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She-Wolf: A Sapphic Beowulf Retelling
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Expected 1 Feb 26In ancient Scandinavia, a land beset by monstrous creatures and legends, Beowulf is warrior of extreme renown. Born in battle and shaped by steel, she has spent years proving that strength is not solely a man's domain.
When the halls of Heorot threaten to buckle under the horror of a monstrous creature known as Grendel, Beowulf answers the call.
As she battles creatures of nightmare, she finds herself drawn to a queen who she should slay for the good of the realm, a woman whose heart holds both solace and peril.
In this sapphic retelling of the Old English epic, Beowulf fights not just for victory, but for the right to wield her own destiny, defend her love and stand toe to toe against monsters that lurk in the dark.
When the halls of Heorot threaten to buckle under the horror of a monstrous creature known as Grendel, Beowulf answers the call.
As she battles creatures of nightmare, she finds herself drawn to a queen who she should slay for the good of the realm, a woman whose heart holds both solace and peril.
In this sapphic retelling of the Old English epic, Beowulf fights not just for victory, but for the right to wield her own destiny, defend her love and stand toe to toe against monsters that lurk in the dark.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 1, 2026
3 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 22, 2025
3.25 ⭐
I had the pleasure of reading She-Wolf ahead of its 2026 release, and I couldn't be more grateful to Kel for kindly gifting me an ARC copy!
Right from the start, this book gave me major The Witcher vibes (which I adored!). I’ll be honest: I didn’t know much about Beowulf before picking this up, so I’m genuinely grateful that this retelling made me curious enough to look into the original stories. I love when a book does that.
In this novel, we follow Beowulf on her journey as a fierce warrior, facing terrifying creatures that roam the lands—creatures she later sets out to slay. What truly stood out to me was the way the author reimagines Beowulf as a woman. We get epic action scenes, yes, but we also get moments that peel back the “legend” and show us the person underneath. She felt so human, not just a heroic figure. Her integrity, humility, and compassion really shine through. Instead of being a hero who slays monsters just because she can, she’s someone who embraces her humanity, and honestly, that’s something I loved deeply.
I also really enjoyed her bond with Braggi. We only see bits and pieces of him, but every scene they share adds warmth to the story. Their dynamic brought a lovely softness to the narrative, and their friendship was honestly so fun to witness.
Another aspect I appreciated was the feminist angle. We get powerful women warriors and a focus on women choosing their own path, refusing to simply accept the patriarchal norms of their time. It felt empowering and intentional in all the right ways.
Now, for the things I struggled with a bit: I wanted more depth in the worldbuilding. There are other monsters and intriguing elements mentioned, but we don’t get much detail about them. I also had trouble with the pacing—things start strong and fast, but the second half slows down, and I found it harder to stay fully immersed. Besides, the tone sometimes leaned a bit too serious, almost giving nonfiction energy instead of the storytelling flow I expected.
And as a romance lover… the romance was very minimal. I would’ve loved to see a more fleshed-out relationship between Beowulf and her love interest. But the tiny moments we DO get? Super cute. Seeing Beowulf soften and turn into a total gentlewoman with her girl (no spoilers) was such a treat.
Overall, I’m really excited to see more of O’Connor’s writing in the future. She definitely feels like a rising author worth keeping an eye on!
I had the pleasure of reading She-Wolf ahead of its 2026 release, and I couldn't be more grateful to Kel for kindly gifting me an ARC copy!
Right from the start, this book gave me major The Witcher vibes (which I adored!). I’ll be honest: I didn’t know much about Beowulf before picking this up, so I’m genuinely grateful that this retelling made me curious enough to look into the original stories. I love when a book does that.
In this novel, we follow Beowulf on her journey as a fierce warrior, facing terrifying creatures that roam the lands—creatures she later sets out to slay. What truly stood out to me was the way the author reimagines Beowulf as a woman. We get epic action scenes, yes, but we also get moments that peel back the “legend” and show us the person underneath. She felt so human, not just a heroic figure. Her integrity, humility, and compassion really shine through. Instead of being a hero who slays monsters just because she can, she’s someone who embraces her humanity, and honestly, that’s something I loved deeply.
