending that left you wanting was exactly what Donald was going for. Make sure not to skip out on this title when it hits shelves!

I appreciated the first person perspective for this story. I enjoyed being taught about Vikings from her unique point of view and current experiences. I was rooting for our heroine from the start and my interest in what happened to each of the people in her life was high. I was aware that though some of the people in her life made mistakes that had huge consequences, I liked them or disliked them by how they treated the main character rather than those mistakes. The author told an engaging tale about how messy life is and how much we need each other to get through.

This story has so much heart. Zelda is such a strong, brave, engaging character, I wish I knew her in real life!

“When We Were Vikings,” by Andrew David MacDonald is one of the most engrossing books I’ve read in a long time—and I read a lot of good books. When I requested the book, I was expecting something a bit more innocent, like the main character, Zelda, from whose point of view the story is told. But for all of Zelda’s innocence, she is living in a very dangerous world, one that she is ready to embark upon as an adult—as a Viking.

Zelda is an intellectually impaired woman who is obsessed with Vikings. When she finds out that a woman can also be a Viking warrior, she decides it’s time to be her own legend.

There is such a tenderness and loyal bond within Zelda’s “tribe.” Her family isn’t traditional. She is being raised by her older brother, Gert, and his on-again, off-again girlfriend, AK47. But in many ways, it is like the best of families where love and sacrifice are offered up freely for the good of the others in the tribe.

“When We Were Vikings” was a joy to read. The author was able to capture the voice of this young woman in a way that was real and honorable. In fact, the dialogue of all of the various characters is what really made this story ring true. Zelda is the filter through whom the story comes to us. She is telling us what is happening in her world, as she sees it. Even though her naiveté might make her account unreliable, her absolute honesty and the openness with which she tells the story lets us in on every detail, enabling us to know things that she is missing because of her intellectual impairment.

One of the things I loved about “When We Were Vikings,” was the way the author portrayed the characters who were intellectually impaired. They weren’t stereotyped or one-dimensional. They had hopes and dreams, fears and feelings, like everyone else. I will be looking for more from this author in the future.

I don’t typically read books with a lot of coarse language or sexual content, but in this case, it was merited. Zelda is trying to figure out who she is and often speaks in the way the people in her community do. There are also parts of the book that could definitely use a trigger warning for people who have been abused in any way.
I highly recommend “When We Were Vikings,” and give it 5 stars!

Zelda is obsessed with vikings and sees her life as a viking quest. She is a young adult with fetal alcohol syndrome. Her brother Gert is struggling to keep them in their apartment, living independently. Zelda is the narrator of the story and I love her voice. She has a special way of looking at the world, but she has a fierce spirit and is capable of being independent. I loved this book. Zelda is such a positive character. I loved her spirit and her confidence, even though it led her into trouble a few times. I think this book would be a great choice for book clubs, since I have wanted to discuss it with someone else ever since I finished it. I highly recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Not all of the monsters are outsiders. Sometimes, the grendels can be part of our own tribes.

Andrew David McDonald writes "When We Were Vikings" with the same charm as other books featuring a protagonist who is "different." This story, though, is much darker.

Zelda loves vikings. She knows the sagas, the language and the importance of the hero's journey. Her tribe includes an older brother dubbed by others as an angry thug, his former girlfriend who is Zelda's best friend and her friends at the community center. Zelda and her friends all are "different," but in their own ways.

Although Zelda's brother, Gert, loves her, his temper and poor choices (Plus a desire to protect her from harm) put the tribe into jeopardy. Although Zelda is afraid, she must be the hero in her own story.

There's plenty of foul language and sex in the book, but it also has a lot of heart.

Heroes. Monsters. The book is filled with them.

(This review appears on Goodreads, on my Facebook wall and in Facebook groups 52 Books and The Book Club Girls.)

This took some time for me to get used to Zelda's way of descrobing things, since it was a different voice than would usially be used for an adult. I feel that it added a lot to the story, that it meant more being told from her perspective.

The growth for all of the characters, even Marxy, was very well showcased. The Viking connection worked really well, from "Grendels" to legends, and I loved the messages conveyed. Life doesn't always folow rules/lists, that isn't always bad, and it isn't always clear who villains or heroes are.

The pacing felt a bit slow the first 20%, but it seemed to gain momentum steadily from there, until you are staying up to find out how it ends.

Writing: 4/5 Plot: 4.5/5 Character: 5/5

21-year old Zelda is obsessed with Vikings. Drawing inspiration from Viking lore, she is writing (and living) her own legend, tackling life with courage and loyalty to her tribe. She was also born on the fetal alcohol syndrome spectrum (FASD) and is aware of needing to take things slowly, follow rules, and study things more thoroughly than others. Her brother Gert — with his shaved head, tattoos, and a thug-like exterior — has been taking care of her since he extracted both of them from the abusive Uncle who took them in when their mother died.

A remarkable cast of characters populates this unique coming-of-age story as Gert gets into some questionable means of support in a neighborhood rife with violence and trouble … and Zelda tries to help. It has one of the most beautiful, heartfelt, and meaningful endings I’ve ever read. It wasn’t the traditionally happy ending I was expecting, but one in which people had to learn some hard truths about themselves and the people they loved. I particularly appreciated the way nobody was presented as all “bad” or all “good” but merely people trying to do their best, not always succeeding, and coming to terms with how to make the best of what they had.

Zelda’s voice is quite engaging. While many reviewers call it “humorous”, I actually found it to be innocent and completely lacking in artifice — which I found quite refreshing. From Zelda directly, galvanized by her Viking research: “Dagaz means to become awake or to transform. That is what I want to do in my legend: I want to go from a normal Viking to a hero.”

Highly recommended.

On the heels of the now defunct (thank goodness) plethora of vampire fiction , "disability fiction" has now taken over. Many authors have tapped into the public's thirst for stories about high functioning people on the Asperger's spectrum. MacDonald veers away from that into the spectrum of FAS in telling the story of twenty-one year-old Zelda who is determined to write her on legend, modeling the Viking women warriors.

In contrast to Asperger novels, protagonists who are FAS patients do not have "abnormal" abilities that signal a happy ending in fiction. Nor do they have that extraordinary differentness of Asperger protagonists so intriguing to readers who function "normally." In truth, FAS afflicted lack the romantic exotic quirkiness of the bright Asperger fiction heroes. MacDonald's tone, while relieved by occasional natural and charming humor, leaves no doubt that this is a dark novel, foretelling danger that the heroine, her brother, and his girlfriend will have to confront and overcome.

All the main characters are sympathetic in spite of their weaknesses and failings; they are realistic and distinct personalities who make up nearly equal weight in the novel. Their struggles to be the warriors in their own legends make the reader root for them. However, MacDonald doesn't seem to like writing about true villains as much as he does like writing about truly heroic strugglers. His novel emphasizes the values of courage, persistence, and the duty of individuals to fulfill their potential, the qualities that enrich contemporary fiction all too rarely.

I found this to be a thought provoking read but a rather rosy depiction of fetal alcohol syndrome, which in my experience, is much more devastating to those afflicted than it ever was to Zelda. But don't let that critical reaction keep you from reading an inspiring and satisfying novel about three people who are easy to love and respect. This is that book.

This is a raw and honest story about people doing the best with their disadvantages/limitations and relying on a tribe to get through hard times. It’s about difficult choices made in times of crisis. It’s hard to read at times, and by no means a fairy tale. But, still a story worth being told.

Such an amazing read!!! When We Were Vikings centers around Zelda who is a 21 year old on the fetal alcohol spectrum. Zelda’s dad left when she was young and her mom pasted away and she lives with her older brother, Gert. Money is tight and Zelda has made it her mission to contribute monetarily. Craving the stability of routine, Zelda forces herself out of her comfort zone to find a job. All the while, Zelda is also going through the stages of first love with her boyfriend. If Gert can get back together with his ex-girlfriend and stay in school everything in Zelda’s life will be as she wants it...right?!!!?

I literally had my whole heart wrapped up in this book!! Told through Zelda’s perspective, we follow her journey as she navigates becoming an adult and finding herself worthy enough to be the hero she’s always been! The storyline managed to shatter my heart and build back together unlike any novel I’ve read before and I simply devoured it! The cast of characters were eclectic and extremely endearing!!! I am totally wow’ed by Andrew David MacDonald’s writing and the fact that it’s his debut novel?!?? Talk about hitting out of the park on your first try!! I’m so flipping excited to see what Andrew David MacDonald comes out with next!!