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The Thrall's Tale
The mesmerizing chronicle of three tenth-century Viking women whose lives are inextricably bound by fate
The Thrall’s Tale is a masterpiece of historical fiction that follows Katla, a slave, her daughter Bibrau, and their mistress Thorbjorg, a prophetess of the Norse god Odin, as they navigate the stormy waters of love, revenge, faith, and deception in the Viking Age settlements of tenth–century Greenland. Lindbergh’s lyrical prose captures the tenuousness of lives led on the edge of the known world, the pain of loyalties shattered by Christian conversion, and the deepest desires hidden in the human heart. A book that has appeal for readers of fantasy and romance as well as historical and literary fiction, The Thrall’s Tale is an absorbing cultural saga researched and written over ten years as Lindbergh immersed herself in the literature, artifacts, and landscape of her characters’ lives and world.
450 pages, Paperback
First published January 19, 2006
33 people are currently reading
719 people want to read
About the author
Judith Lindbergh
3 books97 followersJudith Lindbergh’s new novel, Akmaral, about a nomad woman warrior on the ancient Central Asian steppes, released on May 7, 2024 from Regal House Publishing. Her debut novel, The Thrall’s Tale, about three women in the first Viking Age settlement in Greenland, was an IndieBound Pick, a Borders Original Voices Selection, and praised by Pulitzer Prize winners Geraldine Brooks and Robert Olen Butler. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including in Newsweek, Zibby Magazine, Next Avenue, Writer’s Digest, Edible Jersey, Literary Mama, Archaeology Magazine, Other Voices, and UP HERE: The North at the Center of the World published by University of Washington Press. She has spoken at and published with the Smithsonian Institution and provided expert commentary on two documentary series for The History Channel. Judith received a 2024 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. She is the Founder/Director of The Writers Circle, a New Jersey-based creative writing center where she teaches aspiring and accomplished writers from ages 8-80.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
September 18, 2020
This well-researched and meticulously written novel is historical fiction set in Greenland at the end of the 10th century AD. Erik the Red it was who led 25 ships and 400 settlers of Vikings from Iceland to the new land of Greenland.
A thrall was the name for a slave in the Viking world. Thrall originally meant someone bound to a landowner. It has come to mean any way a person can be under the control of someone or something. I like to say I have been enthralled by a book but never knew the word originally meant enslaved!
I have had The Thrall's Tale in my possession for many years but when I first attempted to read it, I could not make any headway. Recently I read a collection of Norse Tales:
The Norse Myths, Kevin Crossley-Holland, Pantheon Books, 1980, 236 pp
From it I learned the cosmology of the Norse people, came to know all the gods, goddesses, giants, dwarves and monsters. The tales, in the collection retold by Kevin Crossley-Holland, cover the entire breadth of Norse mythology from its creation tale to Ragnarok, its destruction tale and vision of the future.
Thus I felt ready to try The Thrall's Tale again and it all suddenly made sense, especially enhanced by the maps provided in the front of the book. If that sounds like a lot of work and study, it was. It was also so worth it.
Katla is a thrall who traveled to Greenland on one of those 25 ships I mentioned above. She had lost her mother, who was her master's lover and also an early Christian. Once her master and his family were settled, Katla was brutally raped by the master's son. Being completely traumatized, her master sent Katla to Thorbjorg, a prophetess of the Norse god Odin. Thorbjorg had been brought to Greenland to serve as a link to the gods, a healer and a seer who could determine the future of the settlers. She does heal Katla and keeps her as one of her own thralls.
In a sense this is a pioneer tale. The wild and unpredictable weather in Iceland, the encroaching inroads of Christianity, and Katla's inability to accept the daughter she bore from the rape, make this a story filled with extreme hardship and brutality.
Thorbjorg truly had powers to heal, divine the future and protect the people. Once Christianity began winning converts from both the lords and the common people though, her powers diminished.
So many conflicts of love and faith, so much violence, even a plague. Through it all was the influence of Odin, of the Norse myths, and of forces for good and evil. Katla's daughter walks the razor's edge between those forces.
It was not an easy book to read but it was "enthralling." I looked forward to reading it everyday, taking my time to understand such a foreign culture. Judith Lindbergh goes beyond the grand themes of the Vikings and into the details of ordinary life behind the sagas, the battles and the feuds. She provides a thrilling tale of adventure giving equal attention to women and men.
A thrall was the name for a slave in the Viking world. Thrall originally meant someone bound to a landowner. It has come to mean any way a person can be under the control of someone or something. I like to say I have been enthralled by a book but never knew the word originally meant enslaved!
I have had The Thrall's Tale in my possession for many years but when I first attempted to read it, I could not make any headway. Recently I read a collection of Norse Tales:
The Norse Myths, Kevin Crossley-Holland, Pantheon Books, 1980, 236 pp
From it I learned the cosmology of the Norse people, came to know all the gods, goddesses, giants, dwarves and monsters. The tales, in the collection retold by Kevin Crossley-Holland, cover the entire breadth of Norse mythology from its creation tale to Ragnarok, its destruction tale and vision of the future.
Thus I felt ready to try The Thrall's Tale again and it all suddenly made sense, especially enhanced by the maps provided in the front of the book. If that sounds like a lot of work and study, it was. It was also so worth it.
Katla is a thrall who traveled to Greenland on one of those 25 ships I mentioned above. She had lost her mother, who was her master's lover and also an early Christian. Once her master and his family were settled, Katla was brutally raped by the master's son. Being completely traumatized, her master sent Katla to Thorbjorg, a prophetess of the Norse god Odin. Thorbjorg had been brought to Greenland to serve as a link to the gods, a healer and a seer who could determine the future of the settlers. She does heal Katla and keeps her as one of her own thralls.
In a sense this is a pioneer tale. The wild and unpredictable weather in Iceland, the encroaching inroads of Christianity, and Katla's inability to accept the daughter she bore from the rape, make this a story filled with extreme hardship and brutality.
Thorbjorg truly had powers to heal, divine the future and protect the people. Once Christianity began winning converts from both the lords and the common people though, her powers diminished.
So many conflicts of love and faith, so much violence, even a plague. Through it all was the influence of Odin, of the Norse myths, and of forces for good and evil. Katla's daughter walks the razor's edge between those forces.
It was not an easy book to read but it was "enthralling." I looked forward to reading it everyday, taking my time to understand such a foreign culture. Judith Lindbergh goes beyond the grand themes of the Vikings and into the details of ordinary life behind the sagas, the battles and the feuds. She provides a thrilling tale of adventure giving equal attention to women and men.
November 10, 2010
If I had not been neck-deep in research about the Viking Age, I might not have liked this book quite as much. Many metaphors and subtleties rely upon an understanding and knowledge of Viking rituals and customs, the sagas, the eddas, futhark, Greenland, Norse gods and myth. Even some of the main events have their roots in historical fact. Lindbergh tells the story through the voices of three women, who narrate the story with an archaic syntax that is both lovely and obfuscating. The book is overlong, but the end is satisfying, in which the demise of one of the characters and the triumph of another symbolizes the fall of the Vikings and the rise of Christianity.
November 17, 2017
This historical novel traces the story of Katla, a thrall who is part of the first Greenland settlement. Shortly after the arrival in Greenland, Katla is raped and brutally beaten by her master's son, Torvard. As a result, she is transferred to the household of Thorbjorg, seer and shamaness, who heals her. Katla also gives birth to a daughter, Bibrau. As Katla cannot love or bond with her child, Thorbjorg takes Bibrau under her wing and trains her in the shamanic rituals and magic, but, despite her best efforts, Bibrau becomes twisted and hate-filled. The story focuses on these three women and the way their lives intertwine as Norse culture and society begins to change with the arrival of Christian priests in Greenland.
There were several things that I really liked about this novel. Lindbergh clearly did a lot of research and took pains with her depiction of the Norse and their life in Greenland. I could just about feel the chill air and smell the woodsmoke, wool, and plant life. All the characters were vivid and complex.
On the other hand, some aspects of the book really fell flat for me. The events and plot often seemed to lack a real arc, and I never felt like its dramatic and dynamic aspects really bloomed. Also, I found it very frustrating that the unspoken mysteries of her origin and her mother's disregard were a source of real and deep disturbance for Bibrau, yet she never confronts or even asks either Katla or Thorbjorg about it.
There were several things that I really liked about this novel. Lindbergh clearly did a lot of research and took pains with her depiction of the Norse and their life in Greenland. I could just about feel the chill air and smell the woodsmoke, wool, and plant life. All the characters were vivid and complex.
On the other hand, some aspects of the book really fell flat for me. The events and plot often seemed to lack a real arc, and I never felt like its dramatic and dynamic aspects really bloomed. Also, I found it very frustrating that the unspoken mysteries of her origin and her mother's disregard were a source of real and deep disturbance for Bibrau, yet she never confronts or even asks either Katla or Thorbjorg about it.
July 17, 2014
Wow. And not a good wow, either. The amount of research Ms. Lindbergh put into this book is evident from the first, and is the only reason I continued to read past the halfway point.
The characters: I couldn't connect with any of them.
Thorbjorg-seemed like she was lost in a haze most of the time. I really wanted to like her, and at times almost managed it, but because she seemed so disconnected to everything, I could never hang on to the feeling.
Katla-I felt so horrible for her... at first. Yes, she had a truly horrific experience, the kind that would scar a person emotionally and physically for life. However, I had to keep reminding myself of this, because the need to just slap her was so overwhelming.
Bibrau-there are no words for how much I hated her. I've never wanted a fictional character to die quite so badly. As one reviewer put it, "she should have been drowned at birth." Complete agreement here.
The writing: The style really didn't work for me. Normally, I don't mind books that flip between viewpoints, it doesn't bother me. In this book, it seemed very disjointed-both the changes between the characters as well as the overall writing itself. Had I been able to connect to the characters better (or at all), this likely wouldn't have been an issue.
The ending: Nope. I forced myself to finish this book, and it was a fight, just to see if the ending somehow made it all worth it. To say it didn't is a huge understatement. When I closed the book, I wanted to throw it across the room, I was so irritated.
Overall-unfortunately, I have to say that to me, at least, it's not worth the time.
The characters: I couldn't connect with any of them.
Thorbjorg-seemed like she was lost in a haze most of the time. I really wanted to like her, and at times almost managed it, but because she seemed so disconnected to everything, I could never hang on to the feeling.
Katla-I felt so horrible for her... at first. Yes, she had a truly horrific experience, the kind that would scar a person emotionally and physically for life. However, I had to keep reminding myself of this, because the need to just slap her was so overwhelming.
Bibrau-there are no words for how much I hated her. I've never wanted a fictional character to die quite so badly. As one reviewer put it, "she should have been drowned at birth." Complete agreement here.
The writing: The style really didn't work for me. Normally, I don't mind books that flip between viewpoints, it doesn't bother me. In this book, it seemed very disjointed-both the changes between the characters as well as the overall writing itself. Had I been able to connect to the characters better (or at all), this likely wouldn't have been an issue.
The ending: Nope. I forced myself to finish this book, and it was a fight, just to see if the ending somehow made it all worth it. To say it didn't is a huge understatement. When I closed the book, I wanted to throw it across the room, I was so irritated.
Overall-unfortunately, I have to say that to me, at least, it's not worth the time.
April 24, 2007
A Viking slave of Celtic descent moves with her master to the newly settled area of Greenland. The story chronicles her journey, her move to live with the seeress Thorbjorg after a violent rape, and her daughter Bibrau. This is the author's first novel, although she researched it for 10 years (she is a historian who usually writes non-fiction articles). I thought it was interesting most of the time but tedious at times. I wouldn't mind reading more historical fiction about Vikings though.
October 26, 2012
Wow. Look up "Epic" in the dictionary and you wil find this book. The author has created a wonderful sort of slang/pigeon language to weave a captivating story. It did take a bit longer to warm up to because of the unfamiliar words, but once you got used to it, the story drew you in very deeply. I feel like I know exactly what it was like to live in the gritty, "primitive" times that the characters lived in. Fantastic. Must read. A masterful work of art and a wonderful story.
dnf
January 5, 2019DNT at page 200.
This could been great, because the setting is amazing, but in 200 pages the plot goes nowhere and the characters are extremely boring, so I quit.
~ ~ ~
Abandonado en la página 200.
Este libro podría haber sido genial, porque la ambientación que crea la autora es muy vívida, pero en 200 páginas la trama no va a ninguna parte y los personajes son muy aburridos como para seguir leyendo.
This could been great, because the setting is amazing, but in 200 pages the plot goes nowhere and the characters are extremely boring, so I quit.
~ ~ ~
Abandonado en la página 200.
Este libro podría haber sido genial, porque la ambientación que crea la autora es muy vívida, pero en 200 páginas la trama no va a ninguna parte y los personajes son muy aburridos como para seguir leyendo.
November 6, 2008
Oh my god, this book... I did something I haven't done in years. I quit. I couldn't finish it. Maybe I'm just stupid or something, but I did not see the point of this story. I can see how it could be partly just a fictionalized narrative of Eric the Red's founding of the settlement on Greenland, and later, the coming of Christianity to Viking civilization. But I couldn't find a consistent thread of narration to follow. The writing was choppy, due in part to jumping back and forth between two and three different perspectives. Many other writers have done this sort of narration effectively, but I didn't like Lindbergh's way of doing so. Her sections were either too long per character, or too short, and most just felt schizophrenic to me. Half the time, I thought Thorbjorg was on drugs or something because I couldn't figure out what the hell she was doing.
Katla was all right, but I got tired of her. I can't blame her for hating Bibrau, because she was just a grotesque reminder of the horrific experience she endured. I actually found her to be the most real of the characters. She hated Bibrau, but at the same time, still had maternal protective instincts about her, even if they were against her will. I thought that sort of ambivalence was very realistic.
I hated Bibrau, too. I think she should have been drowned at birth. Maybe she filled an important role somewhere, but I quit reading before the end so I don't know. She was just an evil person and had no redeeming qualities that I could see.
This book seemed like it would be interesting, so I am very disappointed in it. Like I said, it's been YEARS since I gave up on a book and didn't bother to finish it. But after about 2/3 of the way through, I just couldn't tolerate the sense of helpless boredom the book instilled in me, and I decided that my time is too valuable to waste being bored by a book that I'm not required to read. I spent enough time reading boring things in college and grade school. I don't need to do it on my free time.
Katla was all right, but I got tired of her. I can't blame her for hating Bibrau, because she was just a grotesque reminder of the horrific experience she endured. I actually found her to be the most real of the characters. She hated Bibrau, but at the same time, still had maternal protective instincts about her, even if they were against her will. I thought that sort of ambivalence was very realistic.
I hated Bibrau, too. I think she should have been drowned at birth. Maybe she filled an important role somewhere, but I quit reading before the end so I don't know. She was just an evil person and had no redeeming qualities that I could see.
This book seemed like it would be interesting, so I am very disappointed in it. Like I said, it's been YEARS since I gave up on a book and didn't bother to finish it. But after about 2/3 of the way through, I just couldn't tolerate the sense of helpless boredom the book instilled in me, and I decided that my time is too valuable to waste being bored by a book that I'm not required to read. I spent enough time reading boring things in college and grade school. I don't need to do it on my free time.
October 2, 2012
As much as I wanted to like this book, it's been a disappointment. Disappointment perhaps because there was so much promise and potential, but unfortunately, the story never captured my interest or imagination.
Katla is a slave girl, or thrall, in Iceland in AD985. When her master decides to move his household to Greenland, she too has to make the a perilous journey to an unknown land. With her, however, travel old grudges and troubles, and she is brutally raped and disfigured, scarred for life, by her master's son. She is also pregnant. Her master sells her to the seeress Thorbjorg and it is on her property that Katla's daughter Bibrau is born. Katla hates her child from the first, while Thorbjorg is drawn to her, feeling that the child shares her mystical powers and teaches her everything she knows, and perhaps more than she intends. All of which with disastrous results.
I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and I found it hard to find much to like about any of them. The constant stream of hatred between mother and daughter was particularily depressing and I would have liked to see Katla, for all she's been through, to eventually overcome some of the obstacles put in her path, rather than just being bitter and hateful.
There was a lot of historical detail about everyday life, which I really did appreciate. I also liked the parts of Norse mythology spread throughout the story and I did like the writing. Ultimately though, the story was dreary and repetitive, the characters underdeveloped and the outcome unsatisfactory.
Katla is a slave girl, or thrall, in Iceland in AD985. When her master decides to move his household to Greenland, she too has to make the a perilous journey to an unknown land. With her, however, travel old grudges and troubles, and she is brutally raped and disfigured, scarred for life, by her master's son. She is also pregnant. Her master sells her to the seeress Thorbjorg and it is on her property that Katla's daughter Bibrau is born. Katla hates her child from the first, while Thorbjorg is drawn to her, feeling that the child shares her mystical powers and teaches her everything she knows, and perhaps more than she intends. All of which with disastrous results.
