Book Review: The Witch's Heart A timeless tale through the lens of Norse mythology

By: Arriana Gilbert

“The Witch’s Heart” is a fantasy novel written by Genevieve Gornichec published in Feb. of 2021.

After Angrboda was severely punished by Odin for teaching seid to Aesir’s rivals, the Vanir, she fled to land of giants, Jotunheim, where she was followed by a mysterious man.

This man revealed himself to be the trickster god Loki. Mixed with distrust with his kind, she reluctantly learns to trust him and develop an everlasting love.

From their union, they create a family of three unusual children. In her new life, she gains new, eternal friendships with her neighbors who support and care for her through challenges.

Angrboda is determined to protect her children from Odin, however, it becomes more challenging when her prophetic powers slowly recover and a frightening man is searching for her in her dreams. Terrified of a fate she involuntarily foresaw involving her family, she is between deciding to accept this horrible fate or to remake it.

This book is based on Norse mythology with favorite characters all having some influence in this story. Some notes to share are that this novel is set up in a different way a traditional book would be. Instead of chapters, it is split into three parts, the first being the longest and the third being the shortest with only 14 pages.

The moment I read the first paragraph, I was instantly drawn in and couldn’t put it down for hours. I absolutely loved the witty humor and romance that blossomed between Loki and Angrboda.

There were moments in the story that I became heavy-hearted and was depressingly reading through, however, this didn't make me love the story any less.

Those heart-wrenching moments gave it depth and that is one of the few things I cherish in a story.

When reading this, it didn’t feel like I was reading a book. I didn’t pay attention to the page numbers or how much I had left because it felt like I was watching a story play in my mind.

The next thing I knew, I went from page 15 to page 52 in no time, and I still craved for more. If you love Norse mythology, or mythology in general, this would be a great read for you.

Even if you don’t know much about Norse mythology and is interested in learning more about it, this would be a great way to introduce yourself to the myths.