Holy mother of god! I wish I had read this book before traveling to Iceland. Steinunn Sigurðardóttir is such a fascinating human being!

I live on a goat farm myself, so I really understand both the idyllic nature and the hard work of shepherding. Heida's story, though, was inspiring on an entirely different level. She has a passion for and dedication to the land that is far beyond what most people can boast. A terrific biography!

This is pretty good depending on expectations. It mostly worked for me. There are many helpful reviews already, so check those out. Best for readers seeking a memoir with some politics and a different culture.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

Heida is a biographical story told in a stream of consciousness style during a year in the life of a small sheep farmer fighting against an increasingly profit driven impersonal progress-for-the-sake-of-progress machine. Originally published in 2016 in Iceland, this English translation is due out 31st March 2020 from Hatchette on their Quercus imprint, it's 320 pages and will be available in hardcover format. (Other editions available in other formats).

The prose is very spare and feels like it's been written down almost verbatim in the voice of the subject, Heida. The pacing of the conversational prose makes it *feel* like it's been translated and I think it could seem quite choppy and unpolished until readers become comfortable with it. I found her story compelling and admirable and I was rooting for her throughout the story.

I like her spirit of self-reliance and practicality as well as the utter lack of any self pity. She's unapologetically strong and willing to take steps and assume roles outside of her comfort zone in order to make a necessary change.

I found it an enjoyable but often stark look at a somewhat hard life in an difficult climate. I found the writing distracting and choppy at first but not noticeable after a while. Her story is fascinating and I enjoyed reading about it.

Four stars.

Heida returns from New York from a life of a model to run her families Icelandic sheep farm. Isolated she=rises to the occasion becomes a feminist heroine tells an inspiring story.Told in a stream of consciousness style at times really funny when she talks about the lack of men to date,I was completely engaged by Heida and her story,#netgalley#quercusbooks

What caught my eye about this book was the fact that Heida is a sheep farmer. What kept me reading the book was the fascinating story about Heida’s life in Iceland, raising sheep, farming, and fighting against environmental destruction. Heida is a force to be reckoned with.

Raised in Iceland, Heida has been many things - a teacher, a professional shearer, an activist, a police presence, a model, and a sheep farmer. She grew up in a small farming town, and as a young adult chose farming over the bright lights of New York City and the glamorous life of a fashion model. She learned farming and sheep raising with the passion that her life encompasses. This is a woman who does not shy away from much.

When faced with a giant power company threatening her land, Heida does not retreat, but mounts a battle against the power company to save her land, her water source, and the beauty that is Iceland. Her ability to stand up for what is right leads people to want her to run for office. And while she is hesitant to do so, she also knows that it is something that would allow her to have a better say in the changes to both her community and the rest of Iceland.

The format of the story tended to be a little difficult - almost a stream of consciousness. Some of the sections were really short, and some continued on later in the book. The book is written in the four seasons of a year with Heida. It tends to read more like a journal, with bits and pieces of her daily life recorded. Even with the odd format, I loved her story. She can be quite the inspiration and role model for young women today. Follow your heart, follow your path, and don’t let others tell you just because you are a female that it can’t be done.

4.25 stars


This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 26 February 2020 .

I felt like I really struggled to get into this book, which is sad because women farmers are one of my favorite topics to read about! I love reading about strong women, but this book just never caught my imagination. I struggled to read through the Icelandic names and the plot just never got interesting to me. I appreciate the advanced copy, but this book just was not for me.