Daughter of the Wolf

by Victoria Whitworth

In England before the Norman Conquest, a girl usually had only two choices - to marry, or to take the veil.

But Elfrun of Donmouth in Northumbria is no ordinary girl. She is the only living child of the charismatic and fearless feudal lord, Radmer, whose wife and two sons have died. When the king sends Radmer overseas on a mission to Rome, Elfrun is left to hold the fort, to lead her people out of danger from marauding neighbours and to protect herself. All around her predators are circling, waiting for their chance to seize her lands, her people - and her.

Will her father return in time to save both her and the people of Donmouth? Or can Elfrun find the strength to take matters into her own hands?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, British Literature, Anglo Saxon, Medieval, Historical

512 pages, Hardcover

First published April 21, 2016

About the author

Victoria Whitworth is a historian and bestselling author of The Bone Thief and The Traitors' Pit. Having worked as a lecturer, tour guide, artist's model and teacher, she now lives on a smallholding in Orkney, where she writes full time.

She also wrote as V.M. Whitworth and Victoria Thompson.

Reviews

[Melisende · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dark Age England c.859 - could there be a more atmospheric backdrop for any novel. It is the story of Elfrun, daughter of Radmer of Donmouth in Northumbria, left in charge of her father's domains during his absence, and also left to defend them in the face of ever increasing danger.

Unfortunately, the narrative was too disjointed to maintain my interest 100% which was a pity as the subject matter and time period was what drew me to the book in the first place. The story goes back and forth between the female characters - four of them - and I am not sure this worked. Personally, the narrative of Elfrun would have sufficed as the others appeared as mere page fillers.

This novel has been given 4 and 5 star reviews by others - I guess I am getting a little bit more pedantic and being it little more fussier when it comes to historical fiction than I was many years ago - and its quite possible I may have looked more kindly on it back then.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel - set in the dark ages, with a strong female protagonist and a compelling plot. My only quibble is the sheer number of points of view (even that of supporting characters).

[Diana Mcmahon-Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best thing about this book was its cover which just proves the saying that you shouldn't judge a book by it. A slow meandering story completely predictable and unexciting. The heroine was so useless that I agreed with her grandmother - sending her to a nunnery would be a good idea.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Elfrun's father is sent to Rome by the king she's left in charge of their estate. This is an engaging novel about life in the north of 9th century England. And I have to mention that the cover design is simply stunning.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve started reading my way through my book haul and I thought it would be fun to start with one of the novels. Daughter of the Wolf is set in Northumbria, before the Norman conquest. The book centers around Elfrun, daughter of Radmer of Donmouth. When Radmer is sent to Rome on behalf of his king, the safekeeping of Donmouth falls on the shoulders of Elfrun. What Elfrun doesn’t know, however, are the intentions of the many people around her.

To me, Daughter of the Wolf, is a coming-of-age story. Elfrun starts off as a relatively carefree girl who wants to be Lord of Donmouth. But by the end of the book, she’s started growing into her role as the Lord of Donmouth and is better placed to assume responsibilities. The book is mostly about the transition period, so if you’re looking for exciting battles, this is not the place to be. In fact, I feel like there’s a lot more to Elfrun’s story and I hope a sequel comes out soon.

Because there isn’t a lot of dramatic fighting, the book rests on its characters. Elfrun was a great protagonist – always striving to do the right thing, even if she doesn’t know what’s that, but one of the most fascinating characters in the book had to be Saethryth, the daughter of the steward. I initially found Saethryth to be an unpleasant character, and I still think she is, but as I read on, I realised that she had her reasons for acting the way she did. She’s simply trying to survive in her world and she chose a different path from Elfrun. I normally don’t grow to respect characters that I have a bad initial first impression, so the fact that I found myself gradually softening towards Saethryth made her one of the most memorable characters in the book.

Now back to Elfrun; she’s a lot more straightforward as a character, compared to Saethryth, and a lot simpler to like. The only thing that I wasn’t thrilled was the romance section of her story. She does get entangled with two characters, but it feels to me like she sees them an equal number of times (which is not a lot). So it’s weird that she gets this deep connection with one but not the other. Then again, I am generally not a fan of romance so that may be influencing my opinion towards this part of the story.

There are many other characters besides Elfrun and Saethryth, including Thancrad (the son of a recently-returned Lord from exile), Athulf (Elfrun’s cousin), and Ingeld (Elfrun’s father and the Lord Abbot of Donmouth), as well as the inhabitants of Donmouth. All of them have their own plans and we’re given glimpses into each of their point of views. I didn’t feel confused reading it, although I did lose track of some minor characters towards the end.

If you’re a fan of Anglo-Saxon England and character-driven novels, you should definitely pick it up. I enjoyed this book and I appreciated the historical note at the end of the book, where the author talked about the setting and how she decided to carry out several aspects of world buildings, as well as one anachronism that she used. It was fascinating and if you’re interested in history, it’s something that you should read.

This review was first posted at Eustea Reads

[The Idle Woman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is the most recent novel by Victoria or V.M. Whitworth, also author of the Wulgar novels. I wasn’t entirely blown away by The Bone Thief, but I found much more to enjoy in this story set in what’s becoming a rather familiar world: Anglo-Saxon Northumbria. It is 859 AD, two centuries after the days of Edwin and Oswald, and while King Osberht maintains an uneasy peace from York, his noblemen quietly test their strength and the sea-wolves harry the eastern coast. In Donmouth, where a hall and minster both fall under the authority of the lord’s family, Radmer and his feckless younger brother Ingeld divide worldly and heavenly power between them. And Radmer’s daughter Elfrun, struggling to make the transition from girl-child to woman, is about to find herself elevated to a terrifying level of responsibility...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/06/20/d...

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sumptuously good

Rich in detail and descriptions of the time without being overloaded. The story is brilliant, the main character is naive and blind to a lot of what is going on around her and we get glimpses of what is happening first so we can see her blindness and refusal to think the worst of people change as the story develops. The ending is equal parts awfully sad and fabulously heart warming and while there is no need for a sequel as it is tidied up nicely, I am left wishing to spend more time with Elfrun to see what happens next in her journey. Brilliant first novel please write more!

[Merril · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story set in an unusual period

Set in Northern England in the 9th century, this book tells the story of a girl forced to take responsibility for her father's lands too young to understand the dangerous world around her. The plot was complex and involving, and enough strands were left unknotted at the end to keep the reader thinking. Had the book not been a little long and slow in parts it would have merited five stars.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Дуже важко коментувати цю книгу, бо наче і сподобалася, але щось не вистачило.
Таке враження, що автор часто забував про головну героїню. Наче вона була лиш побіжним персонажем. Та й закінчення розчарувало.
Але гарно прописані другорядні герої, до них дуже швидко звикаєш. Тому приємно було читати, незважаючи на всі мінуси.

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely atmospheric read of a tale set in middle age Northumbria. Interesting as it's set from the point of view of a woman, surprising that they did more than menial tasks and had any freedom at all.
A complex plot, with some interweaving between the various threads, and surprises thrown in, however I didn't feel all of the loose ends were tied up by a long shot.

[Laureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I was very disappointed in this novel. I love historical fiction but this book did nothing for me. The story was long winded. No page turning excitement. I found it difficult to keep interested but some books pick up. This one didn't. The author writes well enough and the historical landscape was well enough conceived. I guess it just wasn't enough for me.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this chapter by chapter as a way to push through it, but honestly life is too short. Each chapter skips from different points of view of life in 800AD England and the tribal king system of Britain and the expansion of the church.
What seemed like a charming tale with a strong female heroine reminiscent of Merida in Brave, read more like a slightly less dull history textbook.

Very blah.

[Jasmine C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex story with a vivid world. I appreciate how the story too the time to build, slow-paced yet somehow high stakes and well thought out story arcs.
A strong writing style I really enjoyed.
I could tell, even before I reached the author's note at the end, that the author had studied the time period and put great care into how it was written.

[Colleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a wonderful era for a story - this could have been great. But no. What a mess. Chaotic. Too many characters. Choose a path and follow it. Choose a few characters and develop them. Ugh. What a waste of time.

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Another one not for me. I think it was a bit ‘simply�� written for me - which is why I think this is more YA than I like.

[English · Rating 4 out of 5]

859 AD, the lives of four young women converge in a small estate on the edge of the sea in the Great Kingdom of Northumbria. Daughter of the Wolf is a magnificent tale of love, intrigue, life and loss in ninth century England, explored through the lives of four young women, their friends and their families in a Kingdom wracked by war and faced with a looming threat from across the sea.

Everyone treats Elfrun, daughter of the nobleman Radmer, as if she is still a little girl, but at 16, she is determined to prove that she is capable of managing her father’s estate and its people. When he is sent to Rome, she has her chance. Buffered by local dramas, challenges and unfortunate circumstances, Elfrun is ready to give up, until greater danger and treachery rears its head.

