When We Were Vikings

Written by Andrew David MacDonald

Narrated by Phoebe Strole

Indie Next Pick for February 2020
Book of the Month January 2020
LibraryReads January 2020 Pick
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New York Post “Best Books of the Week”
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“Zelda is a marvel, a living, breathing three-dimensional character with a voice so distinctive she leaps off the page.” —The New York Times

“Heartwarming and unforgettable.” —People

For Zelda, a twenty-one-year-old Viking enthusiast who lives with her older brother, Gert, life is best lived with some basic rules:

1. A smile means “thank you for doing something small that I liked.”
2. Fist bumps and dabs = respect.
3. Strange people are not appreciated in her home.
4. Tomatoes must go in the middle of the sandwich and not get the bread wet.
5. Sometimes the most important things don’t fit on lists.

But when Zelda finds out that Gert has resorted to some questionable—and dangerous—methods to make enough money to keep them afloat, Zelda decides to launch her own quest. Her mission: to be legendary. It isn’t long before Zelda finds herself in a battle that tests the reach of her heroism, her love for her brother, and the depth of her Viking strength.

“A most welcome and wonderful debut” (Tyrell Johnson, author of The Wolves of Winter), When We Were Vikings is an uplifting debut about an unlikely heroine whose journey will leave you wanting to embark on a quest of your own, because after all...we are all legends of our own making.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Jan 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781508299424

Andrew David MacDonald

Andrew David MacDonald grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He won a Western Magazine Award for Fiction, was shortlisted for the Canadian National Magazine Award for Fiction, and his work has been anthologized in four volumes of The Journey Prize Stories, collecting the year’s best Canadian stories from emerging writers. He has an MFA from the Program for Poets and Writers at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.  

Reviews for When We Were Vikings

[Renee Smith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book, it was so refreshing!! Beautiful book!!

[Dayna Bennett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Endearing novel with a full bodied story. Excellent narration. I have a new favorite curse word ?

[CamilaRavagnani · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was an interesting book. It is from the perspective of someone so pure that it hurt to go through some of it without yelling “how can’t you see this?!”. I liked it from the aspect that it tells a story from a different point of view, but it’s not a story that I’d recommend to anyone.

[Jon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book was written from the first person view point of a mentally handicapped person. That made the writing very simplistic and repetitive. While it was very well done, it was boring and I found myself skipping through parts

[Betty Bennett · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Sexual references and bad language made this unacceptable for my taste

[Jenna Vaughn · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I struggled with this book for the first half. I didn't care for the way Zelda was treated by many of the other characters. You could tell that her brother truly loves her even if he doesn't always make the best choices. I did like that Zelda had a level of resiliency that was admirable and I liked her simple determination to be right, honorable, and just in all that she did.

[Trish · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A most unusual narrator allows the reader to live through her world and expand our own.

[Emily Preun · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have such mixed feelings about this book. I really liked the way Zelda's character was the main focus of the story and that it was told from her perspective. Some of the detail was excellent. I thought she was a well rounded character. I wish the author would have taken the time to go into didn't go into the back story of all of the characters. I wanted more detail about Gurt and Zelda's earlier life and a more complete ending. The other piece I struggled with was the use of the r word. While I understand the point of Zelda reclaiming the r word. I personally don't like the use of that word and didn't enjoy how Zelda continued using it to describe others. Then the book started taking crazy turns and it got exciting. In the end, I liked the story and would love to read another Zelda story, but I wish the writing had been more in depth. I hope there is a sequel so the book can continue the story that feels unfinished in this book.

[Bonnie Cassida · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A poignant and beautiful story that challenges stereotypes. Z is brave, beautiful, independent, and willing to learn and grow.

[Kelly Wolf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was wonderful. It was complex and lighthearted at the same time, and it really really put you in a sympathetic position to the girl telling the story...

[Marie Toole · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don't usually read this genre but I was looking for something different. At first I thought I had made a mistake. It was very good.