I also really enjoyed her bond with Braggi. We only see bits and pieces of him, but every scene they share adds warmth to the story. Their dynamic brought a lovely softness to the narrative, and their friendship was honestly so fun to witness.
Another aspect I appreciated was the feminist angle. We get powerful women warriors and a focus on women choosing their own path, refusing to simply accept the patriarchal norms of their time. It felt empowering and intentional in all the right ways.
Now, for the things I struggled with a bit: I wanted more depth in the worldbuilding. There are other monsters and intriguing elements mentioned, but we don’t get much detail about them. I also had trouble with the pacing—things start strong and fast, but the second half slows down, and I found it harder to stay fully immersed. Besides, the tone sometimes leaned a bit too serious, almost giving nonfiction energy instead of the storytelling flow I expected.
And as a romance lover… the romance was very minimal. I would’ve loved to see a more fleshed-out relationship between Beowulf and her love interest. But the tiny moments we DO get? Super cute. Seeing Beowulf soften and turn into a total gentlewoman with her girl (no spoilers) was such a treat.
Overall, I’m really excited to see more of O’Connor’s writing in the future. She definitely feels like a rising author worth keeping an eye on!
November 12, 2025
I enjoyed E.K.'s retelling of Beowulf from the women's perspective and learning about my grandfather that according to this book was from Geatland or the Southern part of now Sweden. My name is French and I have German and Scotch ancestors but when I look at my ancestry I'm 65% Swedish. Those Swedish gentlemen really got around. I liked the retelling of Beowulf mainly because of how it was treated by the author who managed to create a female into a shield-maiden who had the strength of 20 men, that's really wild. And she went into battle with nothing which the trolls and monsters had also nothing. We were also privy to all the Scandinavian gods and treated to how they looked at their deaths. There was enough action to keep you on your toes and I will read other E.K. O'Connor books in the future as they become available.
October 1, 2025
Outstanding!
Beowulf was so well done. She had clear motivations of the type of person she wanted to be. How she wanted to protect her people. When it's clear she will become Queen, seeing her agonise over a certain decision was something else. No matter what decision she made she would be going against her own morals and dishonouring herself. Unless... 😏
And the ending had me in tears despite knowing what was coming 😭
Beowulf was so well done. She had clear motivations of the type of person she wanted to be. How she wanted to protect her people. When it's clear she will become Queen, seeing her agonise over a certain decision was something else. No matter what decision she made she would be going against her own morals and dishonouring herself. Unless... 😏
And the ending had me in tears despite knowing what was coming 😭
September 3, 2025
This book gave me John Gwynne vibes right out of the gate! I love O’Connor’s writing style, especially the imagery. Action, politics, romance with an amazing slow burn, and all the emotions. O’Connor is now one of my favorite authors and I can’t wait for more books!
November 4, 2025
A big thank you to AQH Publications, Netgalley, and the author for providing an ARC for review!
3.75, rounded down to 3. I'm not super connected to the Beowulf story but my interest was piqued at a sapphic retelling of the story, in which Beowulf is a female warrior instead of male. I really liked the relationship between her and Hygd, respectful of her boundaries while also FULL of sapphic yearning. The art included was also super gorgeous, and you can tell that the author really loves the story of Beowulf. She follows the beats of the original poem pretty closely, from the fight with Grendel to the homecoming to Geatland.
