this was an interesting read; i enjoyed the writing and the story; however I wish it was a more fleshed out novel.

"This book took me longer to read than I thought it would, because it hit a little close to home sometimes than I had expected it to. I loved the interpretation of Freydis, as I always wanted more of her when I read that saga. And, of course, loved Sonnung. But what I loved the most about this book was Emma's story. The end of chapter 44, especially, gave me the feels. "Because whatever happened, whatever came next, I didn't have to hide anymore or pretend to be anything that I wasn't. I'd been imagining every terrible thing for so long... that is was a relief now to only face reality. To know that the reality could never have been as awful as I'd imagine and built it up to be... I was free. And it was glorious." I am so glad this story exists. I think it is so important to include the voice of non-traditional religions & spiritual practices in literature."

<strong>Daughter of a Thousand Years</strong>

How far will two pagan women go to exercise their religious freedom? Inspired by THE FINLAND SAGAS, Carosella revisits Norse history, religious conversion, and what it means to fight for one's beliefs.

DAUGHTER OF A THOUSAND YEARS has dual storylines; past and present. I found the legendary life of Freydís Thorswoman, daughter of Erik the Red, temperamental sister of Leif Eriksson, to be the only interesting part of a book that dragged on with more repetition than necessary. It was as if Carosella meant to torture me with the same words, thoughts, and character conversations for fifty-three chapters. Had this not been a book for review, I would've stopped reading somewhere along the lines of Chapter Thirteen. The present-day protagonist, Emma, was so very whimpy, although she was meant to come off as independent and strong willed. Really? Emma was almost thirty years old, a college professor, living in her parents guest house. In the backyard. She's dating her father's political spin doctor and putting her pop's bid for Congressman in jeopardy because of her religious beliefs. Now, I know religion has been the undoing of countries, leaders, and men. I get that wars have been, and will continue to be fought because of religious persecution, but I don't think Emma's choice of gods would deter a political campaign so much so that a candidate would be asked to step out of elections. At least not here in America. I may be wrong. Again, please hold the tsk tsk. I'm way familiar with religious wars. I just didn't find Emma's saga believable. Also, that repetition thing kept getting in the way of reading enjoyment. At one point, whilst reading, I actually screamed out loud, ALRIGHT ALREADY!! Emma's constant whining and sidestepping got terribly stale. When chapters were dedicated to the fierce, moody character of Freydís, only then could I enjoy the story. However, for a book so devoted to godly choices, one where both characters choose paganism, I would've liked more of an explanation. I understand Freydís's choice to worship Thor. She loved her father, believed strongly that their shared faith guided the path to freedom. Her choice of worship was her right and in no way do I believe that any one person should be forced to worship a god that they don't have faith in, but I would've liked to know more about the Norse gods. I kind of felt like Carosella expected me to know this stuff, throwing me into the deep end. And, Emma's argument for turning her back on Christianity was a weak one. No! Let me rephrase that. Carosella's explanation of Emma's choice was weak and if Emma's gods made her feel so great, why did she choose to hide her offerings and worship? I wasnt convinced. Lastly, while I enjoyed time spent with Freydís, I didn't particularly care for the anticlimactic end to the tale. When I reached the last page, FINALLY, my reaction was was ho-hummish. That's it? Yeah...that's all, folks.



* Rreview copy provided by NetGalley.

interesting and nicely written historical fiction, with interesting perspectives on religions and great characters!

Good book. Good author. Loved the characters and the plot. Look forward to reading more of her work.

Focusing on two women over a millennium apart who worship the same gods, Daughter of a Thousand Years is devoted to the theme of religious intolerance and the conflicts it creates.

In AD 998, Freydís, the flame-haired daughter of Viking explorer Erik the Red, yearns for a more adventurous life than remaining with her family’s settlement on Greenland, marrying, and passing her days weaving and farming. Historical novels abound with strong-minded women who defy their era’s social confines, but Carosella’s portrait of the stubborn, fearless Freydís agrees with the personality of the woman recorded in the Vinland Sagas. Protective of the Norse gods of her ancestors, Freydís hates that her siblings have accepted Christianity. She will also do anything, including wedding a man she dislikes, to have the means to set sail for distant lands herself.

Her present-day counterpart is Emma Moretti, an adjunct history professor and conservative congressman’s daughter in New Hampshire in 2016. A practitioner of Heathenry, a neo-Pagan religion modeled on the beliefs of her mother’s Icelandic forebears, Emma secretly wears a Mjölnir pendant representing the hammer of Thor. In contrast to Freydís, Emma is hesitant and immature, despite being in her late twenties. She lives in a guesthouse on her parents’ property and eats meals with her Catholic family while participating in events for the latest political campaign and avoiding questions about church attendance. She fears revelations about her religion will torpedo her father’s election.

While her current relationship fizzles out because she’s “not Catholic enough,” as Emma relates to her best friend, a new romance appears promising: her father’s longtime PR man, Adam, asks her out. At the same time, a controversial in-class discussion about the spread of Christianity in the Viking age jeopardizes her teaching job.

The chapters alternating between Freydís and Emma are fairly short, which would normally ensure a fast pace. The importance of religious acceptance is deserving subject, but in this novel, the theme overwhelms the book. Being in Emma’s head during her many discussions about religion – with others, and with herself – quickly grows repetitive. That said, the depiction of academic life feels plausible, and it’s enlightening to read more about modern Heathenry.

Of the two women, Freydís’s character certainly blazes more brightly. However, because of their religious differences, she refuses to befriend her kind, Christian sister-in-law, Gudrid. In their interactions, Gudrid – whose own story is historically fascinating – emerges as the more sympathetic character.

Recommended for readers interested in reading about a fierce woman of the Viking age who don’t mind the modern character’s ruminations.

(Posted at Reading the Past)

It was fine. Nothing groundbreaking or a must read here for me. Maybe I wasn't the right audience for this particular book.

If Freydis had stayed in Iceland her days would have been filled with woman’s work: shearing sheep and washing their wool in barrells of boiling urine , combining the fibers, spinning and weaving or at least directing others to do the same. With a break in late summer to rake hay. But at least then Freydis wouldn’t be in her father’s hall- her father was Eric The Red- at Brallehelid to be seen by that weakling Thorward. Her father had told Freydis she would want for nothing as his wife. Though Thorward wished to make his fortune in Greenland, she would have his family to support her should she wish to return home to Iceland. Freydis couldn’t stand being in the longhouse any longer under Thorward lustful gaze. Freydis said she didn’t want a husband [ who was now nineteen and had been saying she didn’t was fourteen]. But Freydis didn’t want to go back to Iceland either. Freydis told her father to give her a ship and thirty men and let her sail. Both Freydis and her father were far too quick to anger. Too willing too draw their swords, to be swept by emotions before reason. Freylis’s father had been lucky to get away from Iceland with his life. Freydis said Thorward was soft and her father told her she was hard as iron. Her father said Thorward would look the other way when it matters most. You’ll be free to do as you will, to act as you must. Eric said he couldn’t say the same of the rest. Freydis said if he promised her a ship in two years she would marry in the summer. Emma wasn’t really into church went to the different church functions for David. But he became angered and thought he and though he would never make scene he and Emma ended their relationship. Emma and Sarah had been friends practically since birth Emma hadn’t been Catholic enough for David or Christian enough for Sarah. Emma knew you couldn’t do Saturday brunch without your best friend No matter how awkward it was going to be when you have to confess you had been dumped by the first real serious boyfriend you had in years. Because of religious differences that said best friend had predicted would be the downfall of the relationship. Emma’s dad was Congressman Moretti. Emma didn’t really have plans to tell her father that conservation Christian family belief didn’t really fit her. Emma actually believed in the old Gods.
I just couldn’t get into this book. Either be in the past or present. This story just wasn’t for me. I am sure someone else will love it.

What a pretty cover to begin with, it fit the story so well. Also above all it was a lovely read. Nicely done!

A unique blending of two different woman and their stories centuries apart. Their struggles against prejudice and religous beliefs and the always present struggle of women to be taken as seriously as their male counterparts. Well written.

An authentically written tale about two different times with terse relationships and challenges. An abundance of research was done to accurately describe many of the scenes and pieces of mythology within. A story of perseverance and strength.

I was hesitant about Amalia Carosella’s Daughter of a Thousand Years. I’d loved the author’s earlier work and as much as I liked the Norse elements of the plot, I wasn’t sure about the dual timelines. Contemporary fiction isn’t really my thing and the last thing I wanted was to be disappointed by an author I’d grown to adore. I wavered, but in the end, couldn’t fathom not reading the book so I bit the bullet and jumped in.

Looking back, I can honestly say that the decision was one of my better ones, but I think worthy to note that the very thing that nearly scared me off proved my favorite part of the narrative. I don’t mean to downplay Freydís in any way, she’s a brilliant and fiery personality, but there was a spark in Emma that captivated my interest and imagination. She has moments of weakness and vulnerability, but she is a relatable character who felt genuinely authentic in my mind’s eye.

Much as I appreciated the historic details of the piece, it was the thematic material that kept me turning the pages. Carosella tackles some deeply complex religious and emotional conflict over the course of the narrative as both Freydís and Emma discover what it means to have courage of one's convictions and to act in accordance of those beliefs in spite of both criticism and fear. I might be alone in this, but I think that a powerful message and feel there’s a lot to be said for writers who can effectively convey such ideas through fiction.

Daughter of a Thousand Years is not as mythologically heavy as Carosella’s earlier books and while I’d have greatly appreciated a story centered on Freydís alone, I can’t help admiring the novel for both the passion of its thesis and the creative artistry of the parallels that linked past to present.

Holy drama! This was steeped in drama. Also, this also showed how times have not changed from 1000 AD to today. Religion is a huge issue that society is still dealing with. Which it really shouldn't an issue in my opinion.

The story follows Emma is a modern girl who was raised Catholic, but it has never felt right. Things happen and her secret of being a "pagan"/"heathen" because she worships Thor and the other Norse gods is brought out to light at the worse time. She has to deal if she wants to continue living a lie or not. At the same time, in 1000 AD Freydis is hanging onto the old ways while Christianity is spreading like wildfire throughout her world.

Honestly? I really liked Emma's story better. Strange, right!? But yes, modern Emma and her modern issues. I felt so bad for her because her ex was a jerk, her family is super Catholic, the whole community is super Catholic, she has to deal with a bitchy student, and trying to balance what she wants and what would be easy. Poor Emma. But yes, I really liked her and her story.

Freydis was annoying. I get her issues too, but she was overly hot-headed for my liking. There times it was not really necessary. BUT it was really not her fault...her dad was bad too, plus everything is changing and she felt betrayed. Still...there were some times and situations that did not warrant her to explode. Okay...I did like her love story better than Emma's. I just might be biased because Freydis' lover is a hot Viking while Emma's lover is a PR guy....so yeah Freydis' lover is way better. ;D

All-in-all, I really liked this book. I could hardly put it down. The two stories were really different, but very similar and it has the same morals. The two stories mixed well together. The writing was done well and I was sucked into both stories. I finished the book in a couple of sittings.

In the end, I highly recommend this. This shall be stamped with 5 stars.

Overall, I liked this novel but I preferred the two books about Helen of Troy by Ms Carosella. The story about Freydis was interesting but never really reached a satisfying conclusion and Emma's storyline just seemed to black and white. The supporting characters especially were somewhat one-note. The two protagonists were a lot more interesting, but Freydis was definitely more engaging than Emma who was kind of insipid.

It took me a while to finish this not because the story was uninteresting, on the contrary I was so hooked. We went out of town because a friend died and we attended the burial. After which, we decided to get on an hour boat ride to another island known for white sugar-like sand beaches for a post and advance all-in-one celebration of my nephew and niece's April birthdays. I was busy catching up with relatives and friends that I never had time to read.

I got Daughter of a Thousand Years from Netgalley. I realized that Netgalley features a wide genre and a variety of authors that I get to read really interesting stories that really capture my heart. Most of the stories I signed up are historical fiction and done by authors which I have never meet and heard before. This book is a definite example and the story is centered on the life of Freydis. A bastard daughter of Erik the Red. Freydis may or may not actually exist in the history of the Norse but may just be a character created by historians to contrast the character of Gudrid -- a Christian-convert, a dedicated mother, a devoted wife and a loyal friend.

The story is not pure historical fiction. The story starts with a chapter on Freydis and then the next one introduces the other main character which is Emma, born a thousand years after. Emma is a current professor of history who teaches about Charlemagne and Vinland sagas. The chapters switch between Freydis and Emma, from past to present.

Freydis and Emma represent a lot of modern empowered women. Strong and stubborn women who want to excel and explore. Women who value their freedom to express themselves and reach for their dreams. Women who wanted to be their own persons. Women who are striving hard for equality and against any form of discrimination, whether it is in religion, race, culture and career advancement. Women who can actually rule the world if they want to.

One thing I learned from this story is there is actually a religion called Asatru which is a pagan belief based on the Norse Gods like Thor, Odin, Freya, etc. This is an eye-opener. I thought this was history but amazingly it is still alive today. As alive as Hinduism, Buddhism and other non-Christian beliefs. As the story suggests, religion is a relationship between a person and his/her god. And like all Christian religions, some of these pagan religions like Asatru believed in the same values as that of Christianity. Values such as community, respect and honesty. I think, it doesn't really matter whether you pray to a god or not, as long as you live your life with integrity, respect for people and life, with compassion and not stepping on anyone's toes just to get ahead is what's important. I know of people who claim to be pious Catholics or Christians who go to church almost everyday yet does not act or think like one. I think religion is only as good as you are willing to practice it in real actions. Walk the talk. Not the holier-than-thou but a living example of fairness, humility, respect and kindness to everyone, including those who don't deserve it.

I give the book 5/5 Mjolnir (pronounced: myawl-nir, literally means to smash) necklaces or Thor's hammer. This book talks about a very sensitive topic which often leads to debate. Religion-- differences in this belief often lead to misunderstandings and even break apart families because it is implied that you should stand for your belief. It is imperative that you should be able to defend your religion against any detractors. Just like in the story, wife against husband, siblings against siblings, friends against friends, parents against children. Sometimes, others use religion to drive people to guilt. To alienate people because they did not agree with you. Sometimes, it's even used to push personal motives, agendas, causes, selfish desires and whatever you call it. How many people claim that their religion is better than the others? Justifying actions in the name of religion. But the real question is--have we become better people, citizens, neighbors, parents and children because of religion? In the end, it all lies in the individual. It's how s/he lives his/her life. Did you act with kindness or did you just turn a blind eye to the sufferings of others?

In this day and age, religion should not be an issue anymore. Everyone should be open-minded and accept that we live in a very diverse world. Our diversity makes the world even more a wonderful place. I recommend that everyone should read this book. It will put some things into perspective, especially about religion.

Best friends always brought the tough love, even if sometimes it fell a little on the misguided side.
- Amalia Carosella, Daughter of a Thousand Years -

Book Review:
Daughter of a Thousand Years
by Amalia Carosella
Available: 21 Feb 2017

This book looks at two distant relatives, 1000 years apart. I found myself drawn to Freydis, a "Greenlander" from 1000AD. She is strong and stubborn beyond her time.. when most women were tied to farm, marriage, and children, she only wants to be free to find her own fortune. She sails twice to the Americas for fur and lumber to trade. The other character is Emma, in modern day America. She is a politician's daughter experimenting with a teaching career. There are some flubs that call her father's political goals into question. I struggled with Emma.. she is supposed to be strong and stubborn like Freydis, but I found her life to be controlled by her family and her father's political aspirations. She lives in the family guesthouse, dates the men her mother sets her up with.. not exactly the free thinker that Freydis was. It was a pleasant read.. I found myself reading through Emma's story only to get to Freydis'. 4 stars

I honestly did not want to read past the first chapter. I wasn't convinced to care about the main character or everyone else who had similar names and it made for a frustrating read.

A very interesting take on Norse Mythology during the time when Christianity was also taking hold.

Characterization was well done but I felt that Freydís' journey did not ring entirely true but rather held to the idea of what the author/narrator assumed a strong woman of that era would be.

Overall an interesting plot and the dual narrative works well.

I must say that I have been a huge advocate for Amalia Carosella's Helen Of Troy/Sparta books but have to admit that the suspense waiting for this book was more satisfying that the book itself was when I finally got my hands on it.

The problem for me with this book is the fact that it's one of those two timelines book, one set in the past and one set in the present and the trouble was that the present day story line didn't hook me in the slightest and I really didn't care what happened in that timeline, I found that characters bland and boring. It was frustrating for me as the timeline set in the past was absolutely gripping! It was tense and visual I was completely hooked on what was happening then, it gave off a real feel for that time and how the people lived and thought. If the whole book had been set in that time and expanded on to make it into a full novel then this book would have been spectacular.

Maybe it was just me and my general dislike for books with two timelines but I really would have preferred the book to be based in the past only and that the future aspect of the tale was unnecessary. It could be that if you like dual aspect books this book may be different for you but this particular book was not for me in this case.

Did not finish. Seemed like every conversation in this book was about faith. It was tedious.