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A devastating plague. A Christian queen. A pagan life quest.
The year is 1349, and The Black Death is devouring Norway.
Up in the mountains, Driva is unaware of its destruction of everything she holds dear in the village. She doesn’t yet know that she’s the daughter of the goddess Freya. She doesn’t yet know that she'll be tasked with the quest of a lifetime.
Driva will serve the greatest queen of the North. But first she must abandon all she knows...
...and fight her way to the sorceress of Snøhetta.
...................
Driva is the third stand-alone novel in the Daughters of Freya-series. The main characters in the series are bound by ties of blood, and they have all been tasked with life-altering quests by Freya, with the survival of the Earth at stake.
The year is 1349, and The Black Death is devouring Norway.
Up in the mountains, Driva is unaware of its destruction of everything she holds dear in the village. She doesn’t yet know that she’s the daughter of the goddess Freya. She doesn’t yet know that she'll be tasked with the quest of a lifetime.
Driva will serve the greatest queen of the North. But first she must abandon all she knows...
...and fight her way to the sorceress of Snøhetta.
...................
Driva is the third stand-alone novel in the Daughters of Freya-series. The main characters in the series are bound by ties of blood, and they have all been tasked with life-altering quests by Freya, with the survival of the Earth at stake.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2021
56 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Gunhild Haugnes
6 books31 followersGunhild is a native Norwegian who takes her name from two valkyries, Gun and Hild.
She is currently working on a series of independent novels collectively designated ‘Daughters of Freya’, after the greatest Norse goddess.
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Email: gunhildhaugnes@msn.com
She is currently working on a series of independent novels collectively designated ‘Daughters of Freya’, after the greatest Norse goddess.
Join my NEWSLETTER and get this prequel for FREE: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/x8jtyg550c
CONTACT/INFO:
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gunhi...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaughtersofF...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daughters_o...
Email: gunhildhaugnes@msn.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 15, 2021
This was a book I picked up on a whim and I ended up enjoying a great deal! I am fascinated by Nordic mythology and the Black Death which Is woven throughout all of Driva.
This book is part of the Daughter of Freya series but it has been stated that they can be read as standalones. I would completely agree.
The novel follows main protagonist Driva who has been chosen since birth by the goddess Freya for a special life purpose. She is also a herbalist. Throughout the book you get to watch Driva’s life unfold as she comes closer to the end of her quest. There’s a bit of romance, plenty of Nordic mythology woven in and historical references peppered throughout. Driva is a very likeable protagonist but I did find her a little but too naive at times which could be irritating.
My witchy little heart geeked out on all the Norse mythology/pagan references. It’s clear that Gunhild completed a great deal of research in the preparation for writing this novel. There were many accurate historical references and plenty of Nordic myths which she recounted in great detail.
There were a few parts of the book that felt a bit clunky and didn’t flow as well but perhaps this was due to a loss in the translation process. Overall I feel the the translation was carried out well and no enjoyment was lost due to these slight flaws.
Those who enjoy Nordic mythology, paganism and historical romances are likely to enjoy Driva. Thank you to Book Sirens for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book is part of the Daughter of Freya series but it has been stated that they can be read as standalones. I would completely agree.
The novel follows main protagonist Driva who has been chosen since birth by the goddess Freya for a special life purpose. She is also a herbalist. Throughout the book you get to watch Driva’s life unfold as she comes closer to the end of her quest. There’s a bit of romance, plenty of Nordic mythology woven in and historical references peppered throughout. Driva is a very likeable protagonist but I did find her a little but too naive at times which could be irritating.
My witchy little heart geeked out on all the Norse mythology/pagan references. It’s clear that Gunhild completed a great deal of research in the preparation for writing this novel. There were many accurate historical references and plenty of Nordic myths which she recounted in great detail.
There were a few parts of the book that felt a bit clunky and didn’t flow as well but perhaps this was due to a loss in the translation process. Overall I feel the the translation was carried out well and no enjoyment was lost due to these slight flaws.