Sadly this book didn't hook me completely, not sure as to why. Maybe it's my lack of connectivity to the tale of Beowulf but I couldn't help but feel like something was missing, and that something kept me from fully immersing myself into this book. Maybe it was the length, but it always felt like it was breezing from one plot point to the next so it'd hit all the plot beats of the original poem. The relationship between Beowulf and Hygd, while heartwarming, felt a little undercooked for me. I love the idea of marrying her to ensure her and her kids' safety, it's a killer setup, but it didn't feel like there was enough there to get me fully invested in their relationship. Most of the time they spent together was either spent on exposition or individual character development, instead of on their bond. I did love the little moments Beowulf had with Hygd's kids, though.
That being said and criticisms aside... Miss Beowulf was a total dreamboat. Big buff musclewoman warrior?? HELLO...
3.75, rounded down to 3. I'm not super connected to the Beowulf story but my interest was piqued at a sapphic retelling of the story, in which Beowulf is a female warrior instead of male. I really liked the relationship between her and Hygd, respectful of her boundaries while also FULL of sapphic yearning. The art included was also super gorgeous, and you can tell that the author really loves the story of Beowulf. She follows the beats of the original poem pretty closely, from the fight with Grendel to the homecoming to Geatland.
Sadly this book didn't hook me completely, not sure as to why. Maybe it's my lack of connectivity to the tale of Beowulf but I couldn't help but feel like something was missing, and that something kept me from fully immersing myself into this book. Maybe it was the length, but it always felt like it was breezing from one plot point to the next so it'd hit all the plot beats of the original poem. The relationship between Beowulf and Hygd, while heartwarming, felt a little undercooked for me. I love the idea of marrying her to ensure her and her kids' safety, it's a killer setup, but it didn't feel like there was enough there to get me fully invested in their relationship. Most of the time they spent together was either spent on exposition or individual character development, instead of on their bond. I did love the little moments Beowulf had with Hygd's kids, though.
That being said and criticisms aside... Miss Beowulf was a total dreamboat. Big buff musclewoman warrior?? HELLO...
October 29, 2025
Have you ever thought what it would be like if we had a well-known traditional female heroine? Someone to look up to who wasn’t categorised as “evil witch,” “mistress,” woman who perishes from heartbreak because of unrequited love for a man, “unfaithful and ungodly woman”?
I for sure have. This is the reason why I was a fan of things like Avalon High, where King Arthur is a girl. But what if Beowulf was a girl?
“She-Wolf” by E.K. O’Connor takes us through the legendary life of Beowulf, in this story of a woman, guided by her faith in her goddess, her weapon and a strong sense of duty and honour.
While at first I felt like I couldn’t connect too much with the character, once I reached Part II of the book, I started to understand Beowulf more, and see her as more than just the perfect warrior.
My favourite parts included Freya, Braggi and his bond with Beowulf, the amazing art, the beautiful sapphic love story based on respect and built trust, how Beowulf was a role model to younger ones and how despite her battles and everything she had witnessed through her life, she remained a kind, loving soul through the end.
If you love vikings, battles, norse mythology and mythological creatures, stories about women and warriors that go beyond steel and shouting, a story filled with love and devotion, then this book is for you.
Thank you NetGalley and VictoryEditingNGC for the opportunity to read this book as an arc! My opinions are entirely my own and my post is voluntary.
I for sure have. This is the reason why I was a fan of things like Avalon High, where King Arthur is a girl. But what if Beowulf was a girl?
“She-Wolf” by E.K. O’Connor takes us through the legendary life of Beowulf, in this story of a woman, guided by her faith in her goddess, her weapon and a strong sense of duty and honour.
While at first I felt like I couldn’t connect too much with the character, once I reached Part II of the book, I started to understand Beowulf more, and see her as more than just the perfect warrior.
My favourite parts included Freya, Braggi and his bond with Beowulf, the amazing art, the beautiful sapphic love story based on respect and built trust, how Beowulf was a role model to younger ones and how despite her battles and everything she had witnessed through her life, she remained a kind, loving soul through the end.
If you love vikings, battles, norse mythology and mythological creatures, stories about women and warriors that go beyond steel and shouting, a story filled with love and devotion, then this book is for you.
