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theshaggyshepherd's review against another edition
5.0
When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald is the story of a young woman with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) that is on a journey to live her own Viking legend, where she becomes the hero. Along the way, she learns that there are different ways to protect and care for her tribe, that villains and heroes can sometimes switch roles surprisingly quickly, and that small steps can add up to big accomplishments.
This novel is a piece of literary fiction that has put me on a quest to search out more like it. It is difficult to believe that this really is MacDonald's debut novel because it is so masterfully done. While I was reading, I continued to wonder how someone that is not affected by this himself could write the character of such an idiosyncratic person and yet make it so believable. But after reading some author interviews with the author, it now makes more sense. Seldom have I found myself so engrossed in a character's narration and rooted for them as much as I did with Zelda. I am excited to see a new Canadian author get as much attention as MacDonald has been because it is well deserved. I look forward to reading more from him.
Thank you to the author, @netgalley and @gallerybooks for sending me an egalley in exchange for an honest review. I am glad to have been able to read this novel.
This novel is a piece of literary fiction that has put me on a quest to search out more like it. It is difficult to believe that this really is MacDonald's debut novel because it is so masterfully done. While I was reading, I continued to wonder how someone that is not affected by this himself could write the character of such an idiosyncratic person and yet make it so believable. But after reading some author interviews with the author, it now makes more sense. Seldom have I found myself so engrossed in a character's narration and rooted for them as much as I did with Zelda. I am excited to see a new Canadian author get as much attention as MacDonald has been because it is well deserved. I look forward to reading more from him.
Thank you to the author, @netgalley and @gallerybooks for sending me an egalley in exchange for an honest review. I am glad to have been able to read this novel.
linda_kathleen's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. My only complaint: the attempted rape scene. Absolutely no need.
thelibraryskeeper's review against another edition
2.0
So I read the blurb about this book before getting it and it gave absolutely no indication of what I was about to read.
I feel a bit tricked based on that. Also in no way does this book leave me with the warm fuzzies. There is a lot in this book that has left me feeling very uncomfortable.
I feel a bit tricked based on that. Also in no way does this book leave me with the warm fuzzies. There is a lot in this book that has left me feeling very uncomfortable.
palmkd's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- 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
I am glad to have finally read this one after the cover caught my eye a long time ago, even if the story was nothing like what I thought it was about after reading the description!
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Medical content
Minor: Drug use
Brain injury, Drug possession/dealing,gingerbread_void's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got this book but I figured I would give it a chance. I had no idea that the main character has a form of mental disability and I am not an own voice in that field so please please please take this review with a grain of salt and seek out own voices reviews!
Now it took me a bit to get used to since the whole book is told from her point of view and while she is an adult some of her ideas and her language is very child like. At first I was unsure about it but the further I got into the book I found it to be a very refreshing way to view a story like this. I found the main charter to interesting and her relationship with her bother felt very really. Not only did the way they communicate come across very natural but even some of the situations they find themselves in seemed like something that could and does often happen. Also the way the main character interacted with others outside of her “tribe” seemed very authentic to me especially her relationship to boys both her boyfriend and other boys. The way she was both knowledgeable and innocent is what made her feel real. She was in many ways just like any other twenty-one year old woman wanting freedom and to explore but she also had this child like innocences and ability to trust that at times tended to get her into trouble,
I wanted to speak about some of the other mental handicaps (I am so sorry if that is not the right term please let me know and I will fix it if that is the case) mentioned and seen throughout this book in reference to the main character but as my experience is with conditions either far more severe or far less severe I decided to leave that bit up to a more qualified reviewer.
I also wanted to talk about the character I liked the most in this book, AK47 or Annie. She, for me, was the shinning light of this book. I do realize that she can be construed as a bit of a stereotype but for me I though she was a great if not the best character in the book. She was strong and opinionated but she was also extremely kind. She was probably the only character that really treated the main character like she was the same as everyone else. She treated her like she would one of her others friends and didn’t talk down to her. I think she shows how easy it can be to treat someone with a mental handicap just the same as anyone else because they are.
Lastly I wanted to talk about the men in this book. I’m not sure how many people will read this book and think the fact that almost all of the men of this book either try to or do take advantage of the main character to be an exaggeration and I just wanted to say that it is not. No, this is not me using a book to condemn men. I want to point out the sad fact that a lot of people see people that are handicap or maybe a bit more innocent and they try and take advantage of it. I have seen it time and again with friends of mine and I wanted to mention and thank this book for calling it out because it is a serous problem. I wanted to say that I have seen the exact things mentioned in this book and worse happen to my friends who has a mental handicap because people think they can get away with doing things like that to someone with handicap. I wanted to thank this book for pointing that out because to few people do and even fewer parts of the media do.
All in all I liked this book. I found it to be a good book with solid characters and good story. I found its portrayal of its main character to be accurate at least in my limited experience (again check out own voices reviews) and I was invested in her story. I read this story all in one day and loved just about every minute of it. I would say this book is perfect for someone who is looking for a unique coming of age story. Its a wonderful book and defiantly worth the time to give it shot.
Now it took me a bit to get used to since the whole book is told from her point of view and while she is an adult some of her ideas and her language is very child like. At first I was unsure about it but the further I got into the book I found it to be a very refreshing way to view a story like this. I found the main charter to interesting and her relationship with her bother felt very really. Not only did the way they communicate come across very natural but even some of the situations they find themselves in seemed like something that could and does often happen. Also the way the main character interacted with others outside of her “tribe” seemed very authentic to me especially her relationship to boys both her boyfriend and other boys. The way she was both knowledgeable and innocent is what made her feel real. She was in many ways just like any other twenty-one year old woman wanting freedom and to explore but she also had this child like innocences and ability to trust that at times tended to get her into trouble,
I wanted to speak about some of the other mental handicaps (I am so sorry if that is not the right term please let me know and I will fix it if that is the case) mentioned and seen throughout this book in reference to the main character but as my experience is with conditions either far more severe or far less severe I decided to leave that bit up to a more qualified reviewer.
I also wanted to talk about the character I liked the most in this book, AK47 or Annie. She, for me, was the shinning light of this book. I do realize that she can be construed as a bit of a stereotype but for me I though she was a great if not the best character in the book. She was strong and opinionated but she was also extremely kind. She was probably the only character that really treated the main character like she was the same as everyone else. She treated her like she would one of her others friends and didn’t talk down to her. I think she shows how easy it can be to treat someone with a mental handicap just the same as anyone else because they are.
Lastly I wanted to talk about the men in this book. I’m not sure how many people will read this book and think the fact that almost all of the men of this book either try to or do take advantage of the main character to be an exaggeration and I just wanted to say that it is not. No, this is not me using a book to condemn men. I want to point out the sad fact that a lot of people see people that are handicap or maybe a bit more innocent and they try and take advantage of it. I have seen it time and again with friends of mine and I wanted to mention and thank this book for calling it out because it is a serous problem. I wanted to say that I have seen the exact things mentioned in this book and worse happen to my friends who has a mental handicap because people think they can get away with doing things like that to someone with handicap. I wanted to thank this book for pointing that out because to few people do and even fewer parts of the media do.
All in all I liked this book. I found it to be a good book with solid characters and good story. I found its portrayal of its main character to be accurate at least in my limited experience (again check out own voices reviews) and I was invested in her story. I read this story all in one day and loved just about every minute of it. I would say this book is perfect for someone who is looking for a unique coming of age story. Its a wonderful book and defiantly worth the time to give it shot.
evmanessa's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
devoe1se's review against another edition
4.0
As many other reviews stated, this book is reminiscent of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, as it centers around a 21-year-old woman with ASD, Zelda. Zelda is under the care of her older brother following foster placement with an abusive uncle. This story follows Zelda and her understanding of the world as she navigates it with the help of her day program and her brother, whom she is very close to. Zelda learns of some shady activity her brother falls into, and in doing so, begins to navigate the world of adult relationships.
Zelda lives her life by a set of rules, many of which are based on how Vikings lived. She is fascinated by Viking history, and strives to live as one. MacDonald does a wonderful job incorporating many real-life struggles to those living with Autism Spectrum Disorder, including juggling appointments with a psychiatrist, managing activities of daily living, and navigating the social world. While the story itself wasn't always gripping, there were times when the reader can relate with many of the characters and their life experiences. The storyline moves along well and reads easily.
Zelda lives her life by a set of rules, many of which are based on how Vikings lived. She is fascinated by Viking history, and strives to live as one. MacDonald does a wonderful job incorporating many real-life struggles to those living with Autism Spectrum Disorder, including juggling appointments with a psychiatrist, managing activities of daily living, and navigating the social world. While the story itself wasn't always gripping, there were times when the reader can relate with many of the characters and their life experiences. The storyline moves along well and reads easily.
whatshawnareads's review against another edition
4.0
Zelda is different from your typical narrator and seeing tragic events through her childlike optimism is heart wrenching. The comparison to Bryn Greenwood is accurate, but Zelda is not at all like Gentry. (From The Reckless Oath We Made) It’s definitely a lesson in empathy.
Narration: Perfectly captures Zelda’s voice. 5/5
Content Warning:
Thanks to Libro.FM and Simon & Schuster Audio for my ALC for review.
Narration: Perfectly captures Zelda’s voice. 5/5
Content Warning:
Spoiler
drugs, domestic abuse, sexual assault, use of the R wordThanks to Libro.FM and Simon & Schuster Audio for my ALC for review.
heidisreads's review against another edition
4.0
This powerful story is even more dynamic because it is told from the perspective of Zelda, a young woman born with brain damage due to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. For years Gert and Zelda have taken care of each other and followed some basic rules. But, after Zelda uncovers one of her brother's dangerous secrets, she begins a quest (Zelda has a thing for Vikings) to become her own legend - and save her tribe. This story has an unforgettable cast of characters and will leave you smiling as the tears dry on your cheeks.