Those who enjoy Nordic mythology, paganism and historical romances are likely to enjoy Driva. Thank you to Book Sirens for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 22, 2021
This is the third book of the Daughters of Freya called Driva. It starts out with Driva lying naked in the water, floating staring at the sky watching the birds fly about and the haze lifting. We are in Norway and right when the black plague starts to take off. Death is almost emanate, her mother sends for her, and lets her know that she has the rights to the farm and also that who she thought was her father was not. So she leaves Gerda to run the farm while she goes to find the daughter of Freya. This goes on to be her lives work and leads her into a task that will leave her pregnant with two children (twins). When they are 10 years old she takes a drink as do her children and they go back a thousand years. She gets the blood of a snake and bottles it up to take back to her time. Gunhild takes us back to the present and Driva makes lots of potions to make people better from the plague. Driva goes into the employ of a 10 year old bride which she will work 40 years for. Working to keep the Kings in health but not being there when she is really needed when they die. All this time she has been working on a potion that will keep her from burning up in a fire. Gunhild creats other issues which make the action interesting and real. I've skipped a lot of these facts but to let you know she finally makes the potion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2021
First things first, right? This is a Kindle Unlimited book, and so is the second bookThoron: An Epic Nordic Novel. That in itself makes up for some of the difficulty I had reading this novel. However, I may have had an easier time reading the first two books before reading this one. I would have had an idea of the author's writing style, how characters are depicted, language, etc.!
Don't get me wrong; I love learning about Norse mythology, Viking women, the class system, and paganism. But, I love strong women and learning about other cultures too. This book had that in spades.
I did have some problems with the variety (amount) of characters, the time shifts, how many royal families there are, and the politics. I also had a problem with how long some parts were drawn out.
*ARC supplied by the publisher.
Don't get me wrong; I love learning about Norse mythology, Viking women, the class system, and paganism. But, I love strong women and learning about other cultures too. This book had that in spades.
I did have some problems with the variety (amount) of characters, the time shifts, how many royal families there are, and the politics. I also had a problem with how long some parts were drawn out.
*ARC supplied by the publisher.
March 30, 2021
I en tid der pandemien råder, er det mange som flykter til bøker om tidligere pester. En av de største, Svartedauden, er kanskje den som er skrevet mest om. Ikke uten grunn, med tanke på hvor mange pesten tok livet av. I Driva er det pest. Det er Svartedauden (eller Manndauden som dem kaller det der), og det er død. Romanen er tredje bok i serien Frøyas døtre, der alle er frittstående med nye karakterer. I Driva er handlingen lagt til 1300-tallet, nærmere bestemt 1349, da pesten først kom til Norge. Det er ikke mange kapitlene før vi beveger oss fremover i historien, helt til 1412.
Driva, ei ung jente fra Valdres, blir sendt ut på en reise til Dovre etter at manndauden har rammet gården hennes. I møte med en eldre kone, får hun høre at livet hennes allerede er bestemt. Hun er ikke den hun først trodde hun var, og noen har en oppgave hun må gjennomføre.
Ved første øyekast er det lett å tenke at romanen er en fantasyroman, inspirert av de norrøne gudene, men jeg fikk nesten følelsen av det motsatte da jeg leste den. Fantasielementene er så godt «gjemt» inn i teksten at man til tider glemmer de er der. Jeg vil heller kalle romanen historisk, for det er akkurat dette den fokuserer på. Det er mye historie i teksten, og denne er spennende. Haugnes blander virkelige personer og hendelser med de oppdiktete, med en dreven hånd. Jeg har selv ingen store kunnskaper om århundrets kongehistorie, men jeg forlot denne romanen med en følelse av at jeg nå var mye mer «belest» om emnet. Nå tenker jeg istedenfor tanker som «tenk at jeg ikke har hørt om dronning Margrete før nå».
Det er ikke bare kongeslekten leseren får lærdom i. Her er det også levestil, tro, legekunst og ikke minst: stedsnavn. Hver gang jeg dykket ned i boken reiste jeg rett og slett tilbake i tid. Det var den følelsen jeg fikk, for Haugnes har virkelig klart å skape den historiske stemningen. Jeg ønsker å sammenligne leseropplevelsen med den jeg hadde ved de første bøkene om Isfolket, og dette er for meg en positiv leseropplevelse.
Så må vi ikke glemme den norrøne mytologien, for hvem liker ikke en roman som blander mytologi og virkelighet i ekte antikk stil. Her interagerer Frøya med vår helt, akkurat slik Odyssevs fikk hjelp av Athene. Selv om romanen gir plass til litt «eventyr» og heltehistorie, er det alltid det historiske som står i sentrum.
Noe av det som overrasket meg mest da jeg leste, var hvor lett det var å henge med på historien, til tross for alle årene den dekker. Leseren blir ikke gitt mye tid ved hvert år - vi skal tross alt komme oss 63 år fremover på under 400 sider. Men dette var aldri noe som førte til forvirring. Haugnes har klart å plukke frem de mest sentrale scenene i årenes løp, og fokuserer fult ut på disse. Det er heller ikke for mange karakterer, og derfor enkelt å huske de ulikes roller.
