130 reviews for:

Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age

Eleanor Barraclough

4.01 AVERAGE

raehink's review against another edition

3.0

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

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Although I enjoyed the chapters on belief and bodies, I never really got on with the author’s writing style. It felt like I was being given all the detailed facts about Vikings without feeling any connection to them. 

eabbott02's review against another edition

3.75

informative slow-paced

your_true_shelf's review against another edition

2.5

challenging informative slow-paced

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I had such high hopes for this book! I'm interested in the subject matter. The author is clearly very knowledgeable. The last few paragraphs were very moving and this is what I wanted from the book. However, for me, there wasn't enough narrative throughout the book to make me interested, it felt more like a textbook. 

grrlbrarian's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

alecsreads's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

ady_soundslike80's review against another edition

3.25

informative slow-paced

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How much a reader will enjoy this book depends largely on their interest in the topic. I tend to enjoy history in general and I especially enjoy history of a society. This is a very well researched and interesting book on Viking society that goes far beyond the pillaging warriors that I think of when I hear “Viking”. I will also note that I read this on ebook and simultaneously listened on audio. The author reads her own book and her excitement and interest in the topic is apparent in the audio. It is contagious and likely increased my enjoyment of this book. 

I hadn’t heard of this book until it was nominated for the Women’s Prize for Nonfiction, but it is one of the books I was MOST interested in from that list. I think it is a great nonfiction book and a serious contender for the prize.

chronic_dino's review against another edition

4.5

informative reflective fast-paced

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We have to try to find the
people who didn't get to tell the official stories because they were too poor, too enslaved, too young, too old, too female, too queer, too disabled, and so on. Sorrow and mirth, death and birth, all bundled up together, secrets never to be told, hidden in the cracks of history.

I loved this. I really admire the author’s commitment to telling a social history, and finding those voices we don’t always hear in the historical narrative. I loved the writing style, and really appreciated how it was structured in short, easy to read sections (perfect for my neurodivergent brain!). Would highly recommend. 

mwyatt62's review against another edition

4.0

informative medium-paced

festivefun's review against another edition

3.75

informative reflective slow-paced

cpoole's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced