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briggamooz's review against another edition
5.0
Moms? Viking Moms? A riff on [a:Nicholas Eames|15388346|Nicholas Eames|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1468878466p2/15388346.jpg]’ glorious [b:Kings of the Wyld|30841984|Kings of the Wyld (The Band, #1)|Nicholas Eames|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477027207l/30841984._SY75_.jpg|51246585]? WITH LADIES?
Y’all, I don’t think I have ever gotten myself to Amazon and clicked ‘purchase’ faster in my life. Now, happily resting on my laurels on the other side of this novel, I’m pleased to report that Queens of the Wyrd was well-worth the hype I had built up in my head.
Whitecastle had already impressed with her Living Blade trilogy (+ novella), and so as a reader I had been eagerly awaiting more of her work. Queens of the Wyld delivered in such a heart-rending, just as epic-but-in-no-way-similar fashion. Perhaps it is due in part to the fact I am a mother and find myself looking back on prior years and wondering, “What happened?”
Perhaps it is because I’m a sucker for all things Ragnarok and the delicious habit of authors to continuously bully Odin and reveal his less-than-stellar side to which those of us not raised with firm roots in Nordic mythology might not be privy.
Or perhaps it is because Whitecastle peppers the book with quotes from various ‘skalds’ such as Neil Gaiman and Beyonce, and then gives us the glorious chapter heading, "I can't get no sleep." - Every mother, everywhere.
Simply put, Queens of the Wyrd spoke to me in a way I had not felt since tearing through Madeline Miller’s Circe.
Yes, the novel is riffing directly from Eames’ Kings of the Wyld - in that “let’s get the band back together for one last ride” sort of way, and that’s about as far as the similarities go. To say that Queens of the Wyrd was simply “Kings of the Wyld with women” would be like calling Blues Brothers and Ocean’s 11 the same film. Certainly, they hit similar notes: they both gather the boys, each features a jilted ex-lover, a broad cast of characters and old friendships rekindled or, as the case may be, not.
Where Kings shines in its clever references, creative creatures, engrossing world build and pithy story-telling, Queens downright glows on an altogether different note. Whitecastle’s evocative writing finds a happy partner in her ability to inhabit the introspective minds of her characters, and their own hindrances and growths reflecting the in-world politics and celebrity. Half-giants work to erase the implicit racism against their kind, Valkyries find themselves trapped by their own glory, each seeking to define or shatter the binding rules of the world in which they live. And at the heart of their struggles, we have the mothers seeking not a re-definition, but rather recognition for who they were, who they are, and who they have become.
Queens of the Wyrd may have started as a “what if” exercise, placing women into the roles of Golden Gabe and Clay Cooper, but it quickly pulls forward to stand on its own as a story of women, sisterhood, motherhood and, at the end of the day, a badass Nordic epic.
For fans of: [b:Kings of the Wyld|30841984|Kings of the Wyld (The Band, #1)|Nicholas Eames|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477027207l/30841984._SY75_.jpg|51246585], [b:Bloody Rose|35052265|Bloody Rose (The Band, #2)|Nicholas Eames|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509483649l/35052265._SY75_.jpg|56340013], [b:Circe|35959740|Circe|Madeline Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565909496l/35959740._SY75_.jpg|53043399], [b:Fortune's Fool|45274933|Fortune's Fool (Eterean Empire #1)|Angela Boord|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560188706l/45274933._SY75_.jpg|69981804], [b:Throne of Glass|7896527|Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1495278054l/7896527._SY75_.jpg|11138426], [b:The True Bastards|34299732|The True Bastards (The Lot Lands, #2)|Jonathan French|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560049511l/34299732._SY75_.jpg|55353538]
Y’all, I don’t think I have ever gotten myself to Amazon and clicked ‘purchase’ faster in my life. Now, happily resting on my laurels on the other side of this novel, I’m pleased to report that Queens of the Wyrd was well-worth the hype I had built up in my head.
Whitecastle had already impressed with her Living Blade trilogy (+ novella), and so as a reader I had been eagerly awaiting more of her work. Queens of the Wyld delivered in such a heart-rending, just as epic-but-in-no-way-similar fashion. Perhaps it is due in part to the fact I am a mother and find myself looking back on prior years and wondering, “What happened?”
Perhaps it is because I’m a sucker for all things Ragnarok and the delicious habit of authors to continuously bully Odin and reveal his less-than-stellar side to which those of us not raised with firm roots in Nordic mythology might not be privy.
