Greenland, AD 1000More than her fiery hair marks Freydís as the daughter of Erik the Red; her hot temper and fierce pride are as formidable as her Viking father’s. And so, too, is her devotion to the great god Thor, which puts her at odds with those in power—including her own brother, the zealous Leif Eriksson. Determined to forge her own path, she defies her family’s fury and clings to her dream … clings to her dream of sailing away to live on her own terms, with or without the support of her husband.
New Hampshire, 2016
Like her Icelandic ancestors, history professor Emma Moretti is a passionate defender of Norse mythology. But in a small town steeped in traditional values, her cultural beliefs could jeopardize both her academic career and her congressman father’s reelection. Torn between public expectation and personal identity, family and faith, she must choose which to honor and which to abandon.
In a dramatic, sweeping dual narrative that spans a millennium, two women struggle against communities determined to silence them, but neither Freydís nor Emma intends to give up without a fight.
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I don’t often read dual-timeline books, but in this case I’m glad I did! This book weaves together the dramatic lives of two very different women… one a politician’s daughter in present-day America, the other a Viking explorer fighting to preserve her culture. What ties these two women’s lives together is something remarkable, and it really makes you think about the importance of spirituality and being true to your own heart.
Daughter of a Thousand Years is a dual narrative of two female protagonists, one in the Viking Age and the other modern day. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on this book for a long time; it’s my first by Amalia Carosella and I’m eager to read her Helen of Troy novels.
Reading this, I just want to know: who talks about religion this much in everyday conversation?! Some of this book was just too far fetched. Emma, a congressman’s daughter, is worried that coming out as a Heathen will ruin her father’s career, even though he’s been a congressman for about 20 years (if we had term limits, this wouldn’t even be a problem). It’s also a bit of a stretch at the community college with the one student who keeps bringing up Emma’s beliefs and arguing with her. Having gone through four years at a university, I cannot remember religion/personal beliefs ever coming up like that.
I liked Emma, but she’s just a little preachy. Also, I didn’t pick up this book to read about politics. The entire drama/plot of the modern day storyline hinges on Emma’s dad and her potentially ruining his career. If the conflict were more personal to Emma, I would have liked it better. But her religion affects her father negatively (boo hoo). I get that this parallels the other timeline, but it’s a bit of a stretch to compare a congressman to Erik The Red. And, Freydis’ conflict centers around her, not her father or his career.
As for the 1000 AD storyline, it felt as though we came in in the middle of something. I was swept up without any background or context. I don’t know much about this era of history and didn’t end up learning much either. I am unfamiliar with a lot of the terms used and think an index or glossary of terms would have been helpful. This plot was a little hard to follow because it fell flat. It’s just sailing back and forth, and I guess Freydis’ internal struggle with her faith and the faith of everyone around her is what drives the plot, but I thought this book could be shorter because of the lack of action.
Finally, because of this book’s title, I thought Emma and Freydis would have had more of a connection. Like Emma was reincarnated with part of her spirit or something. At the very least, Emma could have been her descendant.
All this isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy this book, because I liked some of it. The short, alternating chapters made this a fast and easy read. I liked the romance in this book as well. The dialogue was very well written and believable (even if what they were talking about felt awkward and unnatural). While Freydis was a little rough around the edges and hard to sympathize with, Emma is a character I enjoyed reading. I just wish the events would hinge around her and not her father’s campaign.