Wynn is the capable and intelligent daughter the blacksmith barely notices and rarely tolerates. Her dream is to produce the beautiful and intricate metalwork like that sold by a mysterious merchant who came from over the sea. Bitterness, family rivalry and tragedy define the life of the quiet girl who has more courage and strength than she believes, but harbours a terrible secret that could consume her very soul.

Seathryth is the flirtatious and vivacious daughter of the local steward-a man of ambition and few scruples. Determined to escape her family situation in an ill-judged marriage, her pursuit of passion and yearning for fulfilment has terrible consequences.

Auli is a Finnish Merchant’s daughter, whose father owns many slaves, including the enigmatic Finn, who one day meets a lonely and frightened girl named Elfrun on the beach.
Finn, the only man who sees her beauty and strength, and always seems to appear at fortuitous times, yet remains remains mysterious and reluctant to make himself known to the rest of Donmouth, because of the shady dealing of his masers.

With a cast of well-drawn secondary characters such as the guilt-ridden but compassionate priest Fredegar, the flawed Abbott Ingeld, the overbearing Grandmother the jealous younger cousin Athulf, and the dashing unwanted suitor Daughter of Wolf proves to be an epic and vivid tale peopled by memorable, real and sympathetic characters which brings to life a neglected part of England in a little known era of history. As the blurb suggests, it is a tale of women struggling to survive in a man’s world, and how the choices of ordinary men and women can impact the destiny of many.

I throughly enjoyed and recommend this book, although I confess I still prefer the Wulfgar stories by the same author.
I received an ebook of this title free from the publisher for the purposes of giving a review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.

[BookAddict · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I just couldn't. It was such a slog and the narrative meandered all over the place. I read all 3 of Hillary Mantel's Cromwell series every word and this book slayed me. Ugh.

[CathyW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book in the Amazon recommendation 'if you liked this book, you'll like that book'. Usually Amazon's recommendation is hopelessly wrong but in this case I was sufficiently impressed by the sample sent to my Kindle to order the rest of the book, and it didn't disappoint. This novel, set in the 9th century in northern 'England' is full of fascinating complex characters whose story is set against a totally believable background with an amazing amount of detail that really made you feel as if you were there. I didn't read the author's bio until I'd finished the book but wasn't surprised to find that she is a historian. The research, however, is never heavy-handed and serves only to add texture to a compelling story. That said, it took me a while to get into the novel and it wasn't until the second half that I felt it really took off. In part this is because there are so many interesting characters and viewpoints that I wasn't sure who I was meant to be paying attention to. Clearly, however, Elfrun is the main character and although normally I wouldn't be drawn to a 'teenager' Elfrun is such a rounded character that I found it easy to identify with her. She was both vulnerable and strong at the same time and I was pleased to see that the author allowed her to make mistakes. I don't believe there will be a sequel to this novel but I'll certainly be looking out for more of Victoria Whitworth's work. I might add that I found the historical note at the end of the book absolutely fascinating. It was so interesting to learn how this novel was written, given the limited historical evidence for many aspects of the day-to-day life and people of this period, and what assumptions were made or 'facts' interpolated from similar cultures.

[Mirella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four women from different social ranks are at the heart of this Dark Ages tale set in England: Saethryth the steward's daughter, Wynn the blacksmith's daughter, Auli the spy's daughter, and Elfrun who is the daughter of the Wolf. When Elfrun's father is sent to Rome on a mission by the king, Donmouth estate is left in her hands. Young and inexperienced, she does her best to govern, despite the pressure her grandmother puts upon her to enter a convent and take the veil. At the same time, a dangerous man returns to the community, and he wants to wed his son to her. As time passes, Elfrun does not know her father's fate, but she is determined to keep the estate and all the people in her care in good standing.
Author Victoria Whitworth did an exceptional job of bringing to life the hardships of the Dark Ages, and the plight of women during that time. Unique scenes such as the whale harvest made for a fascinating read. The characters and their inter-relationships to each other were beautifully fleshed out, along with the intriguing setting, and an ending that was utterly satisfying. A medieval novel that is sure to keep you flipping pages until the end. Highly recommended.
Thank you to the publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for visiting my blog, http://greathistoricals.blogspot.ca, where the greatest historical fiction is reviewed! For fascinating women of history bios and women's fiction please visit http://www.historyandwomen.com.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I asked the librarians what to borrow, and after a couple of suggestions which had me wrinkling my nose, one of them told me her friend's book had just been returned and was waiting to be reshelved so I tool it on the grounds that it was historical fiction. I began reading it on Thursday and finished it today (Saturday). It is a big solid book, and I thought it would last me a week at least. So I was surprised when I saw some reviews which complained it was slow, and that the reader had to plod on.
For me the only weird thing was the division into many short chapters - how can you end a chapter in such a place that one has to continue into the next?
This is the story of one central girl and three other women in a man's world, but attempting to carve out their own futures rather than acceding to the power of the men around them. In fact one could almost say six women if two older, more established characters are added into the mix. But Elfrun, and two girls under her care Wynn and Saethryth and one who may be friend or foe Auli are central to the action - and action it is, the sort of book that would translate well to film.
Definitely an author to watch out for, also living in Orkney. It seems the islands attract craft
speople, artists, musicians and writers in equal measure!
Sept. 2023
I didn't recall any of the detail when I began rereading this book, but recalled the characters, if not the events, as the plot unrolled. I was more aware of the Orcadian words and phrases this time round, having lived here for longer. Well worth rereading.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elfrun is the daughter of Radmer, Lord of Donmouth, a village like many others in Northumbria. She loves to ride horses, racing against her cousins and friends; but does not enjoy the typical tasks traditionally thought of as "women's work". Her grandmother, Abarhild, wants Elfrun to dedicate herself to the church as a nun. But, when Radmer is asked by the King on a mission to the Pope, Elfrun is thrust into the position of Lord of Dunmouth. She has no idea what this job entails, but, she is determined to prove to all inhabitants, as well as herself, that she can be a good Lord, just like her father. The life of a Lord isn't easy though, and more than one person is determined to make her life as difficult as possible in order to further their own desires.

Set in the late 850's, this book is slightly out of the period of history I normally read. I thought it looked like an interesting read though, and was not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Characters are well developed. Story line is somewhat confusing at times, but everything is brought together in the end, and there are some interesting twists to said story line. I would definitely recommend this book to others and will be looking for more books by this author.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes place around 850. So imagine lots of organic lands and emotions. The main character, Elfrun, is just coming of age with great responsibility and besides being faced with normal young girl issues such as crushes and learning how to grow into an adult, she is also faced with adult decisions.
I can honestly say that there was plenty of mystery in a number of things in the storyline. Without creating spoilers, I will say that I couldn't wait to pick up my Kindle every night and get lost in these lands. The things that I'd hoped for didn't always happen but yet ultimately they ended in a way that makes me suggest How about a sequel that starts from here? I would definitely pick delve into that as well!
Think chivalry, metalsmithing, cloaks, farms and lush landscapes.

[Julia Ibbotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written book clearly evoking the life of the late dark ages/early Anglo-Saxon period. The author is a serious academic historian and the notes at the end of the novel were most interesting. I particularly liked the way she foregrounded the women of the time, with their different statuses and roles, but all demonstrating strong feisty natures. Women of that time are often overlooked, or, worse, depicted in thin supporting roles to their menfolk. These are 'real' people, and the author does not skip over difficulties and dangers, and the ruthlessness of the times in many areas. The story of Elfrun's struggles and growth as a ruler was refreshing. Well recommended.

[Evan May · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an absolutely heartfelt and heartrending tale of daughters in the Anglo-Saxon north of England. To say very much more risks spoiling some of the surprises the author has for readers as she takes her plot in truly unanticipated (but, in retrospect, entirely earned) directions. The sense of time, place, and character in a period so far removed from our own is vivid and the work vibrates with emotion and life.

This is a very different book from Whitworth's earlier novels but just as enthusiastically recommended.

[Catharine Lyons-King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5. The research was impeccable and the author filled gaps in the historical record with great expertise. All of this was woven in seamlessly without disrupting the narrative. A real gift! And I loved the author's note explaining various decisions. Like other reviewers, I did find the story took a while to develop and really pull me in. Part of the problem might have been the multiple points of view that really dominated the first half. The second half felt a lot more focused. But overall, a solid read.

[Gina Alton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, best book I have read in a long time.

Captures you from the beginning; with wonderful strong and colourful characters who you will find yourself falling in love with- even the dark ones! Great to read something which is not totally predictable. Thank you. I look forward to the next one.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richly detailed and well-written. An improvement on The Bone Thief, which I also enjoyed, but felt Daughter of the Wolf had even better characters and excellent pacing.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I often romanticise the past. This book is a stunning look into the realities and injustices of life for women in the Middle Ages. A book to be read and enjoyed as a beautiful told story.