I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and I found it hard to find much to like about any of them. The constant stream of hatred between mother and daughter was particularily depressing and I would have liked to see Katla, for all she's been through, to eventually overcome some of the obstacles put in her path, rather than just being bitter and hateful.
There was a lot of historical detail about everyday life, which I really did appreciate. I also liked the parts of Norse mythology spread throughout the story and I did like the writing. Ultimately though, the story was dreary and repetitive, the characters underdeveloped and the outcome unsatisfactory.
October 26, 2011
This story is a saga of a thrall Katla, her master Thorbjorg, and Katla's daughter Bibrau told in the tradition of an Icelandic Saga. The language and historical details are beautiful, and this book was meticulously researched. It is a masterful work of historical fiction.
Why did I only give it three stars? It took me three years to read this book. I did not form much of a connection with the characters. Each character had his or her moments when I started to care about them and their journey, but these would quickly pass. I put it down, and would pick it back up much later when I could read it objectively.
The ending was difficult for me to stomach. I will not ruin the book for you by telling you what happened, but this ending is why I do not read literary fiction often. There is too much real suffering in the world, and I choose to read mostly genre fiction (romance) because for the most part everyone who deserves a happily ever after gets a happily ever after in genre fiction. Not so with Literary fiction. And that is fine, it is just not my cup of tea.
If you like historical fiction and you like to learn about Vikings (and you can stomach lit fic) then do give this book a try. Ms. Lindberg weaves a exquisite tale in the old tradition with historical details unmatched in anything I have read.
Why did I only give it three stars? It took me three years to read this book. I did not form much of a connection with the characters. Each character had his or her moments when I started to care about them and their journey, but these would quickly pass. I put it down, and would pick it back up much later when I could read it objectively.
The ending was difficult for me to stomach. I will not ruin the book for you by telling you what happened, but this ending is why I do not read literary fiction often. There is too much real suffering in the world, and I choose to read mostly genre fiction (romance) because for the most part everyone who deserves a happily ever after gets a happily ever after in genre fiction. Not so with Literary fiction. And that is fine, it is just not my cup of tea.
If you like historical fiction and you like to learn about Vikings (and you can stomach lit fic) then do give this book a try. Ms. Lindberg weaves a exquisite tale in the old tradition with historical details unmatched in anything I have read.
July 6, 2012
Throughout this book, I got the sense that the author Judith Lindberg put a great amount of research into the time and place.
I really wanted to like this novel. However, there was no real joy or poignant turning points in character or plot. There was no one character I found myself cheering for. Katla is damaged but then goes on to hate and damage psychologically her own daughter. Thorbjorg notes the growing malevolency in Bibrau and tries to wrench it out of her with utter strictness, which included locking her in a cold dank shed naked for 3 days. Eventually, after knowing little kindness over a lifetime, Bibrau puts her hand to a series of evil deeds. While I found this novel interesting, it did not strike a cord as other anti-heroic novels had (Wuthering Heights, Brave New World).
The narrator Virginia Leishman really put herself into this book in emotional expression. She also pronounced character and place names with accuracy. The story is told in first person, switching between the three women. I sometimes had trouble distinguishing by voice alone which character was talking.
I really wanted to like this novel. However, there was no real joy or poignant turning points in character or plot. There was no one character I found myself cheering for. Katla is damaged but then goes on to hate and damage psychologically her own daughter. Thorbjorg notes the growing malevolency in Bibrau and tries to wrench it out of her with utter strictness, which included locking her in a cold dank shed naked for 3 days. Eventually, after knowing little kindness over a lifetime, Bibrau puts her hand to a series of evil deeds. While I found this novel interesting, it did not strike a cord as other anti-heroic novels had (Wuthering Heights, Brave New World).
The narrator Virginia Leishman really put herself into this book in emotional expression. She also pronounced character and place names with accuracy. The story is told in first person, switching between the three women. I sometimes had trouble distinguishing by voice alone which character was talking.
July 23, 2012
Good, except we get it about the wadmal. Yes, common fabric that they would have been weaving and wearing and trading. But it's ok to say she fell on her behind rather than her wadmal covered behind. More than halfway through the book, we don't keep needing reminders of wadmal.
Otherwise, I liked the book.
Otherwise, I liked the book.
June 8, 2021
This is a challenging read. I appreciate the research done to make the narrative feel authentic and historically accurate. I'm glad I stuck with the book.
September 17, 2011
The cover is what appealed to me most about this book. It looked exciting, with three foreign looking women upon a viking ship. Finally, a story of the Norse women in a genre that is mostly taken up my male characters. The book is definitely interesting, I'll give it that.
The Thrall's Tale surrounds three women of different standing in early Greenland. There is Katla, favored thrall (slave) of her house who is beautiful and brave. She goes from favor, to after a brutal rape and beating, a scarred women who is sold to the seeress and pregnant with a child she does not want. Thorbjorg is a seeress with respect from all, who is in want of an apprentice. And finally Bibrau, child of Katla and her rapist who is both troubled and powerful, and well suited to fill the role of Thorbjorg's apprentice. These women will eke out a living in the Greenland wilderness and endure through a time where old Norse ways are being lost and Christianity is slowly taking over. But Bibrau is also an unknown menace, who doesn't wish well for anyone.
Thorbjorg is probably my favorite character as her mind never wavers and she seems the most true to herself. She is a bit of an easy mistress though and allows Bibrau to get away with more than she should. Katla, while she started as an exciting character, gets so broken down and weak that its almost painful to read about her through the rest of the book. She becomes almost simpering and dull. Bibrau made a very good bad guy. She was definitely brutal in a sneaky way. There were a lot of side characters, but none of them were particularly standout except for Thorhall. He had the loudest voice of the bunch anyway.
