A review by me_alley
When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald

emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really really loved this book.   I am a sucker for a neurodiverse narrator, especially female.  Zelda is 21, she goes through so much growth in this book.  It’s the perfect mix of character development and plot.  We see the world through her eyes as she navigates therapy, getting a job, her first sexual experiences, and coping with survived trauma.  She is truly loved by those around her, her brother Gert, boyfriend Marxy and her brother’s on-again-off-again girlfriend Annie, who zelda calls “AK47.”    The best word I can use to describe this book is endearing.   Something about the clear cut and blunt way that Zelda (and narrators like her) describes the world help me to better understand myself and the complexity of honesty.  How she responds to rules.  How she tries to figure out the rules of our culture that really don’t make sense to her.   I laughed out loud several times.