Or perhaps it is because Whitecastle peppers the book with quotes from various ‘skalds’ such as Neil Gaiman and Beyonce, and then gives us the glorious chapter heading, "I can't get no sleep." - Every mother, everywhere.
Simply put, Queens of the Wyrd spoke to me in a way I had not felt since tearing through Madeline Miller’s Circe.
Yes, the novel is riffing directly from Eames’ Kings of the Wyld - in that “let’s get the band back together for one last ride” sort of way, and that’s about as far as the similarities go. To say that Queens of the Wyrd was simply “Kings of the Wyld with women” would be like calling Blues Brothers and Ocean’s 11 the same film. Certainly, they hit similar notes: they both gather the boys, each features a jilted ex-lover, a broad cast of characters and old friendships rekindled or, as the case may be, not.
Where Kings shines in its clever references, creative creatures, engrossing world build and pithy story-telling, Queens downright glows on an altogether different note. Whitecastle’s evocative writing finds a happy partner in her ability to inhabit the introspective minds of her characters, and their own hindrances and growths reflecting the in-world politics and celebrity. Half-giants work to erase the implicit racism against their kind, Valkyries find themselves trapped by their own glory, each seeking to define or shatter the binding rules of the world in which they live. And at the heart of their struggles, we have the mothers seeking not a re-definition, but rather recognition for who they were, who they are, and who they have become.
Queens of the Wyrd may have started as a “what if” exercise, placing women into the roles of Golden Gabe and Clay Cooper, but it quickly pulls forward to stand on its own as a story of women, sisterhood, motherhood and, at the end of the day, a badass Nordic epic.
For fans of: [b:Kings of the Wyld|30841984|Kings of the Wyld (The Band, #1)|Nicholas Eames|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477027207l/30841984._SY75_.jpg|51246585], [b:Bloody Rose|35052265|Bloody Rose (The Band, #2)|Nicholas Eames|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509483649l/35052265._SY75_.jpg|56340013], [b:Circe|35959740|Circe|Madeline Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565909496l/35959740._SY75_.jpg|53043399], [b:Fortune's Fool|45274933|Fortune's Fool (Eterean Empire #1)|Angela Boord|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560188706l/45274933._SY75_.jpg|69981804], [b:Throne of Glass|7896527|Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1495278054l/7896527._SY75_.jpg|11138426], [b:The True Bastards|34299732|The True Bastards (The Lot Lands, #2)|Jonathan French|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560049511l/34299732._SY75_.jpg|55353538]
kitvaria_sarene's review against another edition
5.0
While this book isn't flawless, it's a brilliant read nonetheless!
If you like the following, look no farther, read this!
• Strong female characters who still are individuals and not just stone cold assassins
• Norse mythology
• Humour and plenty of witty banter
• A quick and easy read
• Fast paced and cool fight scenes
I loved the characters in this one. I enjoyed mums and just "regular" women being the main characters and still being awesome. I'm not maternal and no mum myself, and don't intend to ever be one, but the theme still absolutely worked for me.
They mythology part definitely works best if you already have some basic info about it, as it's often not described in great detail, so it gets a lot more depth of your brain just adds in more backdrop. This does make for an even quicker read, and doesn't take away from the book if you have some knowledge of it already. Only if this s your first encounter with the topic it might lack a bit of depth.
The above mentioned flaws are a rather big amount of small errors / typos and and time it's just a bit too quick and solutions a bit too easy. So it's not the deepest or most thought provoking book ever, but it is a hell of a lot of fun and I devoured it.
Absolutely highly recommended!
https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2020/10/queens-of-the-wyrd-by-timandra-whitecastle-spfbo-6-semi-finalist-review/
If you like the following, look no farther, read this!
• Strong female characters who still are individuals and not just stone cold assassins
• Norse mythology
• Humour and plenty of witty banter
• A quick and easy read
• Fast paced and cool fight scenes
I loved the characters in this one. I enjoyed mums and just "regular" women being the main characters and still being awesome. I'm not maternal and no mum myself, and don't intend to ever be one, but the theme still absolutely worked for me.
They mythology part definitely works best if you already have some basic info about it, as it's often not described in great detail, so it gets a lot more depth of your brain just adds in more backdrop. This does make for an even quicker read, and doesn't take away from the book if you have some knowledge of it already. Only if this s your first encounter with the topic it might lack a bit of depth.
The above mentioned flaws are a rather big amount of small errors / typos and and time it's just a bit too quick and solutions a bit too easy. So it's not the deepest or most thought provoking book ever, but it is a hell of a lot of fun and I devoured it.
Absolutely highly recommended!
https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2020/10/queens-of-the-wyrd-by-timandra-whitecastle-spfbo-6-semi-finalist-review/
gay's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
twistedriver's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Wowser, absolutely loved it. I really hope there will be more adventures with these characters, both epicly and everydaily (??) heroic in nature. Beautiful about motherhood and female friendship, about healing grief and how to break cycles of generational trauma. Badassery all around, both sweet and hard-hitting.
nclcaitlin's review against another edition
3.75
In short: past viking warrior legends, now mothers, get back together to save one of their daughters, oh and the world, from Ragnarok.
"If we accidentally start Ragnarok, I'm totally blaming you, Lovis whispered in Sol's
"If we accidentally start Ragnarok, I'm totally blaming you, Lovis whispered in Sol's
ear.
Sol grinned. "Ill say Loki set me up. Seems like that works for everyone else. Anyway, if we're about to start Ragnarok, I really need to get laid one last time."
If you are looking for a book with viking inspired fantasy, inspirational and heartwarming motherhood, and an adventurous , legendary story that blends heart, humour, history and hurt masterfully, read this!
“I mean, sure, everyone says they'll do anything for their kids. But it's different for moms. We start giving of ourselves before they're even born. And then when they're born, we're still giving, giving, giving, and the nature of our giving changes, but it never really ends.”
If you liked this, I would recommend The Sword Of Kaigen and Kings of the Wyld.
wynwicket's review against another edition
5.0
The adventures of a former band of shieldmaidens, years after their heroic exploits. A few are mothers, a few are queens, all have changed, but they've still got it. I loved this Norse-flavored fantasy ❤
azaliz's review against another edition
The lore is based on sexist stuff that I can't bear: there are three Fates, "the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone", as if women can only be that. "one is what was, one is what is, and the other–she is the debt that all must pay."
The very literal version of this means that all women are bound to be mothers, and I deeply hate that.
Relents of fatphobia in the description of a character: "No jolly fat bartender, he. T was a wiry man, his body seemed carved out of wood." As though you can't carve a fat body out of wood?
The very literal version of this means that all women are bound to be mothers, and I deeply hate that.
Relents of fatphobia in the description of a character: "No jolly fat bartender, he. T was a wiry man, his body seemed carved out of wood." As though you can't carve a fat body out of wood?
spellboundbybooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ajbrunner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
wordnerdy's review against another edition
3.0
https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2021/06/2021-book-125.html
I liked the concept of this a lot, but the execution left a little to be desired. The main character is a half-giant in old Norse times, who was part of a famous band of warrior women until she got pregnant and retired. Now it’s ten years later and her old best friend needs her help on a rescue mission—and maybe preventing Ragnarok while they’re at it? But maybe they need more than just the two of them? Yup, it’s time to get the gang back together! (The other two are magical immortal types, one is the consort of Hel!) Anyway, that is all fine and dandy, but the book needed one more pass with a proofreader (lots of typos, and some weird repetitions), and maybe for the messages to be a little more subtle. Lots of gory battle scenes which are not really my thing, but I did like all the lady camaraderie and motherly feelings (still, despite the many hints toward her daughter's parentage, it’s frustrating not to have it confirmed). So this was fine, but it could have been awesomer? Oh well. B.
I liked the concept of this a lot, but the execution left a little to be desired. The main character is a half-giant in old Norse times, who was part of a famous band of warrior women until she got pregnant and retired. Now it’s ten years later and her old best friend needs her help on a rescue mission—and maybe preventing Ragnarok while they’re at it? But maybe they need more than just the two of them? Yup, it’s time to get the gang back together! (The other two are magical immortal types, one is the consort of Hel!) Anyway, that is all fine and dandy, but the book needed one more pass with a proofreader (lots of typos, and some weird repetitions), and maybe for the messages to be a little more subtle. Lots of gory battle scenes which are not really my thing, but I did like all the lady camaraderie and motherly feelings (still, despite the many hints toward her daughter's parentage, it’s frustrating not to have it confirmed). So this was fine, but it could have been awesomer? Oh well. B.