Filled with action, "Shield Maiden" is a reimagining of a portion of Beowulf that focuses on characters who aren't typically the hero. The book uses many point-of-view characters to tell the story of Fryda, a chieftain's daughter with a deformed hand, coming into her power in more ways than one.

I found Fryda a touch juvenile and naive for her time, her station, and her age (20), but I enjoyed her journey and the supporting cast.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

I’m not overly familiar with the story of Beowolf. I know the general plot points, but I’ve never read any versions of the original, only loose re-imaginings. So, to continue that trend, I guess, I was happy to check out this book, another story that approaches the original from a unique angle, this time that of a young woman whose dreams of becoming a shield maiden have been hindered by a tragic accident when she was young.

This book was a bit of a struggle for me, which is too bad, because it was one of the fall titles that I was especially looking forward to. But first, I’ll cover some of the things that worked for me. For one thing, the overall writing I think is fairly strong. I wasn’t distracted by any strange turns of phrase, and the plot moved along smoothly, if somewhat slowly, throughout the story. I was also surprised by some of the choices the author made with perspective, especially the chapters sprinkled throughout that come from the point of view of the dragon that makes an appearance at the end of this story, as with the end of “Beowolf.”

But this last point also gets to a few of my problems with the story. While the writing was strong enough, I felt that the structure of the story was strange. Given the fact that the dragon had not one but multiple chapters of its own, I expected it to play a much larger role in the story itself. As it stands, the dragon only shows up at the end and is very succinctly dealt with, making the build up to this confrontation feel strange in hindsight.

I also struggled with the main character. I liked the exploration of her life attempting to become a shield maiden, seemingly thwarted at every turn by not only her role in life but also the devastating injury she sustain as a young girl which left her with limited use of one of her hands. But beyond these larger strokes, her choices and naivety throughout the story were increasingly difficult not to become frustrated by. She has not only one friend who is enslaved, but her love interest has also lived as a slave of the household. And yet Fryda seems largely unaware of what life is like for these two, close friends she’s known since children. Not only that, she is surprised when she learns of things they experience and the limitations of their existence.

I also struggled with the romance, which was very disappointing, as I went in with high hopes for this aspect of the story. But right from the beginning, I knew this wasn’t going to be for me. In the first scene in which we meet these two, they are obviously both into one another, but in both of their perspectives, the reader is subjected to fairly ridiculous inner thoughts and even outwards expressions of doubt about the other. At one point, they outright ask those around them if they think the other is into them! I believe this book is marketed as an adult fantasy, and this depiction of romance was incredibly juvenile, even by YA standards, a category to which this book shouldn’t belong.

All of this aside, I definitely think there is an audience for this book. For all that the romance wasn’t for me, I think it’s the kind that will appeal to a lot of other readers. If anything, I will admit that it was a breath of fresh air that both characters were rather straight-forwardly interested in each other, without either being grumpy or an “enemy” of the other. But, for me, this book was a bit of a let down.

Rating 7: Solid writing and an approachable romance will likely be a hit for many readers, but I was put off by some of the structure of the book as well as the overly YA nature of the love story.

(Link will go live Sept 27)

*Thank to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

Overall I enjoyed this story! A female-centered retelling of Beowulf, the story revolves around a girl named Freyda who longs to be a shield maiden. However, that hope is dashed after she is injured in an accident. I won’t say too much to avoid spoilers, but this story also includes star-crossed lovers, disability representation, and a dragon!

I gave this book 3 stars because the pacing was a little too slow for me. While I could tell that the author really did her research before writing, I wish that there could’ve been slightly more action. It also felt like the climax happened way too fast.

If you liked or have read The Guinevere Deception, this book gave me similar vibes!

"Shield Maiden" embarks on a riveting journey alongside Fryda, an interesting and determined character who aspires to become a shield maiden despite a childhood accident that seemingly shattered her dreams. The narrative's strengths lie in its intricate details and a propulsive plot that paints a rich world and keeps the reader engrossed. The interplay between Fryda's personal journey and unwavering courage forms the heart of the story, while her transformation from shattered dreamer to resolute force of nature is masterfully portrayed. Though some aspects could delve deeper, "Shield Maiden" remains an inspiring voyage of self-discovery, bravery, and the unwavering link between destiny and determination, sure to captivate those who seek a vibrant blend of imagery and spirited narrative. The dragon's narrative is woven in, in an interesting way. This voluntary review is from a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

It’s a good book, however it’s too YA for me and I think I thought it’d be similar to the original Beowulf story. Overall good writing!! The main character was a bit childish for me but again I think I’m not the targeted audience for this.

A wonderful story of love, betrayal, and making your own family. Fryda is a Lords daughter who wishes for nothing but to be a shield maiden. Her father is vehemently against this. Chaos ensues when her uncle King Beowulf come to their land to be celebrated for 50 years of ruling over the kingdom, and this gives Fryda the opportunity to show everyone what she is truly made of.

Shield Maiden is the tale of Fryda, who has always wanted to be a shield maiden. After a childhood accident takes away some of her dexterity, Fryda is discouraged by her overprotective father from pursuing her dream. But Fryda still dreams in secret and practices training as much as she can. Years later, politics converge and her uncle/king Beowulf returns to court. In the chaos of a scheming court, Fryda must choose how far she wants to go to prevent the kingdom from slipping into disarray. Will she finally become a shield maiden? Who will she fight for?

I enjoyed Shield Maiden! It was a very solid fantasy with a likable heroine at its core. Fryda is a very loyal and strong character. I enjoyed seeing her work towards becoming a shield maiden and teaching herself new ways to fight. The romance felt a little lukewarm, but was overall fine. The chapters from the dragon’s point of view were very interesting, though the end of their story felt a little unsatisfying. Beowulf felt appropriately larger than life and readers do not need to have read Beowulf to enjoy this retelling. Readers who enjoy H.M. Long, readers seeking more physical disability rep in fantasy, and Beowulf fans will love this book.

Thank you so much to Sharon Emmerichs, Redhook Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

I honestly thought this was a really good spin on the legend of Beowulf! Rather than being the main hero, he is part of the supporting cast who makes the other heroes possible. I loved Fryda, the young woman who wants to be a shield maiden, and the young slave Theowyn who loves her and fights for her. There’s a traditional romantic sensibility in this story alongside the empowerment plot, and I thought both were handled well. The side characters were all interesting and well-written (Bryce and Hild are the best); yes, even the villain was compelling– I loathed him with every fiber of my being (nothing morally grey about this one, he was just evil). I was caught up in the adventure, the political intrigue, the myths, the DRAGON, and the hunt for power and freedom. And honestly, speaking as a parent and a somewhat conservative person, I would say, with the exception of one c— word and a brief sex scene, this story would hit about right for the 18-25 crowd.

Did you love Beowulf? Well, you are in for a treat! From the perspective of feminist power, this epic will keep you hooked throughout each page!

I received this advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I wanted to like this novel, and I think it probably has a lot of characteristics that other people will enjoy. However, it was not to my taste. I found it slow and although our protagonist is a sweet young girl for much of the early part of our story, I also found this made it difficult to become fully engaged with our character. For some people it might have been easier, but for me it didn't work. I do think it's a well-designed story, perhaps a little slow, and filled with interesting observations about this type of culture. But unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I was hoping.

Shield Maiden
by Sharon Emmerichs
Pub Date: 03 Oct 2023

Both epic and intimate, Sharon Emmerichs's extraordinary debut novel reimagines Beowulf from the perspective of a young woman reclaiming her power.

All her life, Fryda has longed to be a shield maiden, an honor reserved for Geatland’s mightiest warriors. When a childhood accident leaves her tragically injured and unfit for the battlefield, her dreams are dashed—or so she thinks. But a strange, unfathomable power is awakening within her, a power that will soon be put to the test.

For when foreign lords and chieftains descend upon Fryda’s home to celebrate her uncle King Beowulf’s fifty-year reign, she realizes not all their guests come with good intentions. Treachery is afoot, and Fryda must gather her courage to fight for her people…as a queen should—as a shield maiden would—and as only Fryda can.

But as Fryda’s power grows stronger, something ancient hears its call. For buried deep in her gilded lair, a dragon awakens…and Fryda must prove herself once and for all.


#ShieldMaiden

An exhilarating retelling of the Beowulf legend. I will definitely be ordering this title for my library and recommending it for our book groups.

Thank you to NetGalley and RedHook Books for the eARC of Shield Maiden in exchange for my honest review!

I don’t believe I was the target audience for this one and that’s on my part because I misinterpreted what age group this was intended for. This seemed very YA and the main character was so naive and childish at times that just didn’t work for me. The author also really drove home the point that she was naive, so I guess it was meant to be that way, but didn’t make for a very enjoyable read. The writing had issues as well, way too many similes for the length of the book.

I enjoy a good book with a good, strong FMC and Shield Maiden has that in spades! Fryda is a strong character that doesn’t let her disabilities stop her from achieving her goals! The main antagonist to our heroine and her love interest is written so well! You know a character is written really well when they make you emote, and the bad guy in this book made me feel so angry! I loved how the story is set in the time of Beowolf, and introduces the complexity of the different struggles that people during that time period would face on a daily basis. My only “complaint” is that the POV changes between five different characters, and it can get kind of confusing. Other than that it was a great read and I can’t wait to read more of this authors books!!

Shield Maiden
By Sharon Emmerichs

I’m a little torn on this one. Because I liked the concept and I enjoyed the characters. But there were just some things that kept pulling me out of the story.

One was the jumping from perspective to perspective. I understand that the author was trying to get the reader invested quicker by doing it, but it was a bit like whiplash sometimes. There were also some very forced conversations and confrontations that seemed very odd hadn’t been addressed for their entire lives until just this snapshot of their lives. Pacing seemed a bit off to me as well.

And yet, I still enjoyed most of it. I liked the main character and felt for her struggles. The romance aspect wasn’t overbearing and quite sweet. I also thought the author did a good job with the atmosphere as well.

Thanks to @netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this book.
I was interested in the characters and the story.

I feel like this book has a very niche audience, and I'm not sure how best to describe how I feel. But who is this book FOR?
It's not a true romance book
It's Vikings sure, but sorta PG
It's Historical but not completely, there is no exploration of the gods, and there is a DRAGON.
The content implies sexual innuendos multiple times, but nothing to warrant a spice rating.

Goodreads tells me this is YA, but neither of the covers look like YA to me, they look like adult books.

Maybe this book is for YA's who will watch GOT or Vikings in a few years, and their favorite character will be Arya or Largertha, but if they have already watched those, they might be expecting more adult content from this book.

What a fantastic tale, I absolutely enjoyed every second of this. Fans of Madeline miller and other similar authors will definitely love this book. IT IS A GREAT RETELLING/ Beowulf inspired story. I was inspired by Fryda and Thoew and their determination to make their lives what the wanted it to be, truly a good story , impeccable writing and a clear voice. I absolutely and without a doubt will be recommending this book to Everett e who loves to read.

The setting for this book was definitely not something I’ve read about often, and I enjoyed the historical aspects of it. I remember reading Beowulf in high school British literature class, and hating it. The author did a good job of retelling his story as seen through his niece, Freya. It was way easier to understand than the original old English. Additionally, Fryda was a pretty strong heroine with ambition. Always great to read about a strong leading lady.

Unfortunately, that’s where my enjoyment of the book ended. I really didn’t care for the supernatural dragon aspect or the romance…which was the main focus of the book. The interspaced chapters from the dragon’s POV was just weird to me. As for the Romance, I just can’t explain it but I didn’t really ship it. Also, how would the characters want to get it on right after both of them received serious injuries?! Finally, while Fryda for the most part was strong, she was also incredibly naive and I just couldn’t handle that. To a point, Theow was as well. I was actually kinda pissed that they wanted to trade all the treasure to just run off together. The ending just wasn’t as satisfying as I wanted it to be. Also incredibly unrealistic historically. I think this book could appeal to a select audience, but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for the opportunity to read rage and review this arc which is available October 3,2023!

This is a reimagined Beowulf told from the perspective of Fryda, a young woman looking to regain her power.

It was okay. I struggled to get through it just as I did with the original epic poem in high school.

Thank you Redhook Books and Netgalley for the ARC!.
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🗡️Unfortunately, I DNF-ed :( This story had sooooo much potential and I was thrilled to read it…but I was bored. The pacing is so extremely slow and I wasn’t falling in love with any of the characters. So, all in all, this book just wasn’t for me. As always, I do hope to give it another chance later on.🗡️