One Viking woman. One God. One legendary journey to North America.
In the tenth century, when pagan holy women rule the Viking lands, Gudrid turns her back on her training as a seeress to embrace Christianity. Clinging to her faith, she joins her husband, Finn, on a voyage to North America.
But even as Gudrid faces down murderous crewmen, raging sickness, and hostile natives, she realizes her greatest enemy is herself–and the secrets she hides might just tear her marriage apart.
Almost five centuries before Columbus, Viking women sailed to North America with their husbands. God’s Daughter, Book One in the Vikings of the New World Saga, offers an expansive yet intimate look into the world of Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir–daughter-in-law of Eirik the Red, and the first documented European woman to have a child in North America.
This novel is based heavily on the Icelandic Sagas.
Heather Day Gilbert writes character-driven novels that go beyond the vows, capturing the triumphs and heartaches unique to married couples. A graduate of Bob Jones University, she’s been married to her sweet Yankee husband for over sixteen years. After ten years of homeschooling and six years of writing, she really doesn’t have many hobbies. Born and raised in the West Virginia mountains, she believes that bittersweet, generational stories are in her blood.
My Impressions:
A few weeks ago, Heather Day Gilbert approached me about reading/reviewing God’s Daughter. I had already downloaded the ebook on my Kindle, so this gave me a good excuse to dig into an historical novel that covers a time period I had no knowledge about. And at first I found the book slow-going. I had absolutely no frame of reference for the time period or setting (shame on me and my limited history education) and I found the Norse names hard to get used to. But . . . I soon became engrossed in the story of a legendary woman who was a strong Viking woman with healing powers, a definite feminine side and a love for the one true God. If you are looking for that something different historical novel, then check out God’s Daughter.
Casting by Ásmundur Sveinsson of a statue of Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir and her son in Laugarbrekka, Iceland
Gudrid’s story begins circa 1000 AD on the coast of eastern modern-day Canada with a group of Vikings looking for Eirik The Red’s Vinland. Gudrid must contend with Norse myths and ruthless gods, lusty and sometimes barbaric Vikings, a wild and untamed environment and threats from the indigenous peoples as well as fellow Icelanders/Greenlanders. The prologue gives the reader a point to begin as Gudrid is faced with the Norse culture that is so different from the grace and sacrifice taught by Christ. Gudrid also has to fight against her own passionate nature as she struggles with staying faithful to her husband and her God.
Heather does a good job of drawing her readers into a story that is so different from what we are used to. This is not a genteel Regency romance! The Vikings were rough people, but with a highly developed moral code based on strength, bravery and oftentimes revenge. The addition of Norse terms adds a level of authenticity to the book. It is also very well researched. When looking for more information about the time period, I found Heather was spot on. She includes her research subjects in an Afterword. Her website also provides some great additional information including a glossary and a family tree. Gritty with a realistic look at early Christianity among the people of Northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland, God’s Daughter is a recommended read for those wanting to expand their reading horizons.
Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(I downloaded this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, Beckie! Yes, this is not a genteel Regency romance! 😉 Great review and thanks for checking out the website for the extras.
You are very welcome, Heather! Looking forward to more from this series. Thanks for stopping by!