This book was a gorgeous endeavor. I was spellbound by the magnificent weaving of this wonderful tale. This is the first I've read by GG, but I will certainly seek out others.

Fans of Juliet Marillier, or historical fantasy in general will most certainly love this book.

It took me quite a while to become absorbed in The Witch’s Heart, but once I committed to the story, I enjoyed it. While written in a very different style, I found this book to be reminiscent of Madeline Miller’s Circe — a modern novel based on myth that adds far more depth to the characters while still retaining the slightly detached air of these ancient stories.

4.5 stars. I love, love, loved this book!

Mythology and folklore retellings or reimaginings are some of my favorite kinds of stories to read, so I knew The Witch's Heart would be right in my wheelhouse. I got a very distinct Madeline Miller vibe from this author, which is great, because I love Madeline Miller to pieces. Gornichec doesn't have quite the lyrical, poetry-like form to her writing that Miller does, but her writing does have the same easy flow and accessible style, knowing how to say a lot without bogging down the writing with lengthy description.

This is a very character-driven story that focuses on Angrboda, a witch from Norse mythology who marries Loki and gives birth to some pretty infamous children. Not much is said specifically about Angrboda in the mythological texts, so Gornichec was able to control how a lot of this story was told, and it is told beautifully. Many well-known gods, creatures, and events from Norse myth appear in the novel, so it does require a certain measure of buying into that mythology.

While powerful characters like Loki, Thor, and Odin make frequent appearances, this is more than anything the story of Angrboda. She is a powerful and gifted witch who has survived a myriad of atrocities done to her. She has lost her way and doesn't remember who she used to be before Odin burned her at the pyre three times trying to extract information from her about the future. This is the story of Angrboda finding her way again, of accepting who she has always been and what she can do with the power she harnesses. It's a lesson about not only what it means to love someone else, but also about what it means to love yourself, and how precious time can be in the pursuit of that love.

Anyone who finds mythology interesting and loves witchy, supernatural stories will love this beautiful, imaginative, captivating tale that you won't be able to put down!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkely Publishing Group / Ace for providing a digital advanced copy.

Genevieve's writing, while simple is highly readable. I highly enjoyed this read and I would recommend it to anyone. I really enjoyed the pacing of this novel. I am so happy to have been given a chance to read this. Thank you.

I honestly enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. It’s centered on the life of Angrboda, a witch who has been burned three times by the gods—and the third time has her burned heart given back to her by Loki. The first part of the book follows the life A builds out in the woods in her cave, and eventually follows the family that A and Loki create. This part is very slow, but I personally love these sorts of character studies... I also couldn’t help but love the dynamic between A and Loki.

The other parts are slow as well as we follow A and her journey to understanding Ragnarok and how she will protect the ones she loves from their demises. I found the middle part to drag just a bit—I’m also not totally sure why A had to leave her cave and travel to practice seid again.

This book definitely assumes that you have some prior knowledge of Norse mythology, and unfortunately I hardly knew anything. I had to do some Googling because things are definitely not just handed over like in Circe by Madeline Miller.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think people who enjoy slower reads and character-focused stories would like this book, especially if you’re a fan of mythology. Apparently A is only mentioned in the Poetic Eddica (the source of Norse mythology) only a couple of times, so it’s fascinating to dive deep into a “side” character, again, much like Circe.

Wowza! It was freaking marvelous!
This is not retelling folks, this is epic, heartbreaking, powerful reimagining of Norse mythology by bringing a new character , adding more modernist approach and rewrite the story around her! It’s unique, riveting, moving, intriguing!
This is not only Loki and Angrboda’s love story. This is a woman’s standing for herself and her motives to do whatever it takes to protect her children fulfill their destinies even though her enemies are the more threatening and powerful beings of the universe! She is determined to declare war against the Gods! Hurray!

Let’s talk more about characters:
Loki is the trickster God and most of you visualize him as Tom Hiddleston thanks to MCU! His cunning smiling already imprinted on my brain cells and i cannot erase it with any mind tricks or hypnosis technics (all girls like bad boys so we will continue to love him more than blonde who carries the hammer: no offense Chris! )

Angrboda is complex heroine, powerful, determined, gifted witch of the story. She assisted to the Gods but she was punished by Odin to burn at the stake because she rejected to share her gifts. But she defeats the death and comes back. This is not gonna be her only waltz with the grim reaper. She dies and resuscitates several times. But she’s been stripped by her powers after her fight against the fire, she’s been retreated to the sacred forest to heal herself and tempting God Loki follows her behind.

He literally captures her heart. Their unconventional and forbidden love story just begins at this point. They have three children: Hei: a future ruler, Fenrir: a wolf child and Jormundgard: a half snake.

Angrboda starts seeing visions tell that her children are in great danger. Even though she becomes friends with Skadi to protect her children from the imminent danger approaching to ruin their lives, she is not strong enough to defeat Odin who is determined to finish the job he started.

This is unputdownable, creative, original reading experience and the mythological world the author reimagined and vivid characterization, modern, smart dialogues she crafted were extraordinary!

If you’re great fan of mythologies and new, fresh , creative approaches of rewriting, this books truly fits with your expectations quite satisfyingly.

I went back and forth between 4 and 5 stars but eventually I adored the characterization and new version of the mythology so rounded up 4.5 stars to 5 Holly Ragnarok, true Nordic, witchy, supernatural stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group/ Ace for sharing this digital reviewer copy of one of the most anticipated books in exchange my honest options.

A wonderfully imaginative retelling of Norse mythology, “The Witch’s Heart” by Genevieve Gornichec is a beautifully crafted tale of love and grief. Angrboda is a witch who’s lived in isolation ever since she refused to bend to the will of Odin and suffered the consequences. She finds an unexpected love interest in Loki, who occasionally visits and always fascinates. Their love story is intricately entwined with the end of the world, with the majority of the book full of dark foreboding prose and melancholy joy. The characters are lovingly fleshed out but innately flawed, with every one making good and bad decisions, taking turns being both tormentor and victim. For readers who enjoyed Gregory Maguire’s fairy tale adaptations and Madeline Miller’s innovative look into Greek mythology, “The Witch’s Heart” is an excellent read.

This seemed like a book I would love so I was sad when it didn't hold up to my expectations. Part of this could have been because I was less familiar with the stories in Norse Mythology, but I think there was something else missing. I never really felt invested or engaged in the story though the beginning started out strong for me. I can certainly see why other people may really enjoy it.

The Witch’s Heart is a transformative fantasy novel. I finished the book and immediately sat down to write my feelings down, like they were the result of magic and could dissipate. The story of the witch Angrboda, who falls in love with Loki, reimagines Norse mythology. Prophecy, gods, and monsters populate the story but it’s the insights into the best and worst of humanity that shine through. This should be on the top of the list for readers who loved Naomi Novik’s Uprooted.

Love this reimagined Norse tale! Angrboda has survived the ultimate punishment for witches, being burned alive, and has retreated to the forest to recover. Her solitude is soon interrupted by Loki, and together they create a family. Angrboda is torn when she starts having visions, visions that involve her children. And so begins her epic journey. This book is wonderful and emotional and a must-read for fans of Circe, Lavinia, and The Silence of the Girls.

If you're reading about Loki, Hel, Odin and others, you might be reading one of the Eddas. Here, the author does for the Prose Edda what Madeline Miller has done for the Iliad and Odyssey: take an outside character (in this case, Angrboda) and make her the center of the story. Her relationship with the gods, Loki (caveat lector: this is not the Loki of the Marvel Universe!) and her children as well as her living off in a remote forest are rendered in wonderful prose. Even those who don't know the original stories will appreciate this version.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

I stopped reading at 12%. It felt like a young adult novel to me, and that just isn’t what I was expecting. I apologize if I missed that in the description.

I wanted to read this on premise alone, and was pleased that it was as well written as I had hoped. Pulling deeply from sources, while still being accessible, The Witch’s Heart gives beautiful life to a relatively unexplored individual from Norse mythology. Two thumbs up, twenty gold stars, a book I will happily read again and again.

Do you have a crush on Loki, that trickster god from Norse Mythology?  Perhaps because you kinda loved him (or Tom Hiddleston) in the MCU? If you do, The Witch’s Heart is the kind of book you’ll adore.  It’s a modern retelling of the myth of Loki and Angrboda, and is filled with witty banter and a fun sense of spirit, but also a little too modern-voiced to work fully as a proper fantasy story.

Angrboda, a witch with seer’s powers, had once been an assistant to the Old Gods, but now she has been ordered to be burned at the stake by Odin after refusing to share her gift of second sight with him.  She is burned, but Angrboda lives; multiple immolations fail to kill her, though the fires strip her of her powers and result in her fleeing to a deep, secluded forest to heal. Loki follows, after taking possession of her heart (which was impaled upon a stake and left behind when she fled), and returns it to her.

Loki and Angrboda quickly marry and have three children in their woodland idyll, but during her first pregnancy Angrboda’s power of second sight begins to return in the form of prophetic dreams.  As she gives birth to Hei - the bitter future ruler of the dead, Fenrir – a wolf-child with a heavy destiny, and Jormundgand - a half-snake, it becomes clearer and clearer that the Gods will not let her and her family rest peacefully.  Angrboda must rely on Skadi, a gruff huntress who slowly becomes her best friend, to help her protect her family from the fates and ensure all three children fulfill their destinies.  But when you have Odin trying to kill your kids to ensure his survival – well, all bets are off.

The Witch’s Heart is properly enormous in scope – with a couple of love stories to follow and become engrossed in, one tragic and one gladdening.  It reminded me a little of the myth telling of Morgan Llywelyen;  it enraptures with a tale, even if its characters feel far too modern.

And yet Angrboda holds the center of the narrative with finesse, making the reader care about her believe believe in her quest to regain her powerful, even frightening, mastery of magic.

The love stories here point up the difference between what is a fleeting passion and what lasts forever. One roots less for Loki and Angrboda to last forever than one roots for Angrboda to outpace the prophecy hunting her children and herself; the secondary romance is what hold the heart tight in this one.

Naturally – because this is about Ragnarok and the creation of the modern world according to Norse mythology – you know that won’t be possible.  The end comes with a gruesome crash that feels well-earned thanks to Gornichec’s talented pen.

The Witch’s Heart was an enjoyable read despite the modern feel to the characters and language.  The mythological retelling is inventive, the characters are fascinating, and even those who have no familiarity with Norse mythology will love it.

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Gornichec clearly put a lot of research into writing this book, and for that I absolutely think she deserves praise. The writing is clear, but unfortunately, I did not find it catching. I found it really hard to connect to any of the characters or become invested in the plot. I normally love mythology retellings, but this was a miss for me.

A lush and intimate look into Norse myth, THE WITCH'S HEART is an astounding debut by Genevieve Gornichec.

Reminiscence of Madeline Miller's CIRCE, Gornichec's story is told from the perspective of the legendary Norse witch, Angrboda. After two other lifetimes of dealing with the fickle Norse gods, Angrboda is tired and seeks refuge in a familiar wood. But the trickster god, Loki, is never far.

The relationship between these two characters is beautifully nuanced from their first moments of friendship to the ultimate betrayal that summons the end of the world. It is this strong thread of humanity that keeps this book of gods, monster children, and legend its true heart.

I highly recommend it.

I could not put this book down—I read it in one sitting! The story of Angrborn ? and Loki is great! Their characters, I felt, were fully fleshed out by the author and the world they lived in was beautiful yet cruel. I will highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy. I’m sure they will enjoy it as much as I did.

This is the kind of story that you hope you're able to find. Norse mythology has been worked almost the bone, but this novel sparkles with original and clever use of esoteric details that make it a good story.
There are non-graphic adult encounters that you hope will work out, but as they do in real life, not as well as one might hope.

This is the story of Angrboda Iron-Witch, Sorrow-Bringer, first wife of Loki and mother of “monsters.” This is the story of a woman thrice burned, thrice reborn. This is the story of the gods who lived before Asgard and the gods who lived after. This is the story of Ragnarok. Gornichec weaves a fresh take on an ancient and well-loved tale in THE WITCH'S HEART. I had to stop reading multiple times because I was so entranced I was forgetting to breathe. This is Vikings as they actual were. This is my new answer to the question "what's your favorite book?"

This book is fantastic.
Honestly, when I started it, I was a little underwhelmed. There is a slow start, following Angrboda through her everyday life in the woods as a witch who cannot remember the lives she has lived. But then the book becomes un-put-down-able. An epic tale that spans thousands of years, love, heartbreak, tragedy, and of course the end of the world, this book will pull you in and leave you with tears streaming down your face (at least, it did to me).