Det er gøy å lese romaner du kommer ut fra og føler deg hakket mer klokere enn det du var før du gikk inn i den. Dette er en sånn roman. Den er lettlest, drivende og gir deg samtidig kunnskap. Hva er vel ikke bedre enn det?
Driva, ei ung jente fra Valdres, blir sendt ut på en reise til Dovre etter at manndauden har rammet gården hennes. I møte med en eldre kone, får hun høre at livet hennes allerede er bestemt. Hun er ikke den hun først trodde hun var, og noen har en oppgave hun må gjennomføre.
Ved første øyekast er det lett å tenke at romanen er en fantasyroman, inspirert av de norrøne gudene, men jeg fikk nesten følelsen av det motsatte da jeg leste den. Fantasielementene er så godt «gjemt» inn i teksten at man til tider glemmer de er der. Jeg vil heller kalle romanen historisk, for det er akkurat dette den fokuserer på. Det er mye historie i teksten, og denne er spennende. Haugnes blander virkelige personer og hendelser med de oppdiktete, med en dreven hånd. Jeg har selv ingen store kunnskaper om århundrets kongehistorie, men jeg forlot denne romanen med en følelse av at jeg nå var mye mer «belest» om emnet. Nå tenker jeg istedenfor tanker som «tenk at jeg ikke har hørt om dronning Margrete før nå».
Det er ikke bare kongeslekten leseren får lærdom i. Her er det også levestil, tro, legekunst og ikke minst: stedsnavn. Hver gang jeg dykket ned i boken reiste jeg rett og slett tilbake i tid. Det var den følelsen jeg fikk, for Haugnes har virkelig klart å skape den historiske stemningen. Jeg ønsker å sammenligne leseropplevelsen med den jeg hadde ved de første bøkene om Isfolket, og dette er for meg en positiv leseropplevelse.
Så må vi ikke glemme den norrøne mytologien, for hvem liker ikke en roman som blander mytologi og virkelighet i ekte antikk stil. Her interagerer Frøya med vår helt, akkurat slik Odyssevs fikk hjelp av Athene. Selv om romanen gir plass til litt «eventyr» og heltehistorie, er det alltid det historiske som står i sentrum.
Noe av det som overrasket meg mest da jeg leste, var hvor lett det var å henge med på historien, til tross for alle årene den dekker. Leseren blir ikke gitt mye tid ved hvert år - vi skal tross alt komme oss 63 år fremover på under 400 sider. Men dette var aldri noe som førte til forvirring. Haugnes har klart å plukke frem de mest sentrale scenene i årenes løp, og fokuserer fult ut på disse. Det er heller ikke for mange karakterer, og derfor enkelt å huske de ulikes roller.
Det er gøy å lese romaner du kommer ut fra og føler deg hakket mer klokere enn det du var før du gikk inn i den. Dette er en sånn roman. Den er lettlest, drivende og gir deg samtidig kunnskap. Hva er vel ikke bedre enn det?
September 4, 2021
Daughter💃💋 of Freya, Daughter of Snow👑❄❄
ADULT Historical Medieval 🏰💕 and Mystery with Time Travel and Paranormal Elements.
1349 AD, Dovrefjell, Norway
Facing her Destiny...
Driva 💃💔is one of the few survivors of the Black Plague that rips through the countrysides of all of Europe. Just before her mother dies, leaving her completely alone in the world 🌎 on their large farm, she tells Driva💃💔 she is really the daughter of a supernatural being. SHOCKER!
Now that Driva💃💔 is grown, she is to go to an old woman 👵and learn the craft and art of being an herbalist. The old woman👵 is also some sort of a witch or supernatural being. Her mother also tells Driva💃💋 she is a daughter of Freya, and has been chosen by her to do great deeds.
Driva's mother is a Christian, yet here she is in her deathbed, dying from plague, telling her she is the spiritual daughter of a Norse goddess and the King of Finland , King👑 Snow ❄❄.
This begins the long saga of Driva💃💋, a most unusual woman who touches the lives of many people, finds love, and even travels back in time for a while.
ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook from Amazon 📚with KU.
Great book! This novel drew me into a fantastic story, and mesmerized me! I didn't want it to end!
This recounting of the Black Plague that came from China reminded me of our recent plague , also from China. Thank God for modern medicine and ingenuity! The people's of the ancient 🌎 world had only herbal remedies and prayers.
I did go back and look at my review of "Thoron", which I read a year ago. These are wonderful books 📚!