The plot was somewhat confusing at times. I confess I don't know much about Norse mythology or history and I think a background in these subjects would have made the book a much more enjoyable read for me. Without that knowledge though I felt lost part of the time. The book was also slow and plodding as well, towards the end I was hoping it would just end as it didn't seem like it was going anywhere. The writing, while pretty, also tended to be tedious and overly flowery. While they could have spoken that way at that time, I just don't see it being as poetic as it is in the book.
Not the best book, but probably interesting for those who read on Norse Mythology and history. It offers an interesting perspective on characters who lived then, although the truth of their lives will probably always be shrouded in more mystery.
The Thrall's Tale
Copyright 2006
450 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2011
The Thrall's Tale surrounds three women of different standing in early Greenland. There is Katla, favored thrall (slave) of her house who is beautiful and brave. She goes from favor, to after a brutal rape and beating, a scarred women who is sold to the seeress and pregnant with a child she does not want. Thorbjorg is a seeress with respect from all, who is in want of an apprentice. And finally Bibrau, child of Katla and her rapist who is both troubled and powerful, and well suited to fill the role of Thorbjorg's apprentice. These women will eke out a living in the Greenland wilderness and endure through a time where old Norse ways are being lost and Christianity is slowly taking over. But Bibrau is also an unknown menace, who doesn't wish well for anyone.
Thorbjorg is probably my favorite character as her mind never wavers and she seems the most true to herself. She is a bit of an easy mistress though and allows Bibrau to get away with more than she should. Katla, while she started as an exciting character, gets so broken down and weak that its almost painful to read about her through the rest of the book. She becomes almost simpering and dull. Bibrau made a very good bad guy. She was definitely brutal in a sneaky way. There were a lot of side characters, but none of them were particularly standout except for Thorhall. He had the loudest voice of the bunch anyway.
The plot was somewhat confusing at times. I confess I don't know much about Norse mythology or history and I think a background in these subjects would have made the book a much more enjoyable read for me. Without that knowledge though I felt lost part of the time. The book was also slow and plodding as well, towards the end I was hoping it would just end as it didn't seem like it was going anywhere. The writing, while pretty, also tended to be tedious and overly flowery. While they could have spoken that way at that time, I just don't see it being as poetic as it is in the book.
Not the best book, but probably interesting for those who read on Norse Mythology and history. It offers an interesting perspective on characters who lived then, although the truth of their lives will probably always be shrouded in more mystery.
The Thrall's Tale
Copyright 2006
450 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2011
June 7, 2010
The concept, story idea and characters are interesting and initially engaging. A multi-voice approach to story telling can be frustrating when characters are as interesting as these are in the beginning - you must resist the temptation to read only one person's chapters in order to find out quicker what happens to them. An attempt to do so will find you lost because, alas, as a good writer should, Lindbergh in-beds key bits in the stories of others. About half-way through the book I began to feel as if the author were "over-developing" the story and things slowed down as too much repetition of details and restatement of character foibles were pounded into the reader. It became a chore to finish the last third of the book - and, sadly for me, the conclusion was not really satisfying.
July 19, 2011
This is a fine reading by Virginia Leishman, trained as a Shakespearean actor. But this is the world of the Norse explorers and settlers in the 10th century. It is rich with Norse legends and mythology as imparted by one of the three female voices, Throbjorg, a seeress. The other two key voices are that of a thrall (slave) and her daughter by rape. One of my favorite character is the daughter's evil companion spirit, her fylgie. This is also the big story of the coming of Christianity and the ensuing conflicts and eventual unseating of all that humans hold dear. The author's historical notes at the end are very interesting. The language is remarkable and poetic...Shakespeare's influence, I'm sure.
June 10, 2017
Interesting novel concerning the early settlement of Greenland, as told by three women: One, a thrall [slave]; her daughter born of a violent rape; and a seeress. The mother and daughter hate each other: there's also a bit of jealousy on the daughter's part leading the daughter to vengeance. The seeress takes both of them into her house. Culture clash involving the coming of Christianity to the island. Somewhat melodramatic. Meticulously researched, but sometimes the telling falls into purple prose--fault of a pseudo-bardic language the author adopts, which is not always successful and sometimes seems forced. Life in medieval Greenland was certainly gloomy and grim.
October 30, 2021
Dit boek geeft een goed beeld van hoe de Vikingen leefden. Boek gaat over liefde, gaat en wraak tussen 3 generaties vrouwen.
October 5, 2024
This historical novel tells of the group of Norse who left Iceland with Eric the Red and settled Greenland. It is told through the voices of three women: Katla, a thrall who has been beaten, raped and disfigured by the son of a powerful chief; Katla’s daughter Bibrau, the product of rape and a vengeful, twisted child who was never loved and who cannot feel any compassion for others; and Thorbjorg, an elderly seeress devoted to the god Odin and who takes in Katla and tries to teach Bibrau some of her magic.
The harsh and difficult life of the settlers is described in detail, and has obviously been carefully researched. I cannot fault the writer for the settings and characters, for the recounting of customs, religion, and history. So why do I give this book 3 stars? Because the story itself is bleak and miserable. I had to force myself to finish the 450-page novel. I kept hoping things would take a turn for the better, but they never did. I was disappointed.
The harsh and difficult life of the settlers is described in detail, and has obviously been carefully researched. I cannot fault the writer for the settings and characters, for the recounting of customs, religion, and history. So why do I give this book 3 stars? Because the story itself is bleak and miserable. I had to force myself to finish the 450-page novel. I kept hoping things would take a turn for the better, but they never did. I was disappointed.
March 6, 2021
Amazingly researched. Kirkus reviews says: "A long, ill-shaped, bleak but atmospheric take of the Middle Ages."
Sums it up.
I suppose in real life ill comes of ill, and a child born of such a horrible event will itself be horrible. I spent the entire 2nd half of the novel wishing Katla had snuffed her wretched dottir (sorry, had to) at first breath. Now is that me, or the unchangingly bleak writing? Gonna go with the latter there.
Sums it up.
I suppose in real life ill comes of ill, and a child born of such a horrible event will itself be horrible. I spent the entire 2nd half of the novel wishing Katla had snuffed her wretched dottir (sorry, had to) at first breath. Now is that me, or the unchangingly bleak writing? Gonna go with the latter there.
March 5, 2023
I love these types of stories, though this wasn't my favorite of the sort. It's in the vein of "I, Claudius" where a person from history (in this case, Thorbjorg, a seeress who was brought to Greenland during the time of Eirik the Red and Leif Eriksson) has a full-fledged story crafted based off of what we know from the historical record, but is clearly fictionalized. The other two main characters, Katla and her daughter, Bibrau are mere footnotes in history alongside some of the other supporting cast.
It was hard reading at first. Anyone who has read the first chapters knows how the writing style is a bit odd. It's hard to place, not just the way that characters speak and think but the actual narration is odd. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was offputting and made it hard to get through. There's also a problem of brutality.
There was a lot of brutality in this book. Which, to be fair, is kind of implied from the source material and the setting of the novel. Katla is a thrall and her mother was made a thrall through conquest. Her daughter, Bibrau, is the product of a violent and brutal rape and the girl becomes a monster throughout the novel.
I enjoyed the themes of the novel and the character arcs of each of the chosen viewpoint characters. Katla's was the easiest to get through (despite the brutality she faces) mostly because she is the only character who is truly relatable and likeable while also being the only viewpoint that is actually readable. Her story is understandable and follows her coming to grips with what was done to her and finding love and family. Thorbjorg's arc is mainly to do with her waning power from her gods as the Christian God takes root in the community as she teaches her foster daughter and Katla's birth daughter, Bibrau in the old religion. Bibrau is a "changeling" child who delights in tormenting others and feels more of a kinship with her biological father and monsters in folklore. Her story is mainly focused on bringing as much pain and torment to others as she can.
My main problem with this novel is in the writing itself. It had the problem I listed before, but there's also more than that. Katla's perspective is the only one that is written how you would expect a traditional novel to be read. Her character arc is the most identifiable and consistent throughout the novel. Where the novel is sketchy to me happens with the other two viewpoint characters. Their character arcs are interesting and, to put it bluntly, with a better author or better vision would have been compelling stories to me. As it stands, they are written very introspectively. Oftentimes in their narrative viewpoints, it felt more like I was reading a philosophical or religious essay on the Norse pagan religion as opposed to a novel.
Hence, my low rating on this. I can't really in good faith say that I enjoyed this novel when my eyes were glazing over 2/3s of the book because it was written like a sermon (and some sermon's from the point of view of a psycho).
It was hard reading at first. Anyone who has read the first chapters knows how the writing style is a bit odd. It's hard to place, not just the way that characters speak and think but the actual narration is odd. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was offputting and made it hard to get through. There's also a problem of brutality.
There was a lot of brutality in this book. Which, to be fair, is kind of implied from the source material and the setting of the novel. Katla is a thrall and her mother was made a thrall through conquest. Her daughter, Bibrau, is the product of a violent and brutal rape and the girl becomes a monster throughout the novel.
I enjoyed the themes of the novel and the character arcs of each of the chosen viewpoint characters. Katla's was the easiest to get through (despite the brutality she faces) mostly because she is the only character who is truly relatable and likeable while also being the only viewpoint that is actually readable. Her story is understandable and follows her coming to grips with what was done to her and finding love and family. Thorbjorg's arc is mainly to do with her waning power from her gods as the Christian God takes root in the community as she teaches her foster daughter and Katla's birth daughter, Bibrau in the old religion. Bibrau is a "changeling" child who delights in tormenting others and feels more of a kinship with her biological father and monsters in folklore. Her story is mainly focused on bringing as much pain and torment to others as she can.
My main problem with this novel is in the writing itself. It had the problem I listed before, but there's also more than that. Katla's perspective is the only one that is written how you would expect a traditional novel to be read. Her character arc is the most identifiable and consistent throughout the novel. Where the novel is sketchy to me happens with the other two viewpoint characters. Their character arcs are interesting and, to put it bluntly, with a better author or better vision would have been compelling stories to me. As it stands, they are written very introspectively. Oftentimes in their narrative viewpoints, it felt more like I was reading a philosophical or religious essay on the Norse pagan religion as opposed to a novel.
Hence, my low rating on this. I can't really in good faith say that I enjoyed this novel when my eyes were glazing over 2/3s of the book because it was written like a sermon (and some sermon's from the point of view of a psycho).
March 7, 2016
Life in 10th-century Greenland was dreary, desolate and depressing. And that was for the free. For the thralls, it was nasty, brutish and short. I acknowledge Lindbergh's meticulous research, but the story line has not one bright spot. Not for the characters, not for the readers. It was a downer all the way. This is my second time with this book. I started it years ago when it was first published and abandoned it early on. This time I was determined to push through, and I did. I'm sorry I did. Aside from insights into Viking culture, what little there is, the bulk of the book is spent with three women, maiden/mother/crone. All unhappy, all twisted.
The maiden, Bibrau, is the product of rape. Rejected by her mother, she lives a life of rage and follows the leading of a spiteful spirit only she sees. She works pain and mischief whenever she has the opportunity.
The mother, Katla, the thrall of the title, is beaten, maimed, and raped by a man who is never called to account for his behavior. What small chances of happiness come her way are snatched from her hands.
Thorbjurg, the crone, is a seeress, who has some skill in healing. She does her best to help Bibrau, but is unsuccessful in loving the child out of her hate-filled life.
The book is very well written. I liked the style of the short, shift POV sections, each told by one character at a time. It made the book perfect for short reading periods. I don't think I could have read this book straight through, but a few minutes here and there were tolerable.
The maiden, Bibrau, is the product of rape. Rejected by her mother, she lives a life of rage and follows the leading of a spiteful spirit only she sees. She works pain and mischief whenever she has the opportunity.
The mother, Katla, the thrall of the title, is beaten, maimed, and raped by a man who is never called to account for his behavior. What small chances of happiness come her way are snatched from her hands.
Thorbjurg, the crone, is a seeress, who has some skill in healing. She does her best to help Bibrau, but is unsuccessful in loving the child out of her hate-filled life.
The book is very well written. I liked the style of the short, shift POV sections, each told by one character at a time. It made the book perfect for short reading periods. I don't think I could have read this book straight through, but a few minutes here and there were tolerable.
December 2, 2014
What led me to read this novel was that I am fascinated by Norse culture, and this time period was a particularly interesting time in Norse lore. The size of the novel seemed daunting, but I still was on board with it. Unfortunately, this novel didn’t even come close to delivering on any type of promise. The story is a long-winded affair following a slave girl, Katla, as she goes on the initial voyage with Eric the Red as he founded Greenland and her life in Greenland.
The first thing about this novel that bothered me is that it was so overwritten. The author could easily have cut this novel in half and not missed a beat. There just wasn’t enough content to support a novel of this size. The story rotated in narration between Katla, her mistress Thorbjorg, and her daughter Bibrau. When the novel is narrated by Thorbjorg or Bibrau, it does nothing at all to move the story along. I think all of this narration could be entirely removed. Furthermore, the narration of Bibrau was ridiculous. When it starts, she is a young child yet narrates as if she were a fully grown woman. The characters were poorly developed and I didn’t care a bit for any one of them. I’m not sure who was more annoying Katla or Bibrau. It’s a toss-up. The only thing that I enjoyed about the novel was the afterword written by the author where she describes much of her research for the novel. This is a novel that you should definitely skip.
Carl Alves – author of Two For Eternity
The first thing about this novel that bothered me is that it was so overwritten. The author could easily have cut this novel in half and not missed a beat. There just wasn’t enough content to support a novel of this size. The story rotated in narration between Katla, her mistress Thorbjorg, and her daughter Bibrau. When the novel is narrated by Thorbjorg or Bibrau, it does nothing at all to move the story along. I think all of this narration could be entirely removed. Furthermore, the narration of Bibrau was ridiculous. When it starts, she is a young child yet narrates as if she were a fully grown woman. The characters were poorly developed and I didn’t care a bit for any one of them. I’m not sure who was more annoying Katla or Bibrau. It’s a toss-up. The only thing that I enjoyed about the novel was the afterword written by the author where she describes much of her research for the novel. This is a novel that you should definitely skip.
Carl Alves – author of Two For Eternity
April 24, 2020
Allright, this book is something completely different. And although I really liked it, it is anything but an easy book to read.
The truth is that this book is difficult to read mainly because of the language, I think. The author chose to use very archaïc language and she follows someone's train of thought for quite a while, which can be quite tiring to read.
That being said I was so happy to read a book with such detail and historic 'colour' that, for once, didn't focus on the brutality of the Viking battles, but the simple brutality of every day life on Greenland and Iceland, that I really loved it. A tale about the small people working and toiling just to stay alive, barely understanding the world around them. You can just feel the amount of work that has gone into investigating the time and culture. And as a history lover with a weak spot for the Norse, this is quite enthralling.
The characters themselves are difficult as well. Not easy people to love. The Seeress is perhaps the most loveable person in the book. Katla is a tricky character and although so much hardship befalls her, it is sometimes still difficult to even like her. And Bibrau, well ... no.
As I said, not an easy book. Well worth the trouble, but troublesome it will be.
The truth is that this book is difficult to read mainly because of the language, I think. The author chose to use very archaïc language and she follows someone's train of thought for quite a while, which can be quite tiring to read.
That being said I was so happy to read a book with such detail and historic 'colour' that, for once, didn't focus on the brutality of the Viking battles, but the simple brutality of every day life on Greenland and Iceland, that I really loved it. A tale about the small people working and toiling just to stay alive, barely understanding the world around them. You can just feel the amount of work that has gone into investigating the time and culture. And as a history lover with a weak spot for the Norse, this is quite enthralling.
The characters themselves are difficult as well. Not easy people to love. The Seeress is perhaps the most loveable person in the book. Katla is a tricky character and although so much hardship befalls her, it is sometimes still difficult to even like her. And Bibrau, well ... no.
As I said, not an easy book. Well worth the trouble, but troublesome it will be.
October 6, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I went into it hoping for something like Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon. It was different than that, and yet had some similarities. There's little fighting. Most of the action is typical of women's fiction ... sniping between females, childbirth, the workings of a household, etc., and yet the tension is always there.
The characters are certainly three dimensional and you'll come to care very much for most of them, pagan and Christian. The historical research seems to be top notch and is presented in such a way as to never get in the way of the story.
I almost added "fantasy" to the shelves for this book based on the amount of Norse magic and the conversations the old seeress had with Odin, but then I didn't. This magic isn't as overt as in Bradley's Avalon novel, but it is there and is integral to the plot. If that turns you off, well, you're missing out. This was a very good book.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was superb.
The characters are certainly three dimensional and you'll come to care very much for most of them, pagan and Christian. The historical research seems to be top notch and is presented in such a way as to never get in the way of the story.
