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While I was intrigued by the premise of this book, it ultimately did not deliver. As someone who has read a lot of non-fiction on the topic at hand because of my studies, unfortunately the depictions rubbed me the wrong way. Rather than feel like it was shining a light on something, it felt exploitative. As a white woman, I will never claim to know what the lived experience of migrants forced into slave labor is. But, in this book, it felt as though their experiences were used as a marketing gimmick, especially because the story ultimately did little to show their plights or the work that goes into dismantling the organizations or people creating them. 

I also believe this book was too long and did not get to the premise soon enough. While it was interesting to see the main characters as children, and their initial interactions with the Viking stories that would soon play a significant role in their lives, the story dragged on for over 200 pages before it found its pace. So much of what happened was told rather than shown, which really prevented me from engaging with the narrative more. Had we gotten to the core of the story sooner, I think there would’ve been more time to create something with a meaningful impact. 

The positive of the story was the ever-changing POVs. Seeing everything play out through multiple sets of eyes and how each unique view took the details in was nice. The changes of Clara and Emilia from seven year olds to adults after college was helpful in understanding when they were “ready” for what the gods had in store for them, and established how important they were to changing society for the better. I particularly thought the POVs from the gods were insightful. 

Thank you to BookInfluencers.com and the authors for a physical copy!