Life is like a river....you can stand there and watch it go by, or jump in and go for a 🏊 swim!
ADULT Historical Medieval 🏰💕 and Mystery with Time Travel and Paranormal Elements.
1349 AD, Dovrefjell, Norway
Facing her Destiny...
Driva 💃💔is one of the few survivors of the Black Plague that rips through the countrysides of all of Europe. Just before her mother dies, leaving her completely alone in the world 🌎 on their large farm, she tells Driva💃💔 she is really the daughter of a supernatural being. SHOCKER!
Now that Driva💃💔 is grown, she is to go to an old woman 👵and learn the craft and art of being an herbalist. The old woman👵 is also some sort of a witch or supernatural being. Her mother also tells Driva💃💋 she is a daughter of Freya, and has been chosen by her to do great deeds.
Driva's mother is a Christian, yet here she is in her deathbed, dying from plague, telling her she is the spiritual daughter of a Norse goddess and the King of Finland , King👑 Snow ❄❄.
This begins the long saga of Driva💃💋, a most unusual woman who touches the lives of many people, finds love, and even travels back in time for a while.
ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook from Amazon 📚with KU.
Great book! This novel drew me into a fantastic story, and mesmerized me! I didn't want it to end!
This recounting of the Black Plague that came from China reminded me of our recent plague , also from China. Thank God for modern medicine and ingenuity! The people's of the ancient 🌎 world had only herbal remedies and prayers.
I did go back and look at my review of "Thoron", which I read a year ago. These are wonderful books 📚!
Life is like a river....you can stand there and watch it go by, or jump in and go for a 🏊 swim!
September 1, 2021
Driva in the third book in The Daughters of Freya historical fiction series by Gunhild Haugnes. Each woman who is called to fulfill a goal or mission is born in a different time with Driva living when the Black Plague is sweeping through Norway. The year is 1349, again moving the reader forward in time from the first two books. Driva is an interwoven story of mythology, history, and fiction. It is a story of a strong woman who accomplishes much in spite of the obstacles of society, personal difficulties, and heartbreaks.
I have read the first two books in the series so I was looking forward to this one. It did not disappoint but again kept me interested and intrigued., feeling once again that this is a timeless story not just of Driva but of the people of Norway. Like the others in the series this remarkable book reads exceedingly well in the English translation. It is a stand-alone book but I am glad to have read the others first.
The publisher/author gave me a complimentary ARC of the book which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I have read the first two books in the series so I was looking forward to this one. It did not disappoint but again kept me interested and intrigued., feeling once again that this is a timeless story not just of Driva but of the people of Norway. Like the others in the series this remarkable book reads exceedingly well in the English translation. It is a stand-alone book but I am glad to have read the others first.
The publisher/author gave me a complimentary ARC of the book which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 1, 2021
This book and this series are amazing. You are transported back to the time of the Black Plague in Norway and see how Driva one of the daughters of Freya struggles to survive. You experience ce her trials and tribulations as she sets out on the quest/mission that Freya has assigned to her. She is a strong g woman who will do whatever it takes ro survive and save her world. You will not be able to pit this book down. It is the third book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 11, 2021
Driva is the third stand-alone novel in the Daughters of Freya-series. This is the first novel I have read by this author. So I did not read in order and while the author says they can be read as stand alones I would recommend reading in order as the flow would be smoother. I was really captivated by this novel. The characters are strong, and are all bound to each other through ties of blood. This connection leads to many complications through out the novel. The story line is solid and you will enjoy this novel
July 24, 2021
I just finished reading Driva. This was a very entertaining book about a 14th century wise woman and her trials and tribulations. The story transported me to a time long ago with a combination of fact and fantasy. I could feel both the joy and pain in Driva's life. It makes one question why bad things happen to good people. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 28, 2021
Did not finish.
November 1, 2024
I really wanted to love this book and overall I enjoyed the premise. A young woman is given a task by Freya that could change the fate of mankind? Sign. Me. Up. Driva is a fascinating character especially as she is pulled away from her Christian upbringing towards her pagan roots.
I was really invested during the first third of the book however as the story jumped from ahead in time it was difficult to feel grounded especially in her relationships. I had a difficult time caring about the people in her life because I didn’t really get to know them. There were also some moments of dialogue that were a bit clunky, but that could be due to translation.
I definitely think this book was worth reading and I look forward to reading other books in the series.
* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was really invested during the first third of the book however as the story jumped from ahead in time it was difficult to feel grounded especially in her relationships. I had a difficult time caring about the people in her life because I didn’t really get to know them. There were also some moments of dialogue that were a bit clunky, but that could be due to translation.