I almost added "fantasy" to the shelves for this book based on the amount of Norse magic and the conversations the old seeress had with Odin, but then I didn't. This magic isn't as overt as in Bradley's Avalon novel, but it is there and is integral to the plot. If that turns you off, well, you're missing out. This was a very good book.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was superb.
February 2, 2013
You should probably have a bit of a strong stomach to read this book. I don't usually have trouble reading books which contain violence, but I should mention that there's one scene in this book that did get to me.
I recommend this book regardless and it's important to know that the scene to which I'm referring plays a pivotal role in the main character's development.
It was fascinating to read a story set in this time and place. I have no idea how accurate was the representation of societal structure and such for the period, but it was certainly interesting, and different from many other historical premises I've read. There have been many facets to slavery throughout history. This is one with which I had no familiarity and it added dimension to concepts regarding the different ways people can be enslaved.
The main characters are women, but this is not just a woman's book.
I recommend this book regardless and it's important to know that the scene to which I'm referring plays a pivotal role in the main character's development.
It was fascinating to read a story set in this time and place. I have no idea how accurate was the representation of societal structure and such for the period, but it was certainly interesting, and different from many other historical premises I've read. There have been many facets to slavery throughout history. This is one with which I had no familiarity and it added dimension to concepts regarding the different ways people can be enslaved.
The main characters are women, but this is not just a woman's book.
September 30, 2023
I liked this book, both for the story itself and the extensive research that went into it. It's a good look at a small, but very significant chapter in history.
This book follows three women in Greenland right on the cusp of the Norse people's conversion to Christianity, including appearances by Eirik the Red (Eirik Raude) and his son, Leif Erikson, and other characters from the Norse Vinland Sagas describing their discovery of America.
Greenland is a very harsh place, and the Norse were a very tough and hard people. The Thrall's Tale pulls no punches with the land or the people. A people's conversion to a new religion is never a painless or easy process, and in my opinion, Judith Lindbergh has done an admirable job exploring this fact, weaving together both oral traditions and archaeology into an excellent volume.
While i found this an excellent read, it is a hard book for a hard place, people, and time.
This book follows three women in Greenland right on the cusp of the Norse people's conversion to Christianity, including appearances by Eirik the Red (Eirik Raude) and his son, Leif Erikson, and other characters from the Norse Vinland Sagas describing their discovery of America.
Greenland is a very harsh place, and the Norse were a very tough and hard people. The Thrall's Tale pulls no punches with the land or the people. A people's conversion to a new religion is never a painless or easy process, and in my opinion, Judith Lindbergh has done an admirable job exploring this fact, weaving together both oral traditions and archaeology into an excellent volume.
While i found this an excellent read, it is a hard book for a hard place, people, and time.
February 4, 2012
I'm giving this book 3 stars, not because I "liked it" as the rating system suggests, but because it is not a 1 star or 2 star book.
I didn't like this book. In fact, I had to stop reading it last night--I was 2/3 of the way through.
However, the writing is very well-done. The author does an excellent job of portraying a time-period, culture and landscape that are harsh---yet an extremely significant turning-point in history.
This novel is also obviously extremely well-researched. The author deserves kudos for what had to be a tedious job.
But OY! the characters! They are heinous. I couldn't sympathize with a single one of them. They are either evil, nasty or just plain unlikeable. I found I just didn't care what happened to any of them, and there was no reason to continue the torture of reading this book when it just made me feel disgusted every time I picked it up.
I didn't like this book. In fact, I had to stop reading it last night--I was 2/3 of the way through.
However, the writing is very well-done. The author does an excellent job of portraying a time-period, culture and landscape that are harsh---yet an extremely significant turning-point in history.
This novel is also obviously extremely well-researched. The author deserves kudos for what had to be a tedious job.
But OY! the characters! They are heinous. I couldn't sympathize with a single one of them. They are either evil, nasty or just plain unlikeable. I found I just didn't care what happened to any of them, and there was no reason to continue the torture of reading this book when it just made me feel disgusted every time I picked it up.
March 1, 2010
Did not like this book. While there were some decent moments, it went on way too long. I generaly won't give up on a book that I'm reading, unless I totally hate it, I was listening to this in the car and after about half the discs, I quit. I just didn't like it.
My one thing that I learned from this book, which is kind of cool, is that the English word "enthrall" presumably comes from the Norse word "thrall" (which meant slave).
Overall, disappointing book. Had great promise, and might have been great if it was cut in half and focused solely on Cutler (Kettler? not sure of spelling) and less on the other two women. Cutler was the only interesting character in the book. Especially listening to it, rather than reading, every time I heard the narrator say "Bebrow", it set my teeth on edge.
My one thing that I learned from this book, which is kind of cool, is that the English word "enthrall" presumably comes from the Norse word "thrall" (which meant slave).
Overall, disappointing book. Had great promise, and might have been great if it was cut in half and focused solely on Cutler (Kettler? not sure of spelling) and less on the other two women. Cutler was the only interesting character in the book. Especially listening to it, rather than reading, every time I heard the narrator say "Bebrow", it set my teeth on edge.
January 18, 2021
I really wanted to like this book.
Being a big fan of history - Norse history in particular - I was thrilled when I found this at my local Borders (RIP) and couldn't wait to dive in and read.
While I do have to give props to the author and the amount of research she did, the whole story was just way too disjointed (each chapter had a different narrator) and the characters were just awful and poorly written.
Needless to say, I was less than enthralled with The Thrall's Tale. And it had such promise, too.
Being a big fan of history - Norse history in particular - I was thrilled when I found this at my local Borders (RIP) and couldn't wait to dive in and read.
While I do have to give props to the author and the amount of research she did, the whole story was just way too disjointed (each chapter had a different narrator) and the characters were just awful and poorly written.
Needless to say, I was less than enthralled with The Thrall's Tale. And it had such promise, too.
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