The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec takes in the world of Norse mythology. Angrboda's story starts where she is in the woods alone healing. Loki comes to bring her heart back. He succeeds and actually gives her three children for who her heart over flows for.  From there her story continues which may lead to the end of the world and a lot of heartbreak. 

 

So many feelings about this book. It was beautiful in many ways but also aggravating. It was a dive into mythology I really do not know. Gornichec delves into many lores, some I knew of and some I did not. This book is a slow burn. The first two-thirds was really a story of domesticity. I really questioned finishing this book. The last third is where all the action takes place. Part of the reason this book was hard was because there is so little action in the beginning and no chapters. That’s right this book was broken into parts and that’s it. It really drags it out. 

 

I really struggled with characters in this book.  Angrboda was not my favorite because she was a very passive character. She never really makes a decision and just kind seems to exist. This woman is supposed to be the most powerful withch, the mother of monsters and I felt like I could come in knocker her out. She is also not very likable, but I did feel for her especially in the end. Skadi was a fun character but I did not like how Gornichec seemed to use her as a tool to make this story LGBT friendly. Skadi liking women was not the issue, but the "relationship" between her and Angrboda was. It felt forced because Angrboda never showed any inclination to any woman much less her best friend. 

 

I am giving this book 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Genevieve Gornichec for the ARC. This was an honest review.