The Weaver and the Witch Queen

I loved Gornichec’s debut, yet from nearly the first page of The Weaver and the Witch Queen I could see the author had somehow gone up a level in both craft and the intricacy of her storytelling.Emotionally charged and honest as it is, I don’t doubt this book will stay with me for a long time.I can’t wait to see this story of friendship and loyalty continued.

I love anything viking/norse god related so this was the perfect read for me.I adored Gunnhild and Oddny, Signy too despite how little we saw of her. I loved the magic system, with the rituals and the singing and the threads, a witches sacred lifeline. To sever one is to doom a witch to die a slow death.When Signy is kidnapped Gunhild and Oddny decide to anything in their power to get her back, and when King Eirik offers Gunnhild that chance, she can't say no, but is she accepting his help to find Signy or because she craves the kind of power Eirik holds? And can she thwart the witches who seek to kill her? Katla, Thorbjorg and a third, hidden witch, will do anything to stop Gunnhild.Oddny wants to believe her friend can help but faces her own dilemma when she falls for a man who was responsible for aiding in the kidnap of Signy, a man who seemingly reciprocates these feelings, but he harbors his own dark secret and it has the power to bring a kingdom to its knees.Again, a great read and I'm happy to say I figured out who the third witch was before the big reveal.

This story had me gripped from the first page till the last. 'The Witch's Heart' has become my favourite book of all time and I wasn't disappointed by this. Well done Genevieve on another fabulous story. Please write another one soon!

“Gunnhild Ozurardottir, if you come with me, I can teach you not only how to gain the knowledge of the spirits as a seeress does, but all manner of witchcraft I know: how to curse and to heal, to conjure storms and befuddle enemies, to cast charms to protect and destroy, to use the runes for magic, and to travel out of body.” - ‘The Weaver and the Witch Queen’ by Genevieve Gornichec.While her debut novel, ‘The Witch’s Heart’, was a mythological retelling, this instead is a reimagining of the origin story of Gunnhild, a quasi-historical figure, who appears in a number of the Icelandic Sagas. She is known as the Mother of Kings.Oddny and Gunnhild first meet as children in tenth century Norway. Yet while Oddny hopes for a quiet life, Gunnhild longs for power. When a visiting wisewoman makes an ominous prophecy involving Oddny, her sister Signy, and Gunnhild, the three girls take a blood oath to always help one another.Over the years this oath will be tested in many ways. Following an attack on their farm, Signy is taken by Viking raiders. Oddny is determined to save her sister no matter the cost. Far to the north, Gunnhild is studying the ways of a witch. She finds herself drawn to Eirik, the heir apparent to the ruler of all Norway. The novel follows these journeys and the lives that they subsequently touch.Genevieve Gornichec blends some fantastical elements into her narrative, including the way that witches are able to borrow the bodies of animals and birds in order to travel, oversee events, and occasionally take direct action. The Norse gods are mentioned, though the author clarifies that they are there because the characters believe in them, not that the novel is about them.After the main text there is an Author’s Note where she provides details of the historical background to her novel and where she utilised artistic licence. This is followed by an Appendix that lists people and terms. Both are useful additions for readers keen to know more.Even though this novel has a different focus to ‘The Witch’s Heart’, Genevieve Gornichec demonstrates a considerable knowledge of Norse history that alongside her storytelling skills creates a compelling tale.Overall, I found ‘The Weaver and the Witch Queen’ a well written and engaging read. I have now placed Genevieve Gornichec on my ‘must read’ list of authors of historical fantasy as I appreciate that she writes confidently from a foundation of knowledge of both the history and mythology of the Scandinavian societies.

I absolutely flew through this book, it was such an easy, almost cosy read (even though it was full of violence and death still 😅).The Weaver and the Witch Queen is the story of two women, one who is desperately searching for her sister, and the other a witch destined to become queen of Norway. Their journeys are both entwined with one another and I loved the bond between them, how it was tested by time and other outside influences.All the characters were fascinating, particularly the two women Oddny and Gunhild. Of the two I think I preferred Gunhild but they both had such good story lines. The romances were well written and I really liked the magic system as well. Gunhild is the titular witch but Oddny is also training to be a healer and it was so interesting reading those parts.This is definitely a must read for any fans of historical fantasy fans out there, particularly ones who enjoy mythological based stories!Many thanks to Titan books and Netgalley for the ARC.

This was a great book. Enjoyed it from start to finish. Cannot wait for this author to write more books.

The cover is SO beautiful, as if I could touch this embroidery. A new scientific law, I have proved it in the past: the most beautiful the book cover is, the lamest the content, and if it is related to Viking or to Norse legend stories involving sisters… I learned it is a given for a big disappointment. I had such great expectations: knowing more about early Norway, the vikings ... also, mixed with fantasy and magic. Plain, plain, plain. Not even the environment, the scenery in those times can be perceived. Now, there is really nothing wrong with the writing but there is also nothing extraordinary. The book starts well, the characters are well-depicted, even the scenery and the magic. However, there was no deepness in anything: nor the historical references, the character development... And what's with the menstrual cramps of one of the characters??? What was that about? Completely irrelevant and all over the place I ended up skimming the last chapters, nothing special was going on, but I had already bought the book, I had to finish it even though as from the second half of the book i couldn't care less about anyone there. The situations were so easily solved, everything turned out to be superficial, no substance at all.

I didn’t dare hope that this follow up to The Witch’s Heart would be close to its exceptional story. The Weaver and the Witch Queen exceeded my expectations! There are so many stories going on at the same time — but they are woven together so deftly and cleverly that nothing is confusing. This is a brilliant, tender, violent, quickly-moving tale that will stay with you after you’ve closed the final page.

I have loved this authors books in the past and enjoy books connected to Norse mythology but I was clearly not the target audience for this book.I thought the pacing was off, the characters felt flat, and the feel of the book was more YA than I expected.

Wonderfully researched, deeply emotional and fantastically queer, this was a book I didn't expect to devour in a single sitting. But how could I help myself? The rich world building and excellent pacing meant I always wanted to know more. I turned to Google more than once to better understand the attention to detail on historical clothing and every page, even the acknowledgements, are worth your time.