I definitely think this book was worth reading and I look forward to reading other books in the series.
* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 11, 2021
Driva by Gunhild Haugnes is the next of Freya's daughters to be put to paper. Freya is a goddess of the Norsemen and each few generations she selects one of her "daughters" to accomplish a task for the betterment of mankind. Driva was born to ordinary parents, although that turned out to not be the case. Her family was killed by the plague and she set off to follow her future. This is her story. She had a full and amazing life, not always easy. This story is full of Norse wisdom and legend. And is not to be missed. It is as great as the stories of previous women, Freydis and Thoron and is a story not to be missed. It is part of a greater saga with much greater meaning. I recommend it.
October 8, 2021
A somewhat fitting story to read during the time of pandemic, this story about a remarkable woman during the time of the Black Death was a fascinating read. I enjoyed her quest for understanding as she tries to complete a magical task given to her while serving her Nordic queen. She's underappreciated but never gives up. I appreciated that greatly.
I did read this book out of order in the series but that didn't seem to affect my enjoyment. If you enjoy historical fiction with some fantasy thrown in regarding a strong female character, I think you'll enjoy this!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I did read this book out of order in the series but that didn't seem to affect my enjoyment. If you enjoy historical fiction with some fantasy thrown in regarding a strong female character, I think you'll enjoy this!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 11, 2025
'Driva' interweaves mythology, history, and fiction, following a strong woman's journey as she overcomes societal obstacles, personal challenges, and heartbreak. Having read the first two books in the series, I was eagerly anticipating this one, and it did not disappoint. The story kept me interested and intrigued, highlighting a timeless tale not just of Driva, but of the people of Norway as well. Like the previous books, this remarkable story reads exceptionally well in English translation. Although it can stand alone, I’m glad to have read the earlier installments first.
September 15, 2021
Driva written by Gunhild Haugnes was an okay read.
The plot and story was good and interesting.
Yet it received a 3 star rating because the style of writing felt choppy and reminded me more of a tween style writing.
Still the character was well thought out and the ending was good enough.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The plot and story was good and interesting.
Yet it received a 3 star rating because the style of writing felt choppy and reminded me more of a tween style writing.
Still the character was well thought out and the ending was good enough.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 23, 2023
An epic series
This is the third book in the series and I have read them all. I love the fact that they are historically correct, but also portray the old Nordic religion and gods. I am also thrilled that the author is Norwegian. I recommend this series to those who want to learn more of early Norwegian history and the old heathen religion.
This is the third book in the series and I have read them all. I love the fact that they are historically correct, but also portray the old Nordic religion and gods. I am also thrilled that the author is Norwegian. I recommend this series to those who want to learn more of early Norwegian history and the old heathen religion.
September 9, 2021
Loved the story
I thoroughly enjoyed the series but unfortunately the series is wrought with mistakes that should have been caught by a proofreader.
In spite of this I found myself immersed in the storyline. I enjoyed reading the three so much that I completed them in four days
I thoroughly enjoyed the series but unfortunately the series is wrought with mistakes that should have been caught by a proofreader.
In spite of this I found myself immersed in the storyline. I enjoyed reading the three so much that I completed them in four days
September 11, 2021
As enchanting as the first two Daughters of Freya novels
Set in one time of the Black Plague this book is chilling yet includes another gritty daughter of Freya that you will cheer for and cry for as she loses lovers, family and children to fulfill her lives quest.
Set in one time of the Black Plague this book is chilling yet includes another gritty daughter of Freya that you will cheer for and cry for as she loses lovers, family and children to fulfill her lives quest.
August 27, 2021
I really wanted to love this book and overall I enjoyed the premise. A young woman is given a task by Freya that could change the fate of mankind? Sign. Me. Up. Driva is a fascinating character especially as she is pulled away from her Christian upbringing towards her pagan roots.
I was really invested during the first third of the book however as the story jumped from ahead in time it was difficult to feel grounded especially in her relationships. I had a difficult time caring about the people in her life because I didn’t really get to know them. There were also some moments of dialogue that were a bit clunky, but that could be due to translation.
I definitely think this book was worth reading and I look forward to reading other books in the series.
* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was really invested during the first third of the book however as the story jumped from ahead in time it was difficult to feel grounded especially in her relationships. I had a difficult time caring about the people in her life because I didn’t really get to know them. There were also some moments of dialogue that were a bit clunky, but that could be due to translation.
I definitely think this book was worth reading and I look forward to reading other books in the series.
* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews