I really wanted to like this, but in the end I just could not get into it. I gave up on reading it. I didn't connect with the characters at all and the world buildiing didn't appeal to me.

I picked this up because I enjoyed Gornichec's older release 'The Witch's Heart.' I thought the blurb sounded interesting and so I added it to my TBR, especially considering I've been really enjoying reading mythological retellings a la Song of Achilles. I did enjoy The Witch's Heart but I felt that it was perhaps a tad bit generic. In these mythical retellings I think authors struggle with ways to make their books comparable to the original titles written in the more formal, basic writing style but yet not detract from the actual writing and story. & I think Gornechec falls prey to this situation again, similarly as she did in 'The Witch.' Naturally, considering it's supposed to be hundreds and hundreds of years ago in Greek times so the language will be affected, but I got the sense that the author didn't bother to truly study the proper way to speak rather than simply parceling out very limited, basic sentences. I thought it detracted from the story in some ways and just overall prevented the story from being everything that it could have been,

Now that being said, there were a lot of parts I really did enjoy. I loved reading about the sisterly bond, very close friends and sisters are some of my favorite relationships to see and experience. Female friendship is a very unique monster that is often much more accessible as youngens and very hard to replicate fully as adults because that literal physical closeness that we can have as young girls is not nearly the same as adults when we do not spend so much time together, and so I thought Gornichec did a marvelous job at writing a very close female relationship without patronizing them or making them seem younger or immature.

I also very much appreciated that the romantic elements did not take over the entire novel. With this influx of mythological retellings I was very much dreading potentially having to read several romances and feeling like they were all too similar but that was not the case here as the little romance in the book did not take front and center.

Overall, i enjoyed this but I felt that it was good without managing to ever really be exceptional. There was definitely a lot of very harsh elements to the story which at times felt almost gratuitous, things like excessive gore, self mutilation, sex and abuse, etc etc. These elements left me confused about how I was left feeling about the book, I think I would have to say it lands somewhere around a 3.75 for me which was of course rounded up to a 4. Just shy of that 4th star tho.

An easily enjoyable 5-star read that brings the same intrigue of THE WITCH’S HEART with a new cast of characters to fall for

The Weaver and the Witch Queen was a captivating Viking Age historical fantasy. Gunnhild ran away from home and an abusive mother to learn magic. She left behind her best friends Oddny and Signy when she did, but she never forgot them and uses her magic to check on them. While watching one day, Oddny and Signy are attacked and Signy is stolen away. Oddny vows to get her back and Gunnhild immediately sets out to help, procuring the help of King Eirik to get her there faster.

I loved this book. The women were strong, sometimes flawed, people who loved fiercely. The enemies to lovers romance between Gunnhild and Eirik was fantastic, but even better was the romance between Halldor and Oddny.

I also really loved the historical trans representation! Overall, this one checked all the boxes for me!

3.5 stars. I loved Gornichec’s first book so I was curious about this one even though the synopsis didn’t fully grab my interest. I was REALLY enjoying myself for the first half of this, but unfortunately didn’t like the second half much so it brought my rating down.

Gunnhild was BY FAR my favorite and her relationship with Eirik was for the most part, enjoyable, but I just really didn’t enjoy the climax of this book and it made the resolution feel disappointing. I mostly lost interest by the end, and it seems like there’s a possibility for a sequel but I probably wouldn’t be racing to pick it up.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

Not my favorite sadly. The writing just wasn't there for me, and I had a hard time getting into it. I liked the setting quite a lot, but the characters felt a little too over written for me.

While Genevieve Gornichec's novel "The witch's heart" has been on my TBR for a while, reading "The weaver and the witch queen" has motivated me to read "The witch's heart" and perhaps her other titles this year.

This novel is gripping, fascinating, adventurous, and humorous. At one point, the action was so well described that I could see this being adapted for the screen.

I loved the characters, especially the inclusion of a trans character. I enjoyed how strong and independent the women were. I loved the snarky retorts and relationship between Gunnhild and Eirik. I loved the mythology and the historical setting. I enjoyed the ending's conclusion yet openness for more.

Although I haven't read or watched any Game of Thrones, I would still recommend this to anyone who likes the series and/or the Viking era.

Having loved Genevieve Gornichec's other book, I went into this with high expectations - and it did not disappoint one bit.

Following the stories of two women Oddny and Gunnhild, the plot centers around the capture of Oddny's sister Signy in a Viking raid, and the subsequent journey to find her. We also see developing romances for both Oddny and Gunnhild, and while I enjoyed both, the complexities in Oddny and Halldor's relationship were well-written and emotional.

Above all else, I appreciated the strong female characters and this book very much felt like a celebration of femininity, sisterhood, and the collective power of women.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Genevieve Gornichec’s The Weaver and the Witch Queen is a spellbinding historical novel that transports readers to the Viking Age of Norway. The story follows the lives of two women, Oddny and Gunnhild, who have vastly different aspirations in life. But after a prophecy involving the two girls and Oddny's sister Signy is made by a wisewoman, the three girls make a blood oath to help one another.

When Oddny's farm is destroyed and her sister is kidnapped by Viking raiders, she finds herself drawn to one of the raiders, despite her mission to save her sister. Meanwhile, Gunnhild, who left her home to learn the ways of a witch, discovers that her destiny is intertwined with that of the heir to the ruler of Norway.

The novel is a gripping tale of sisterhood, magic, and loyalty that explores the complexities of love and power. Gornichec’s writing is richly descriptive, transporting readers to the harsh yet beautiful world of Viking Age Norway. The characters are fully fleshed out and their relationships with each other are captivating.

Overall, The Weaver and the Witch Queen is a powerful and engaging read that will leave readers yearning for more. Gornichec masterfully weaves together history, myth, and magic to create a story that is both enchanting and heart-wrenching. This is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and anyone who loves a good story about the bonds of sisterhood.

I was all in when I started reading this novel. The time period isn't one that is usually explored in books, and having the book in Norway was intriguing. The bond between the girls was wonderful to see. I loved how the author weaved magic into the story in a unique way that I haven't seen before. That being said I found Gunnhild and Eirik's relationship trying. Their back and forth banter reminded me of a bunch of 10 year old kids. While some may find it funny or cute or romantic I found it annoying and made me fall out of favor with this novel. This doesn't mean that others will not enjoy the novel.

I really liked this! I think I definitely preferred The Witch's Heart, but this was still a super enjoyable read. I do wish we had gotten a bit better of an explanation of the magic system, or anything at all about any of the women's lives in the twelve year interlude between the first chapter and the rest of the book. I also didn't feel like there was enough setup regarding Gunnhild's friendship with the sisters: we were told that they were best friends, they make an oath, and then the story continues twelve years later after Signy and Oddny hadn't seen Gunnhild for over a decade. Other than that, the book did keep me engaged throughout, I love Gornichec's writing style, and I really liked Gunnhild's and Oddny's respective romances. Signy, being kidnapped for the vast majority of the book, wasn't really a present character even though the plot was driven by her kidnapping. This makes sense; it's not called, "The Weaver and the Witch Queen and the Weaver's Sister," but I still would have liked at least a couple of chapters from her perspective. I also really appreciated Gornichec's incorporation of a transgender character as a love interest.

This book had me hooked 75% of the way. I loved the sisterhood of the girls, the bond that they share is amazing. Yes, there is some relationship romance... but I do not feel like it should be the main focus. I did enjoy the enemies/lovers in one relationship. Since that is in the book, I feel like there is a little bit for everyone in this book. I wish the author went into more details about the "strings" that tie your soul to your body. At about 25% is where I felt like it was going to be a series or at least a sequel because there was still so much to cover. I felt like the author was rushed to finish the book. It definitely could have been made into two books. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but felt it was rushed at the end.

I'm Norwegian, so I wanted to love this book. Alas, it just wasn't for me. I didn't feel like it brought in the fun and beauty and magic of Norway that I grew up with. I stopped at 5%. I could see it at an easy 3, likely 4 stars for our usual visitors.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

“the weaver and the witch queen” is a historical fantasy novel that takes place in viking age pagan norway. we follow gunnhild, oddny, and signy, three young girls who are plunged into peril when raiders attack their village.

this is a novel about the power of women. these women have agency, magic, and bold personalities. they are imagined as strong, capable women who are able to defend themselves and change their fate. this is not a romance novel, no, it’s a novel about war, kingship, and honor. it is beautifully written and gripping. i read it in one sitting, unable to put it down.

it was so exciting to see trans representation in this novel, and it made me incredibly happy. it was so well done, not at all transphobic in any way. to see yourself in a novel that takes place so long ago is phenomenal.

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Weaver and the Witch Queen follows Gunnhild and her sworn sisters, Oddny and Signy, in tenth century Norway as each of these women set out to fulfill their destinies. When they were children, a traveling seeress foretold their destinies, stating: “One of you clouds the futures of the others. For better or worse, your fates are intertwined.”

And so follows a tale of witches and witchcraft, sons of kings vying for power, and destinies foretold.