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palmkd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Zelda approaches life from the viewpoint of a modern day viking. She has rules for most things which help her function and her tribe, mainly her brother and his sometimes girlfriend, come first before all else. She knows her brain works differently than other's due to her mom's poor choices (aka drinking while pregnant with Zelda) but that doesn't mean she's incapable. She's passionate about vikings and loves learning new facts about them and sharing them with those around her.
This story tells Zelda's quest to become a legendary viking in her own right, despite the challenges and villains the world throws her way.
It's a coming of age story very different from most I've read and I do believe it was well written. I can't really speak to the disability rep, but it felt well done seeing things from Zelda's perspective.
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Medical content
Minor: Drug use
Brain injury, Drug possession/dealing,space_bandit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Gun violence, and Homophobia
Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent
jasmineshollow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use, Abandonment, Abortion, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse
beccaruthe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Child abuse and Pedophilia
Minor: Abandonment, Abortion, Cancer, and Islamophobia
jennifer_bush_73's review
2.0
Graphic: Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Gun violence
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Author: Andrew David MacDonald
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: January 28th 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Inspiring • Surprising •
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When We Were Vikings is the unexpected and uplifting debut novel from Andrew David MacDonald. For Zelda, a 21-year-old woman and Viking enthusiast who was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, life unfolds around a set of basic rules. This is a coming-of-age story for Zelda, and her quest to be her own legend.
💭 T H O U G H T S
This was a @readcanlit book club pick, and so I didn't know a whole lot about it book before picking it up. With that said, I didn't have a whole lot of expectations going in, and I came out having read an absolutely beautiful tale, with one of the most inspiring heroine's in recent memory. I still cannot quite wrap my head around the fact this is a debut novel!
Zelda is one of the most beautifully written characters, demonstrating immense bravery, acceptance of her own neurodivergence, and inspiring to be her very own legend. I absolutely loved her, and was rooting for her quite early on. And it wasn't just her, the entire cast of characters were fantastic, with each one serving a purpose in the story. The relationship between Zelda and AK47, really stood out for me for the simple bond and humanity.
When We Were Vikings takes one a whole host of topics, two of which are tackling ableism and the search for identity. Some of the topics and conversations throughout this book were so real. For instance, on the topic of sex and consent, although at the time a little awkward to read (something society deems 'taboo'), and yet when I really stopped to think about it afterwards, I realized the world would be a better place if everyone could have the support and education Zelda and Marxy receive. The important role of Zelda's therapist shines a light on normalizing therapy, while also shining a light on diverse abilities.
The reason I didn't absolutely love this book, is because it did take me a long time to really get into it. For the first quarter of the book, I didn't really know what was going on, and it took me until about the half way mark to be completely immersed in it.
If you're looking for a book with a legendary heroine, this is the one! You'll be hard pressed to find a braver and/or more fierce female protagonist than Zelda. I am certainly glad it was selected as a book club pick, because I likely wouldn't have read it otherwise. Great for both contemporary and young adult readers alike.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Contemporary fiction readers
• Young adults
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Vikings spend a lot of time talking about people who are dead, especially those wo have died bravely in battle. Our mother died of cancer, not fighting other people, though when Gert tells it sometimes it sounds like a kind of battle: her fighting against a tribe of villains inside her body."
"I thought all night about what Dr. Laird had said, about being the hero of my own legend. I stood in front of the mirror and did not see a hero reflected back to me at first."
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
fetal alcohol syndrome, drug trafficking, physical assault, derogatory language