Thank you NetGalley and VictoryEditingNGC for the opportunity to read this book as an arc! My opinions are entirely my own and my post is voluntary.
October 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!
Instead of preparing for my enlightenment and romanticism midterm, I decided to devour a sapphic retelling of Beowulf, and I don’t regret it one bit.
My review of this book will be short, since I don’t have anything to complain about, ha. Only that there was a little bit of repetition of words at some points. Barely noticeable, though.
I enjoyed the story till the end. The writing was quite simple but beautiful, very digestible, and easy to follow. It was a delight to turn the pages. I also have to congratulate the author on actually making me look forward to fight scenes. I’m usually not one to enjoy them, so it’s a rare thing.
The characters, oh my poor family. I loved the slow burn and the relationship between Beowulf and Hygd. Their romance was pretty well done, no notes. Beowulf’s bond with her children, I ate it up. Thank you for the food. And let’s not forget my man Braggi. I liked the impact he had on our main character. Nowadays we don’t really get characters that genuinely mourn and don’t forget all about it the next sentence or chapter, so I really appreciated Beowulf’s struggle to accept the loss.
That’s all, folks.
p.s. The art in-between parts was stunning.
Instead of preparing for my enlightenment and romanticism midterm, I decided to devour a sapphic retelling of Beowulf, and I don’t regret it one bit.
My review of this book will be short, since I don’t have anything to complain about, ha. Only that there was a little bit of repetition of words at some points. Barely noticeable, though.
I enjoyed the story till the end. The writing was quite simple but beautiful, very digestible, and easy to follow. It was a delight to turn the pages. I also have to congratulate the author on actually making me look forward to fight scenes. I’m usually not one to enjoy them, so it’s a rare thing.
The characters, oh my poor family. I loved the slow burn and the relationship between Beowulf and Hygd. Their romance was pretty well done, no notes. Beowulf’s bond with her children, I ate it up. Thank you for the food. And let’s not forget my man Braggi. I liked the impact he had on our main character. Nowadays we don’t really get characters that genuinely mourn and don’t forget all about it the next sentence or chapter, so I really appreciated Beowulf’s struggle to accept the loss.
That’s all, folks.
p.s. The art in-between parts was stunning.
October 26, 2025
I can not find the words, the re-telling of this classic was breath takingly exquisite.
I appreciated the Author’s Note, as it educated me on the origins of the underlining story, which was not covered in the many previous times I have had to read Beowulf. The Afterword, helped me understand the ending better.
This is an action packed story starting with a bang and just didn’t stop. This book has everything, well written action, Norse mythology, a story of found family, a story of love and a slow burn that burns the pages!
I don’t know if I’m the only one but I had to read this story twice in junior school and then again in the first year of high school, I hated it, it left such a scar on my schooling as a gay, dyslexic kid who really struggled to read. This book has healed a part of me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to read this incredible book.
E.K. O’Connor please keep writing, this was incredible.
I appreciated the Author’s Note, as it educated me on the origins of the underlining story, which was not covered in the many previous times I have had to read Beowulf. The Afterword, helped me understand the ending better.
This is an action packed story starting with a bang and just didn’t stop. This book has everything, well written action, Norse mythology, a story of found family, a story of love and a slow burn that burns the pages!
I don’t know if I’m the only one but I had to read this story twice in junior school and then again in the first year of high school, I hated it, it left such a scar on my schooling as a gay, dyslexic kid who really struggled to read. This book has healed a part of me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to read this incredible book.
E.K. O’Connor please keep writing, this was incredible.
Review of advance copy
I received this book as a Kickstarter backer and hooooly crap am I glad I backed it. An absolutely stunning book! It took me a little bit at the beginning to get involved but once it hit, it hit HARD and I couldn’t put it down. I was absolutely in love with Beowulf and Hygd and every character in her immediate circle. The small humor, the subtleties of the passing glances and physical touch, the description of the world; all exquisite. The sapphic element also just elevated all of it in my personal opinion. Not to mention I sobbed like a child in the last quarter of the book and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who loves Norse mythology, sapphic warriors with a heart of gold, or fantastical elements.
October 17, 2025
Staying true to the original story of Beowulf, this sapphic retelling is an incredibly rich and poignant tale of a woman who rose from her origins as a foundling to become a great legend in her own right. Told in prose more akin to a skald's spoken word, She-Wolf covers Beowulf's story from the hunting of Grendel to her final, fatal encounter with a dragon. As the author notes in the closing, to describe any less would be to do a disservice to both this Beowulf and that original tale. It is a wonderful work, and I recommend it to any reader who shares a similar fascination with the old legend.
October 2, 2025
⭐ 5/5 ⭐
As someone who grew up fascinated with the epic of Beowulf, this sapphic retelling is a breath of fresh air. If you are already familiar with the story, then reading this won’t be too hard to follow. I love how easy it is to understand with the familiar characters and places. With a modern take on the writing tone, it felt like reading the Witcher books. It absolutely felt more emotional for me, especially the ending. I truly loved this version of Beowulf more, and I wished she had been given more adventures.
As someone who grew up fascinated with the epic of Beowulf, this sapphic retelling is a breath of fresh air. If you are already familiar with the story, then reading this won’t be too hard to follow. I love how easy it is to understand with the familiar characters and places. With a modern take on the writing tone, it felt like reading the Witcher books. It absolutely felt more emotional for me, especially the ending. I truly loved this version of Beowulf more, and I wished she had been given more adventures.
October 24, 2025
She-Wolf was an easily digestible, action-packed read that had a compelling slow-burn sapphic romance element. The characters, particularly Beowulf, Wulfgar and Braggi, were very likeable, and the relationships that O'Connor forged between them and other minor characters were believable.
I feel that I had the slight disadvantage of not having read the original Beowulf beforehand, and only knowing the basics of the story. I enjoyed this modern twist on the tale nonetheless.
Thank you to O'Connor and the publisher for giving me this Advanced Reader Copy.
I feel that I had the slight disadvantage of not having read the original Beowulf beforehand, and only knowing the basics of the story. I enjoyed this modern twist on the tale nonetheless.
Thank you to O'Connor and the publisher for giving me this Advanced Reader Copy.
December 3, 2025
With many thanks to the publishers for the advance copy of the ebook on Netgalley.
This retelling of Beowulf was positively inspired. A wonderful mix of mythology and historical fiction with the gender swap and sapphic romance giving possible alternate sociopolitical solutions. The characters were well rounded and I found the novel an immersive experience. Spiciness was implied rather than described in great detail - the narrative focus was on adventure and character development.
In short, I enjoyed this very much and have already recommended it to friends.
This retelling of Beowulf was positively inspired. A wonderful mix of mythology and historical fiction with the gender swap and sapphic romance giving possible alternate sociopolitical solutions. The characters were well rounded and I found the novel an immersive experience. Spiciness was implied rather than described in great detail - the narrative focus was on adventure and character development.
In short, I enjoyed this very much and have already recommended it to friends.
Review of advance copy
I really loved this book! Got it from Kickstarter and read the e-book and then again when I received the physical copy (gorgeously published). I haven't read Beowulf since I was in university so it was fun reading along and remembering the story but also being excited about what comes next.
I took away a star because I felt like it was a bit rushed towards the middle/end of the story, probably to try and fit the whole poem into one novel. And I needed more hot sapphic Beowulf doing hot stuff with women. But other than that, it is well worth the read!
I took away a star because I felt like it was a bit rushed towards the middle/end of the story, probably to try and fit the whole poem into one novel. And I needed more hot sapphic Beowulf doing hot stuff with women. But other than that, it is well worth the read!
October 31, 2025
What an amazing sapphic version of the story of Beowulf! I enjoyed every part of this book. Definitely recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews