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The Songweaver's Vow
When Euthalia’s father trades her to Viking raiders, her best hope is to be made a wife instead of a slave. She gets her wish—sort of—when she is sacrificed as a bride to a god.
Her inhuman husband seems kind, but he visits only in the dark of night and will not allow her to look upon him. By day Euthalia becomes known as a storyteller, spinning ancient Greek tales to entertain Asgard’s gods and monsters.
When one of her stories precipitates a god’s murder and horrific retribution, Euthalia discovers there is a monster in her bed as well. Alone in a hostile Asgard, Euthalia must ally with a spiteful goddess to sway Odin himself before bloody tragedy opens Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world. 2018 Realm Award, Best Fantasy
SPFBO's Best of 2017 Semi-Finalist With an epic cast of characters including Odin, Thor, Freyja, and Loki, and a magnificent harmony of Greek and Nordic mythology. this tale will appeal to readers of fusion myths and retellings.
Her inhuman husband seems kind, but he visits only in the dark of night and will not allow her to look upon him. By day Euthalia becomes known as a storyteller, spinning ancient Greek tales to entertain Asgard’s gods and monsters.
When one of her stories precipitates a god’s murder and horrific retribution, Euthalia discovers there is a monster in her bed as well. Alone in a hostile Asgard, Euthalia must ally with a spiteful goddess to sway Odin himself before bloody tragedy opens Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world. 2018 Realm Award, Best Fantasy
SPFBO's Best of 2017 Semi-Finalist With an epic cast of characters including Odin, Thor, Freyja, and Loki, and a magnificent harmony of Greek and Nordic mythology. this tale will appeal to readers of fusion myths and retellings.
301 pages, Hardcover
First published February 21, 2017
28 people are currently reading
1226 people want to read
About the author
Laura VanArendonk Baugh
69 books153 followersLaura was born at a very early age and never looked back. She overcame her childhood deficiencies of having been born without teeth and unable to walk, and by the time she matured into a recognizable adult she had become a behavior analyst, an internationally-recognized and award-winning animal trainer, a costumer/cosplayer, a chocolate addict, and of course a writer.
Laura writes fantasy in a variety of subgenres as well as non-fiction in the art and science of behavior and training.
website | Newsletter | Patreon | Twitch | Twitter | Facebook
Laura writes fantasy in a variety of subgenres as well as non-fiction in the art and science of behavior and training.
website | Newsletter | Patreon | Twitch | Twitter | Facebook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 30, 2017
This book was unlike anything else I read this month . . . and I LOVED it.
You can read my review here.
Seriously, guys, more people need to know about this beautiful book. So I'm excited to share it as part of my end-of-the-month giveaway! I'll be giving away a paperback copy of this book and a hardbound copy of another (which I'll reveal tomorrow!). So visit my website and subscribe to my mailing list. All subscribers will be entered for a chance to win! (Open internationally.)
You can read my review here.
Seriously, guys, more people need to know about this beautiful book. So I'm excited to share it as part of my end-of-the-month giveaway! I'll be giving away a paperback copy of this book and a hardbound copy of another (which I'll reveal tomorrow!). So visit my website and subscribe to my mailing list. All subscribers will be entered for a chance to win! (Open internationally.)
October 28, 2017
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Songweaver’s Vow was a book whose blurb details were a hook that I simply couldn’t resist. The story had an intriguing mix of historical fiction (to a minor degree) and Norse mythology (majorly) and also one of the most original SPFBO entries (in terms of plot) that I’ve read so far in the past three years.
The plot begins with Euthalia who’s travelling along with her Greek father and whose ship gets accosted by men whom we later find to be Vikings. She’s been selected as a slave or a dragon bride who is to be given to the dragon. Not knowing what that means, Euthalia is terrified and faces an uncertain future. Things however take a turn for the strange when she faces a kind persona who doesn’t reveal himself but tells her that she is his bride. Soon she’s transported to a different land wherein she finds one of the villager woman named Birna waiting to meet her. Soon she finds that she is in Asgard of yore and that she’s wedded to one of the sons of Odin but she never sees him (as he only comes in the pitch black of night & forbids her from visiting in the daylight).
Thereafter she meets the various personae of the Asgardian court such as Thor, Odin, Loki, Freya, and more. But she still doesn’t know who her husband is and soon her curiosity leads her down a path wherein all the horrible Norse legends come in to play. Soon Euthalia realizes how twisted the fates can be and how capricious the gods truly can be.
What I loved and enjoyed about this book was the way the author had presented this story. To the average reader (due to the advent of the Thor Marvel movies) there’s some background knowledge of the whole Asgardian entities. For readers with a definitive knowledge of Norse mythology, they will certainly enjoy how the author portrays Asgard and all of its inhabitants. From Euthalia’s point of view, it’s an interesting thing to see as she’s a person from an age wherein knowledge wasn’t easily available and we the readers having knowledge of the events & personae will certainly enjoy the thrill that the story offers.
The biggest plus points of the story are the story settings and characterization. Beginning with the story settings, the way the author frames the story, we get a very “Alice In Wonderland” feel however the author quickly shows the reader and Euthalia how dangerous these new lands and people are. I loved how the author intermingled the various Norse myths about people and events and streamlined the story to reach an effective climax. Personally I’m a big fan of mythology and when used effectively it can be a huge plus. This story does that in spades and I’ve to hand it to the author for her superb use of Norse myths and quirky facts.
Going on to the characters, this is where it gets tricky as we have Euthalia a human and almost everyone else is a Norse persona (gods, demons, etc.) The author wonderfully keeps the story grounded from Euthalia’s human perspective as she undergoes, awe, shock, wonderment, jealousy & a bunch of other feelings. The author wonderfully keeps the story focused within Euthalia and her husband’s love and manages to make it epic but focused tightly. I enjoyed this narrative aspect of the story which made it personal but not claustrophonic.
At the same time, the author also provides a startling look in to the Asgardian persona and this is where she excels. As while we get to see all the gods from Euthalia’s perspective only, she does wonderfully well to differentiate all the gods. We get to see them with all their grandeur, cruelty, capriciousness & otherworldliness to say the least. I loved reading about them and their encounters with Euthalia. It was fun trying to decipher who Euthalia’s husband was from the legends that I knew. The author’s reveal was certainly a big surprise to me and to Euthalia as well.
It’s for these two solid reasons that I couldn’t stop reading this story and I finished it within two-three days of reading at night. The story builds up slowly but surely and then the plot pace picks up nicely and then races along to a Ragnarok of a finale. The finale is definitely a stunner and ties into perfectly with Norse mythos. I enjoyed how neatly the author ties up the story in the end. There’s also a love story which is nicely tied into the main plot, in fact I would say it’s what powers the whole story. The love story is kind of subdued and for those who look for more sparks and intimacy, might be disappointed. Lastly for those looking for a lot of action and adventure might not find it to their heart’s content.
What I mean is that while there’s are a few specific action sequences (particularly highlighted by Norse legends), there’s no overt action sequences like in the Marvel movies. There’s some interesting aspects of Greek mythology and story which Euthalia introduces to the Asgardians and it was interesting to note the parallels between both these mythos and how the Asgardians reacted to the various Greek tragedies and the characters within. This was an interesting contrast provided by the author and I would loved to see more of this explored within.
I enjoyed how the story played out but there were certain portions in the book when the pace slackened and it made the read a bit uneven. The love story like I mentioned previously is what fuels this plot but it didn't quite have that touch of otherworldliness which I thought was otherwise wonderfully shown with the other Asgardian characters. These were the only drawbacks which I experienced within this book. I’m sure others might find other things to nitpick about it but honestly it would be very subjective.
CONCLUSION: The Songweaver’s Vow is an interesting story and kudos to the author for exploring this unique angle. The Songweaver’s Vow is an imaginative cross between “Alice In Wonderland” and Norse mythology and I can’t recommend it enough. Laura Vanarendock Baugh showcases her imagination & writing skills deftly with it and I for one will be on the lookout for her next book intently.
March 21, 2020
A mix of Eros and Psyche with Norse mythology (Vidarr in the place of Eros, and a mortal girl of pseudo-Greek extraction as Psyche)? It sounds great on paper, but as is often the case, the execution fails, and the result is a poorly crafted hybrid that's neither Norse nor Hellenic. The characters are underdeveloped, the romance is cutesy and pretty much insta-lust, and the world is a generic mishmash of cultures that don't mesh well.
January 21, 2018
This was … disappointing.
The Songweaver's Vow is a standalone fantasy book set in the Norse pantheon. Norse Mythology! Yes! Give me!
Our MC is Euthalia, she is half-greek and daughter of a trader. She travels with her father and his crew when they get attacked by vikings. To save his own skin her father just hands her over. Euthalia ends up being a sacrifice to become some Norse god's wife. Lot's of stuff happens, and then it ends … and nothing has really changed.
Honestly, I don't really know what the purpose of this story was. Nobody really changed, nobody learned anything. It's just … I was sooooo disappointed. If you look past the awesomeness that is Norse mythology there just wasn't anything to the book.
Euthalia as a main character was incredibly annoying, impassive, stupid and … bland! Her husband … for being a god he couldn't be more boring. What exactly is his character? Why exactly did he fall in love with her? When did that even happen? Their relationship lacked everything but most importantly passion. Hello?! She was sacrificed and forced to be his wife! And not even once does she resent him for it? They never fight! They never even talk (apart from Euthalia's storytelling which also lacked passion until we were almost a third into the book and she suddenly learned how to tell stories). And why make them fall in love so soon? Wouldn't it have been far more interesting if she had only realized her love for him the moment she lost him? That would have also made her behavior in wanting to see him more understandable. Also, why not show her how he looks the first time they met? Wouldn't it have been far more emotional if she knew what he looked like and suddenly when she starts feeling comfortable with him he starts hiding in the shadows? More passion, more drama, more angst please!
Also, let's not talk about the ridiculousness of the rest of the plot. There was so much potential! It was even hinted at during the book. The Nornirs said stopping Ragnarok would have no effect if the people involved wouldn't learn from their mistakes. But noone did! The answer was basically just to put Loki back into the cave! But nothing changed! The gods are still arrogant and self-involved. Odin still killed two little boys for the supposed crimes their father commited. Thor is still and asshole. Freya got everything she wanted. Ragnarok didn't start because Euthalia freed Loki, Ragnarok started because the gods decided that humiliating and mistreating Loki and his family was a fun and completely acceptable thing to do! Yes, he is chaos, so what?! There is no order without chaos and the only way the world can be in balance is if order and chaos are in balance. Really, I symapthized far more with Loki than with any other character including Euthalia and Vidar.
Why all of this? If you don't make the gods change for the better, why not let Ragnarok take its course? You chose Vidar as you love interest. He is one of the few gods who survive Ragnarok. Why not let all the gods destroy each other and Vidar and Euthalia live in peace and happiness afterwards. Yes, Ragnarok destroys the nine realms, but hey, we haven't cared about anyone in this book to begin with, so why should we care about the destruction of the worlds? Euthalia and Vidar could have ended up becoming the new gods for a new world. It's not like the Norse gods did any good for the world.
Also, can I just say how incredibly annoyed I am with the fact that this whole thing basically burns down to a fight between Freya and Euthalia over Vidar (at least the none-Ragnarok part of it). Including slut shaming?! Sure, Freya is a bitch, but the whole slut shaming made me really uncomfortable and was just one more thing that made me dislike Euthalia severely.
Also, what's with the title of the book? I get 'Songweaver' though I really don't think Euthalia really earned that title, but what 'vow'? Did I miss something? Are we revering to her vow to Freya to serve her? Or was there anything else.
Anyway, the greatness that is Ragnarok and Norse mythology did not make up for the complete uselessness of the plot and the blandness of the main couple. I wanted the nine realms to burn and the gods to destroy each other. That would have made for an ending!
The Songweaver's Vow is a standalone fantasy book set in the Norse pantheon. Norse Mythology! Yes! Give me!
Our MC is Euthalia, she is half-greek and daughter of a trader. She travels with her father and his crew when they get attacked by vikings. To save his own skin her father just hands her over. Euthalia ends up being a sacrifice to become some Norse god's wife. Lot's of stuff happens, and then it ends … and nothing has really changed.
Honestly, I don't really know what the purpose of this story was. Nobody really changed, nobody learned anything. It's just … I was sooooo disappointed. If you look past the awesomeness that is Norse mythology there just wasn't anything to the book.
Euthalia as a main character was incredibly annoying, impassive, stupid and … bland! Her husband … for being a god he couldn't be more boring. What exactly is his character? Why exactly did he fall in love with her? When did that even happen? Their relationship lacked everything but most importantly passion. Hello?! She was sacrificed and forced to be his wife! And not even once does she resent him for it? They never fight! They never even talk (apart from Euthalia's storytelling which also lacked passion until we were almost a third into the book and she suddenly learned how to tell stories). And why make them fall in love so soon? Wouldn't it have been far more interesting if she had only realized her love for him the moment she lost him? That would have also made her behavior in wanting to see him more understandable. Also, why not show her how he looks the first time they met? Wouldn't it have been far more emotional if she knew what he looked like and suddenly when she starts feeling comfortable with him he starts hiding in the shadows? More passion, more drama, more angst please!
Also, let's not talk about the ridiculousness of the rest of the plot. There was so much potential! It was even hinted at during the book. The Nornirs said stopping Ragnarok would have no effect if the people involved wouldn't learn from their mistakes. But noone did! The answer was basically just to put Loki back into the cave! But nothing changed! The gods are still arrogant and self-involved. Odin still killed two little boys for the supposed crimes their father commited. Thor is still and asshole. Freya got everything she wanted. Ragnarok didn't start because Euthalia freed Loki, Ragnarok started because the gods decided that humiliating and mistreating Loki and his family was a fun and completely acceptable thing to do! Yes, he is chaos, so what?! There is no order without chaos and the only way the world can be in balance is if order and chaos are in balance. Really, I symapthized far more with Loki than with any other character including Euthalia and Vidar.
Why all of this? If you don't make the gods change for the better, why not let Ragnarok take its course? You chose Vidar as you love interest. He is one of the few gods who survive Ragnarok. Why not let all the gods destroy each other and Vidar and Euthalia live in peace and happiness afterwards. Yes, Ragnarok destroys the nine realms, but hey, we haven't cared about anyone in this book to begin with, so why should we care about the destruction of the worlds? Euthalia and Vidar could have ended up becoming the new gods for a new world. It's not like the Norse gods did any good for the world.
Also, can I just say how incredibly annoyed I am with the fact that this whole thing basically burns down to a fight between Freya and Euthalia over Vidar (at least the none-Ragnarok part of it). Including slut shaming?! Sure, Freya is a bitch, but the whole slut shaming made me really uncomfortable and was just one more thing that made me dislike Euthalia severely.
Also, what's with the title of the book? I get 'Songweaver' though I really don't think Euthalia really earned that title, but what 'vow'? Did I miss something? Are we revering to her vow to Freya to serve her? Or was there anything else.
Anyway, the greatness that is Ragnarok and Norse mythology did not make up for the complete uselessness of the plot and the blandness of the main couple. I wanted the nine realms to burn and the gods to destroy each other. That would have made for an ending!
February 2, 2018
3.5 stars, longer review to come!
October 25, 2017
I doubt I would ever reach for Songweaver's Vow, had it not participated in SPFBO. SPFBO rocks guys.
Anyway the book tells the story of Euthalia - a youbg girl traded to pirated by her father who preferred to keep merchandise more than his daughter. She's taken to viking village and married to Vidar - son of Odin. She meets all the cool guys from nordic Pantheon and tells tchem stories about their greek fellows (Zeus, Apollo etc). Even Odin appreciates her storytelling.
Sadly for Euthalia, happily for the reader things go west and of her stories inspires events that may lead to Ragnarok. THere's drama, treason and love.
The Songweaver's Vow is well written and well researched book. Well known stories (at least to mythology nerds) serve to build an intrigue and drama. Euthalia needs to fight for her freedom, her husband and to stop Ragnarok. The book remains faithful to Nordic myths but adds some turns and twists to them.
World building is done well but on smaller scale. The language is neat and clear and the story is told in third person perspective. I didn't particularly enjoy this narration. It lacks internalizations. We're told a lot of things - for example that Euthalia does this and this, sees this and this but we have limited access to her feelings.
As a result the story lacks tension and drama and quite often feels flat.
Additionally, Euthalia wasn't really intereting. She's naive, she lacks personnality and depth. Other characters lacked complexity as well. Loki had great potential but I'm not sure if it was fully used.
Overall, I think the book has interesting premise but does little to really engage the reader and force him to turn pages. That's, of course, subjective opinion.
Anyway the book tells the story of Euthalia - a youbg girl traded to pirated by her father who preferred to keep merchandise more than his daughter. She's taken to viking village and married to Vidar - son of Odin. She meets all the cool guys from nordic Pantheon and tells tchem stories about their greek fellows (Zeus, Apollo etc). Even Odin appreciates her storytelling.
Sadly for Euthalia, happily for the reader things go west and of her stories inspires events that may lead to Ragnarok. THere's drama, treason and love.
The Songweaver's Vow is well written and well researched book. Well known stories (at least to mythology nerds) serve to build an intrigue and drama. Euthalia needs to fight for her freedom, her husband and to stop Ragnarok. The book remains faithful to Nordic myths but adds some turns and twists to them.
World building is done well but on smaller scale. The language is neat and clear and the story is told in third person perspective. I didn't particularly enjoy this narration. It lacks internalizations. We're told a lot of things - for example that Euthalia does this and this, sees this and this but we have limited access to her feelings.
As a result the story lacks tension and drama and quite often feels flat.
Additionally, Euthalia wasn't really intereting. She's naive, she lacks personnality and depth. Other characters lacked complexity as well. Loki had great potential but I'm not sure if it was fully used.
Overall, I think the book has interesting premise but does little to really engage the reader and force him to turn pages. That's, of course, subjective opinion.
March 9, 2018
3.5 stars
This was a very interesting read. I haven't read about Norse mythology before and the only other "interaction" I have had is through Marvel's Thor movies. I thought it to be really engaging in the beginning, but I felt the story slowed down a little bit for me after that.
I think that "slowing point" was after a decision Euthalia made which greatly annoyed/angered me and lost some of my motivation to keep reading. It wasn't until the last quarter of the book that I felt completely "enthralled" by the book. (Totally a pun right there for those who have read it). I just felt that Euthalia should have gone back to a certain person FIRST before doing all these other things that happen. I did learn that part of that plot was based on a Greek myth and explains why Euthalia did what she did, but I didn't agree with it and took me a while to feel a connection with her again.
Now I will say that I'm very glad I stuck with this book because I thought it had one of the most powerful scenes I have read concerning forgiveness between a married couple. That scene alone made this book very much worth my time!!
Though I don't think this book was a great fit for me personally, I strongly see historical readers enjoying this story. The author does a great job of bringing the story to life and would be greatly interested trying out her Asian myth novels. (I did learn a lot of new and accurate things about Loki compared to the movies, which I found quite fascinating.)
Recommended to those who want a true romance (with a "nightly" twist of course) mixed in with Norse gods like Thor, Odin, and Loki, who just don't always seem to play fair.
This was a very interesting read. I haven't read about Norse mythology before and the only other "interaction" I have had is through Marvel's Thor movies. I thought it to be really engaging in the beginning, but I felt the story slowed down a little bit for me after that.
I think that "slowing point" was after a decision Euthalia made which greatly annoyed/angered me and lost some of my motivation to keep reading. It wasn't until the last quarter of the book that I felt completely "enthralled" by the book. (Totally a pun right there for those who have read it). I just felt that Euthalia should have gone back to a certain person FIRST before doing all these other things that happen. I did learn that part of that plot was based on a Greek myth and explains why Euthalia did what she did, but I didn't agree with it and took me a while to feel a connection with her again.
Now I will say that I'm very glad I stuck with this book because I thought it had one of the most powerful scenes I have read concerning forgiveness between a married couple. That scene alone made this book very much worth my time!!
Though I don't think this book was a great fit for me personally, I strongly see historical readers enjoying this story. The author does a great job of bringing the story to life and would be greatly interested trying out her Asian myth novels. (I did learn a lot of new and accurate things about Loki compared to the movies, which I found quite fascinating.)
Recommended to those who want a true romance (with a "nightly" twist of course) mixed in with Norse gods like Thor, Odin, and Loki, who just don't always seem to play fair.
March 6, 2018
This is a beautifully written story that brings Norse mythology to life. The main character is so sympathetic as the daughter of a Slavic merchant who sells her to Viking pirates in order to save his cowardly hide. Euthalia at first believes she will be the bride of one of the raiders but soon discovers she has been given as bride to one of the Norse gods and taken to Asgard, the realm of the gods. Her courage and determination made this reader cheer for her, and I could NOT put this book down for fear she would lose everything against the impossible odds stacked against her. So many wonderful, well-researched details made this fantastical tale believable, and though there is non-stop action and peril, at its heart it is a love story. CAUTION: This book is rated PG-13 with several scenes of violence and one scene of extreme sensuality between a married couple (chapter 9)
December 13, 2018
I have a hard time reviewing this because it's a little more difficult than the books I usually read. The subjects of human sacrifice, the death of a child in a horrible way, and themes of betrayal ... all very accurate to the mythological source material, but not an easy read, and I will fully admit I have a preference for easy reads. However, it's well-written, keeps you reading, and is very much a book I'd recommend (not for younger or sensitive readers because of the just mentioned dark content and some briefly touched upon sexy times), and it kept me reading in spite of not being not my normal thing.
December 22, 2017
what a beautiful gem! finally I found a book with equal quality to the books of my favorite author juliet marillier! it was magical and wonderful, I could let myself fall deep into the world of the nordic myths and excitedly follow the heroine on her adventures to save the hero and her fights to win him back. this book goes straight to my favorites folder. I will immediately check out the author’s other books and hope she has written more such gems.
February 21, 2017
First, a disclaimer: I know nothing about Norse mythology except what little lore I’ve gleaned from the Marvel superhero movie universe, so I can’t speak to the accuracy of the myths and legends - or any clever twists thereof - presented in this tale.
But having said that (and knowing some of this author’s other work), it’s clear that much care was taken with the research for this story. The descriptions of the world(s) aren’t overly long, but there are enough little details present to throw the reader into the familiar-yet-alien setting.
For my part, I felt the writing style somewhat reflected that of the mythology it was portraying: simple and detached. There are definitely parts of heavy emotion (see: Loki’s punishment), but overall the story feels like a folktale, where it’s hard to tell how much time has passed or why exactly some characters are acting the way they are.
The main character, Euthalia, undergoes some wonderful development throughout the story, going from a meek girl who hardly even thinks of resisting when she’s traded into slavery, to a young woman determined to brave the underworld itself in order to get her husband back. However, she is surrounded by characters who undergo little - if any - growth (unsurprising, given that many of them are gods and the story chooses to weave amongst the established myths and legends rather than overturn them), and her adventures sometimes feel inconsequential because of it. The tagline claims that one of Euthalia’s stories leads to murder, but I never felt like she had that much influence; she often seems a spectator to the larger scheme of things, and even at the climax - when she is working mostly behind the scenes - she never seems to have a clear idea just what she is doing.
Despite that, Euthalia’s story is indeed enjoyable and engaging. She learns to seize control of her fate and go after what she wants. I can’t say I liked all the residents of Asgard, but I was rooting for Euthalia as she maneuvered among them.
The book is a quick read; I finished it in a handful of sittings. If you enjoy Norse mythology, Greek mythology, or mythology in general, I recommend you accompany Euthalia as she makes her way through the realms of Yggdrasil.
(One more disclosure: I received a copy in advance of the official release date for the purposes of an honest review.)
But having said that (and knowing some of this author’s other work), it’s clear that much care was taken with the research for this story. The descriptions of the world(s) aren’t overly long, but there are enough little details present to throw the reader into the familiar-yet-alien setting.
For my part, I felt the writing style somewhat reflected that of the mythology it was portraying: simple and detached. There are definitely parts of heavy emotion (see: Loki’s punishment), but overall the story feels like a folktale, where it’s hard to tell how much time has passed or why exactly some characters are acting the way they are.
The main character, Euthalia, undergoes some wonderful development throughout the story, going from a meek girl who hardly even thinks of resisting when she’s traded into slavery, to a young woman determined to brave the underworld itself in order to get her husband back. However, she is surrounded by characters who undergo little - if any - growth (unsurprising, given that many of them are gods and the story chooses to weave amongst the established myths and legends rather than overturn them), and her adventures sometimes feel inconsequential because of it. The tagline claims that one of Euthalia’s stories leads to murder, but I never felt like she had that much influence; she often seems a spectator to the larger scheme of things, and even at the climax - when she is working mostly behind the scenes - she never seems to have a clear idea just what she is doing.
Despite that, Euthalia’s story is indeed enjoyable and engaging. She learns to seize control of her fate and go after what she wants. I can’t say I liked all the residents of Asgard, but I was rooting for Euthalia as she maneuvered among them.
The book is a quick read; I finished it in a handful of sittings. If you enjoy Norse mythology, Greek mythology, or mythology in general, I recommend you accompany Euthalia as she makes her way through the realms of Yggdrasil.
(One more disclosure: I received a copy in advance of the official release date for the purposes of an honest review.)
May 8, 2018
Highly addictive book that kept me up super late to finish reading! Will probably have a better review once I re-read it, cause I don't remember much right now and would love to go back and savor the whole thing again.
March 15, 2018
Now that is a swell cover. 0-0
September 13, 2018
I. Love. This. Book.
Tragic, beautiful, and so worth it. Reading this book was like listening to Sam in his stirring speech from Two Towers: "Sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? ... There is still good, and its worth fighting for."
A myth retold with a myth, The Songweaver’s Vow recalls the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros but employs the cast of Norse mythology and the gods of Asgard to tell the tale. Euthalia is sold into slavery among Viking warriors, but her worst fears are realized when she is sacrificed as a bride to a god. Transported to Asgard by her god/husband, she is visited by him only by night and forbidden to look upon him. By day, Euthalia is drawn into the intrigue of Odin’s court, populated by such entities as Thor, Loki, Fenrir, and Hel. In Asgard, gods and monsters can be deceiving, or perhaps disguised, and it isn’t long before Euthalia must fight for love against all odds.
(Light spoilers) One might call this book reminiscent, almost tribute-like, to C.S. Lewis’s acclaimed Till We Have Faces, and is certainly comparable in many respects. And the myths of ancient days often are, tragedy rounds every corner. Baugh uses this tragedy skillfully, shaping it to exploring the concepts of the monsters hidden within. Everyone, from beautiful, talented Euthalia, to her cursed husband Vidar, to the lying Loki, and manipulative Freyja, are capable of great evil as well as good. The story also carries strong elements of love and devotion, particularly within marriage. Euthalia goes great lengths to be reunited with her love, Vidar, and even when spurned, Loki’s wife, Sigyn, is valiantly loyal despite her often unfaithful and malicious husband. On the subject of marriage, the act of sexual intercourse is portrayed as a part of marriage, as well as an expression of love and devotion between husband and wife, a theme that resounds until the final page.
Definitely in my top 3 books that I've read so far this year.
Tragic, beautiful, and so worth it. Reading this book was like listening to Sam in his stirring speech from Two Towers: "Sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? ... There is still good, and its worth fighting for."
A myth retold with a myth, The Songweaver’s Vow recalls the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros but employs the cast of Norse mythology and the gods of Asgard to tell the tale. Euthalia is sold into slavery among Viking warriors, but her worst fears are realized when she is sacrificed as a bride to a god. Transported to Asgard by her god/husband, she is visited by him only by night and forbidden to look upon him. By day, Euthalia is drawn into the intrigue of Odin’s court, populated by such entities as Thor, Loki, Fenrir, and Hel. In Asgard, gods and monsters can be deceiving, or perhaps disguised, and it isn’t long before Euthalia must fight for love against all odds.
(Light spoilers) One might call this book reminiscent, almost tribute-like, to C.S. Lewis’s acclaimed Till We Have Faces, and is certainly comparable in many respects. And the myths of ancient days often are, tragedy rounds every corner. Baugh uses this tragedy skillfully, shaping it to exploring the concepts of the monsters hidden within. Everyone, from beautiful, talented Euthalia, to her cursed husband Vidar, to the lying Loki, and manipulative Freyja, are capable of great evil as well as good. The story also carries strong elements of love and devotion, particularly within marriage. Euthalia goes great lengths to be reunited with her love, Vidar, and even when spurned, Loki’s wife, Sigyn, is valiantly loyal despite her often unfaithful and malicious husband. On the subject of marriage, the act of sexual intercourse is portrayed as a part of marriage, as well as an expression of love and devotion between husband and wife, a theme that resounds until the final page.
Definitely in my top 3 books that I've read so far this year.
April 8, 2025
You've met the gods of Asguard in Marvel movies, but what would it be like to enter their world? That's exactly what happens to Siguend, the protagonist of The Songweaver's Vow, when she is first traded into slavery and then "sacrificed" to become the wife of a god.
For starters, I loved the love story between Euthalia and Vidar. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale to read retellings of, and I got some of the same feelings from this love story. As an added bonus, Vidar is gentle and careful of Euthalia from the beginning, which dodges some of the Stolkholm Syndrom issues of Beauty and the Beast.
I also really enjoyed the themes in this story. Mythology is filled with selfish, bratty, childlike gods and goddesses. This story calls them out on it. Euthalia is a contrast to the Asguardian's disregard for the consequences their actions have on others, but even as Euthalia tries to help, she finds herself making mistakes and making it worse. Readers join her on a journey of love, trust, caution, forgiveness, compassion, and responsibility.
This was the first book I've read from Laura VanArendonk Baugh, and it won't be my last!
Content
Religion: Though many of the characters are gods and godesses of Norse mythology, the story treats them like regular, non-deific fantasy characters. They have magical abilities, fantastical roles, and are semi-immortal, yes. But they are not worshipped or deified.
Romance: The love scenes in this story are written for adult readers. Though by no means graphic, scenes go dark after some foreplay.
Language: At least one character swears at the main character.
Violence: Quite a lot of violence. If the gore of epic myths turns your stomach, you'll want to choose a different story or skip scenes here and there in this one.
For starters, I loved the love story between Euthalia and Vidar. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale to read retellings of, and I got some of the same feelings from this love story. As an added bonus, Vidar is gentle and careful of Euthalia from the beginning, which dodges some of the Stolkholm Syndrom issues of Beauty and the Beast.
I also really enjoyed the themes in this story. Mythology is filled with selfish, bratty, childlike gods and goddesses. This story calls them out on it. Euthalia is a contrast to the Asguardian's disregard for the consequences their actions have on others, but even as Euthalia tries to help, she finds herself making mistakes and making it worse. Readers join her on a journey of love, trust, caution, forgiveness, compassion, and responsibility.
This was the first book I've read from Laura VanArendonk Baugh, and it won't be my last!
Content
Religion: Though many of the characters are gods and godesses of Norse mythology, the story treats them like regular, non-deific fantasy characters. They have magical abilities, fantastical roles, and are semi-immortal, yes. But they are not worshipped or deified.
Romance: The love scenes in this story are written for adult readers. Though by no means graphic, scenes go dark after some foreplay.
Language: At least one character swears at the main character.
Violence: Quite a lot of violence. If the gore of epic myths turns your stomach, you'll want to choose a different story or skip scenes here and there in this one.
March 25, 2018
I kept wondering
I started reading this book without ample time to finish. And then I had to go to work, and I couldn't stop thinking about the characters, wondering how they would get out of the mess they were in. This repeated that evening, after I'd snatched a few more minutes to read and then got yanked away to spend time with real people, and the next morning, after I reluctantly took time away to sleep. They invaded my thoughts.
YES, these are common characters from Norse mythology. YES, I already knew enough of some of the myths to anticipate what would probably happen. But the author brings such a fresh take on the old myths that I cared a whole lot more, even about the characters that I should be hating. And let me tell you, there are some nasty ones.
If you like Norse myth retellings with engaging characters, I recommend this book. But if you have an aversion to characters doing awful things to each other, you might think twice.
I started reading this book without ample time to finish. And then I had to go to work, and I couldn't stop thinking about the characters, wondering how they would get out of the mess they were in. This repeated that evening, after I'd snatched a few more minutes to read and then got yanked away to spend time with real people, and the next morning, after I reluctantly took time away to sleep. They invaded my thoughts.
YES, these are common characters from Norse mythology. YES, I already knew enough of some of the myths to anticipate what would probably happen. But the author brings such a fresh take on the old myths that I cared a whole lot more, even about the characters that I should be hating. And let me tell you, there are some nasty ones.
If you like Norse myth retellings with engaging characters, I recommend this book. But if you have an aversion to characters doing awful things to each other, you might think twice.
March 18, 2017
This was a fantastic and thrilling novel based upon Norse mythology. You don't have to have any knowledge of the mythology to enjoy the story (I don't and still loved it) but at times it was hard to keep track of the names of people, places, and things. For that reason I gave 4 stars instead of five, but if half stars were an option I would have gone with that. This was a very enjoyable novel with well fleshed out characters, a riveting story arc, and witty and wise dialogue. I'll be looking forward to reading more from Laura!
September 2, 2024
This is the first indie book I ever read, and it set me on a fantastic path. Laura is now one of my favorite authors, and I will instantly buy any epic fantasy she ever publishes. 😍
The Songweaver’s Vow is about a storyteller who entertains the gods of Asgard with Greek myths. I read it in two days. The story flows so beautifully, and I loved the backdrop of obviously well-researched Norse mythology. Euthalia is a practical heroine in just a little bit over her head, but she refuses to give up.
The Songweaver’s Vow is about a storyteller who entertains the gods of Asgard with Greek myths. I read it in two days. The story flows so beautifully, and I loved the backdrop of obviously well-researched Norse mythology. Euthalia is a practical heroine in just a little bit over her head, but she refuses to give up.
February 19, 2020
Wow! This book was excellent. From the rich characters steeped in Norse tradition (not your Marvel stuff), to the imagery, and strong pacing. Captivated my interest from page one and held tightly all the way through.
April 25, 2025
There are countless fictionalized tales of Greek and Roman mythology, but hardly any on Norse Mythology. Central Indiana author, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, seeks to remedy that with this compelling and fantastical tale full of Viking lore and adventure. Euthalia is excited to travel with her merchant father but when Vikings attack and her father trades her off to the enemy in an attempt to save his own skin, she has to hope that she'll be taken for a bride rather than a slave or a sacrifice. She is given to a god as a bride so she is lucky... to an extent. Her new husband seems decent, but he only visit her at night and won't let her look upon him. Euthalia spends her nights with her mysterious husband and her days telling Greek legends and tales to the Norse gods. She gets a reputation as a storyteller and all seems well. That is, until one of her stories inspires a god's murder and she discovers that her husband might really be a monster. What follows is a horrific retribution and Euthalia finds herself caught in the middle of it with no allies in Asgard. Euthalia must seek help with a spiteful goddess to sway Odin, discover the truth about her husband, and save Loki before bloody tragedy opens Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world.
July 27, 2022
Look, this one is probably on me... I should've read the synopsis before randomly starting this book.
I simply don't think I was ever really on board with the goal of this story, so there's that.
This book follows Euthalia, a half-Greek woman who gets sold to the Vikings by her father. After that inciting incident, the story kicks off and we are thrown into a web of Norse gods, Greek myths and a solid dose of romance.
The story itself was fine, but as is often the case with more mythology-based stories, I couldn't connect to the characters because I feel so at arms-length from them.
Also, the main character could've been exchanged for a piece of cardboard and that would probably have had more personality than her. She was honestly SO bland and annoying, I really didn't like reading from her POV.
But then why did I still give this 3 stars? Well, because I just can't deny that this was very compulsively readable, the writing was pretty good and I will always be a sucker for mythology in my books.
I think this will be a lot more enjoyable if you are not a character-driven reader and if you don't mind a heavier focus on the romance element.
I simply don't think I was ever really on board with the goal of this story, so there's that.
This book follows Euthalia, a half-Greek woman who gets sold to the Vikings by her father. After that inciting incident, the story kicks off and we are thrown into a web of Norse gods, Greek myths and a solid dose of romance.
The story itself was fine, but as is often the case with more mythology-based stories, I couldn't connect to the characters because I feel so at arms-length from them.
Also, the main character could've been exchanged for a piece of cardboard and that would probably have had more personality than her. She was honestly SO bland and annoying, I really didn't like reading from her POV.
But then why did I still give this 3 stars? Well, because I just can't deny that this was very compulsively readable, the writing was pretty good and I will always be a sucker for mythology in my books.
I think this will be a lot more enjoyable if you are not a character-driven reader and if you don't mind a heavier focus on the romance element.
Read
March 28, 2018This is an interesting take on Norse mythology. Several of the legends I know well are shown in the story through Euthalia's eyes, and she also shares a number of Greek myths I am familiar with. Although it is not my favorite retelling of Norse mythology, other readers who enjoy such tales may find it a compelling read.
I do caution that there is a lot of violence, descriptions of torture and death, and one rather sensual scene, as one would expect for a Norse mythology retelling that does not strive to soften the story roots it is based on.
I do caution that there is a lot of violence, descriptions of torture and death, and one rather sensual scene, as one would expect for a Norse mythology retelling that does not strive to soften the story roots it is based on.
January 15, 2019
I don't know where to start. I deeply regret buying this book.
The story was boring, the relationships lack passion and why did these things happen?
The Norse Mythology part was very good though. The story started out very nicely and promising.
I didn't like Euthalia bc her actions and way of thinking was so.. stupid! It made me furious! Like, what the hell Euthalia what are you doing??? I felt sorry for Vidar for having such a wife... or sacrifice.
This book was just frustrating and doesn't have much romance in it... definitely don't recommend this.
The story was boring, the relationships lack passion and why did these things happen?
The Norse Mythology part was very good though. The story started out very nicely and promising.
I didn't like Euthalia bc her actions and way of thinking was so.. stupid! It made me furious! Like, what the hell Euthalia what are you doing??? I felt sorry for Vidar for having such a wife... or sacrifice.
This book was just frustrating and doesn't have much romance in it... definitely don't recommend this.
March 2, 2018
Enjoyable, interesting book - the kind that sticks with you after its finished. The writing is great. I gave it 4 stars only because of an element of the story that I disliked, though it did not inhibit the enjoyment of reading this in any way. In fact, considering that there is practically nothing I find attractive about the Norse pantheon of Gods, and the living arrangement the main character had there seemed as boring as a form of Hell, the fact the writer could keep me so well hooked was impressive.
----SPOILER ALERT----
Our heroine is "sacrificed" to a god, forced to be his bride. She faces that bravely and even ends up in love with her husband but...he refuses to let her see him, visiting her only when it is dark. We find out that this is because he is under a curse to make whomever loves him see him as a monster.
My first complaint is that this seems like a stupid curse - although when you find out who cursed him and why it makes sense for that entity. One who cannot love would wrongly believe this might cause harm. It is in the nature of love to determine how attractive a person is - the more you love the more beautiful that person becomes to you, even if you thought the other person was not attractive at first. The face of a deformed monster might become the most beautiful sight in the world to someone who loves that monster. I therefore question what this curse even means to a lover, especially when it is understood that his appearance is an illusion only. If it should make a lover stop loving, then the curse would stop working and the god would be back to looking like his normal, handsome self to her. The only one this kind of curse would harm is someone who is so shallow she loves based on appearances only. In that case it would be a seesaw of love until he looks ugly, stop loving until he looks handsome, love until he looks ugly...etc.
My second complaint is that, since the curse only affects one who loves, there is absolutely no reason why the god could not let his new wife, who had no initial reason to like him much less love him, see him. He should have allowed her to satisfy her curiosity fully at first. If his vanity insisted on keeping his "monstrous" image hidden, then he need only insist on meeting in the dark after he began to win her heart. I would also have liked to see if this curse would grow gradually as love grows or if there is a certain threshold of love that, when crossed, makes the god seem monstrously ugly. Either way, if the young wife is prepared for that, then it really wouldn't have been a problem at all. "Darling, you seem to be getting deformed, your eyes are turning red, your teeth becoming fangs and...are those warts? Good news: I must be in love with you!"
My third complaint is the way they broke the curse. After the story she told at the feast about the man who died when the piece of wood representing his life was burned, I was concerned that her husband's piece of wood, when broken, would result in the god's death. I believe it would have been a LOT stronger an ending if the wife was concerned about that too and refused to risk it, vowing to love her husband no matter how ugly he seemed to her. Then it doesn't matter if the author wants to have that declaration of love break the curse or if they live the rest of their lives with it still active. It would have no power anymore.
So, having just complained about the core conflict in this story, you understand how outstanding the writing had to be to overcome my objection. The only way this conflict could have worked for me would have been if this curse had been a test of trust - if the curse had been such that the god could only keep a lover/wife as long as she obeyed him, but having peeked the curse then forced him away and forced her through many trials to earn the chance to reestablish their relationship. I was relieved for the character and sad for the story that this was not the nature of this curse.
----SPOILER ALERT----
Our heroine is "sacrificed" to a god, forced to be his bride. She faces that bravely and even ends up in love with her husband but...he refuses to let her see him, visiting her only when it is dark. We find out that this is because he is under a curse to make whomever loves him see him as a monster.
My first complaint is that this seems like a stupid curse - although when you find out who cursed him and why it makes sense for that entity. One who cannot love would wrongly believe this might cause harm. It is in the nature of love to determine how attractive a person is - the more you love the more beautiful that person becomes to you, even if you thought the other person was not attractive at first. The face of a deformed monster might become the most beautiful sight in the world to someone who loves that monster. I therefore question what this curse even means to a lover, especially when it is understood that his appearance is an illusion only. If it should make a lover stop loving, then the curse would stop working and the god would be back to looking like his normal, handsome self to her. The only one this kind of curse would harm is someone who is so shallow she loves based on appearances only. In that case it would be a seesaw of love until he looks ugly, stop loving until he looks handsome, love until he looks ugly...etc.
My second complaint is that, since the curse only affects one who loves, there is absolutely no reason why the god could not let his new wife, who had no initial reason to like him much less love him, see him. He should have allowed her to satisfy her curiosity fully at first. If his vanity insisted on keeping his "monstrous" image hidden, then he need only insist on meeting in the dark after he began to win her heart. I would also have liked to see if this curse would grow gradually as love grows or if there is a certain threshold of love that, when crossed, makes the god seem monstrously ugly. Either way, if the young wife is prepared for that, then it really wouldn't have been a problem at all. "Darling, you seem to be getting deformed, your eyes are turning red, your teeth becoming fangs and...are those warts? Good news: I must be in love with you!"
My third complaint is the way they broke the curse. After the story she told at the feast about the man who died when the piece of wood representing his life was burned, I was concerned that her husband's piece of wood, when broken, would result in the god's death. I believe it would have been a LOT stronger an ending if the wife was concerned about that too and refused to risk it, vowing to love her husband no matter how ugly he seemed to her. Then it doesn't matter if the author wants to have that declaration of love break the curse or if they live the rest of their lives with it still active. It would have no power anymore.
So, having just complained about the core conflict in this story, you understand how outstanding the writing had to be to overcome my objection. The only way this conflict could have worked for me would have been if this curse had been a test of trust - if the curse had been such that the god could only keep a lover/wife as long as she obeyed him, but having peeked the curse then forced him away and forced her through many trials to earn the chance to reestablish their relationship. I was relieved for the character and sad for the story that this was not the nature of this curse.
December 27, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. Who would have thought to put Greek mythology and Norse mythology together? But Laura VanArendonk Baugh does a fabulous job interweaving the stories, highlighting the similarities and differences between the mythologies. It's interesting to see how Euthalia telling the Norse pantheon a story inspires what is happening between the Norse gods.
At first, when I started reading I was a bit worried, there were a few tiny typos and a few sentences and phrases that felt a bit awkward, forcing me to stop the flow of my reading. However, once I got into the main meat of the story I was hooked. The story was fascinating and I could never quite predict where it was going. I read it all in 2 or 3 sittings because once I started reading I didn't want to put it down.
I also appreciated the research that Laura clearly did. Norse Mythology can get very tricky because there are many retellings and most are recorded through a later Christian lens. Plus there are many modern ideas/stereotypes of what the pantheon is like. I really appreciated the information Laura included at the end of the book about what stories she pulled from and why she chose them.
At first, when I started reading I was a bit worried, there were a few tiny typos and a few sentences and phrases that felt a bit awkward, forcing me to stop the flow of my reading. However, once I got into the main meat of the story I was hooked. The story was fascinating and I could never quite predict where it was going. I read it all in 2 or 3 sittings because once I started reading I didn't want to put it down.
I also appreciated the research that Laura clearly did. Norse Mythology can get very tricky because there are many retellings and most are recorded through a later Christian lens. Plus there are many modern ideas/stereotypes of what the pantheon is like. I really appreciated the information Laura included at the end of the book about what stories she pulled from and why she chose them.
August 3, 2019
Overall, I really enjoyed this one! It’s so well-written and even though there were a few slow parts, I was pretty much all in from the start.
It really felt like an epic tale (Gilgamesh much?!) and since it is a retelling of the Ancient Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, that makes sense. My main problem is I could never tell how I was going to feel moving through the book, if that makes sense. I’ll try to explain. I liked Euthalia for the most part, but her “god” husband was, I mean, ok.
He was kind of disappointing in general, and that bothered me more than I expected. Maybe he was just too passive a character or something I can’t quite pinpoint. He was nice, but he had no other interesting traits aside from the curse.
They had these long conversations about Ancient Greek heroes and all, but that was...it. There were no love scenes, and that’s ok, but since the extent of their relationship was literally in the dark, giving us a glimpse of some form of intimacy between them would have gone a long way. I think it’s because their conversations weren’t really personal; she just told him stories and he listened politely.
Plus, he was always kind of creeping on her. He never approached her in the hall - even when he was there - and he mentioned every time he saw her during the day, REMINDING HER THAT HE WASN’T ABOUT THAT PUBLIC LIFE. I mean, I get the curse, but she’s basically a booty call the first part of the book, lol!
I don’t know that she should’ve been doing all these crazy quests to get him back since he straight up peaced out because he couldn’t get past his own ego after his curious wife just wanted something normal like, I don’t know, to see his face.
Know what’s not normal?
Hiding in a house down the street because I SAD.
What was he doing the whole book instead of becoming a better character?
Being a punk.
While I wasn’t the biggest fan of that nerd (lol), I really did enjoy this book. And thank God for the MCU movies so I wasn’t completely lost on the Norse mythology! 🤣 Otherwise, this would’ve been a little hard to follow with all the names. Gotta love Loki and Thor, and I know I can’t be the only one who saw Tom Huddleston and Chris Hemsworth every scene they were in, right?!
I loved all the adventures Euthalia went on when she was finally given a plot line past waiting in the dark to recount Greek history for her husband. The quests were interesting and helped her grow as a character.
I do wish Vidar could’ve had some kind of redemption for his weakness, but since he was just the catalyst for her story, it’s ok. Overall, would highly recommend for fantasy readers who like epic retellings and light romance. Entertaining read!
It really felt like an epic tale (Gilgamesh much?!) and since it is a retelling of the Ancient Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, that makes sense. My main problem is I could never tell how I was going to feel moving through the book, if that makes sense. I’ll try to explain. I liked Euthalia for the most part, but her “god” husband was, I mean, ok.
He was kind of disappointing in general, and that bothered me more than I expected. Maybe he was just too passive a character or something I can’t quite pinpoint. He was nice, but he had no other interesting traits aside from the curse.
They had these long conversations about Ancient Greek heroes and all, but that was...it. There were no love scenes, and that’s ok, but since the extent of their relationship was literally in the dark, giving us a glimpse of some form of intimacy between them would have gone a long way. I think it’s because their conversations weren’t really personal; she just told him stories and he listened politely.
Plus, he was always kind of creeping on her. He never approached her in the hall - even when he was there - and he mentioned every time he saw her during the day, REMINDING HER THAT HE WASN’T ABOUT THAT PUBLIC LIFE. I mean, I get the curse, but she’s basically a booty call the first part of the book, lol!
I don’t know that she should’ve been doing all these crazy quests to get him back since he straight up peaced out because he couldn’t get past his own ego after his curious wife just wanted something normal like, I don’t know, to see his face.
Know what’s not normal?
Hiding in a house down the street because I SAD.
What was he doing the whole book instead of becoming a better character?
Being a punk.
While I wasn’t the biggest fan of that nerd (lol), I really did enjoy this book. And thank God for the MCU movies so I wasn’t completely lost on the Norse mythology! 🤣 Otherwise, this would’ve been a little hard to follow with all the names. Gotta love Loki and Thor, and I know I can’t be the only one who saw Tom Huddleston and Chris Hemsworth every scene they were in, right?!
I loved all the adventures Euthalia went on when she was finally given a plot line past waiting in the dark to recount Greek history for her husband. The quests were interesting and helped her grow as a character.
I do wish Vidar could’ve had some kind of redemption for his weakness, but since he was just the catalyst for her story, it’s ok. Overall, would highly recommend for fantasy readers who like epic retellings and light romance. Entertaining read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2017
The Songweaver's Vow is a mythological fairy tale blending the Greek story of Cupid and Psyche, with the Norse tale of Ragnarok in a simple, straightforward manner that does justice to its source material while fleshing out once underdeveloped characters. Euthalia is a young girl given up by her father to viking raiders, who then sacrifice her to a dragon god. But this god is far from heartless. His name is Vidar and the two form a relationship in the dark. Vidar asks that Euthalia not look at him in the light, that they may love each other without ever seeing one another. When Euthalia breaks this promise, Vidar runs away and Euthalia must find him again all while preventing the prophesied Ragnarok from every happening.
I thought the plot line for this story was unique, adding greatly to the fascinating mythological tales at its core. As somebody that has read Myths of the Norsemen by Roger Lancelyn Green and much of Edith Hamilton's Mythology, I was familiar with many of the myths, so the rather bizarre elements (such as Loki's children) which may be a little too strange for some I knew from having read them. Somehow the odd pairing of Greek and Norse, with all of the equally odd stories intact, made for a great young adult novel.
As far as characters go, Euthalia displays a balance of both strong and flawed traits and I was rooting for her to have her happily ever after. Humanizing Sigyn was a unique, unexpected element that also worked well and Loki, who I primarily read this for, gets a very fine treatment, very true to his morally-ambiguous character. The character of Freyja was also developed in a meaner way I wouldn't have expected, but it fit well within the confines of the story.
Overall, the myths were treated with respect and the new elements were "weaved" in so expertly, they fit seamlessly into the narrative. I would definitely recommend this to fans of either Greek or Norse mythology and anyone who loves a good fairy tale (like me!)
I thought the plot line for this story was unique, adding greatly to the fascinating mythological tales at its core. As somebody that has read Myths of the Norsemen by Roger Lancelyn Green and much of Edith Hamilton's Mythology, I was familiar with many of the myths, so the rather bizarre elements (such as Loki's children) which may be a little too strange for some I knew from having read them. Somehow the odd pairing of Greek and Norse, with all of the equally odd stories intact, made for a great young adult novel.
As far as characters go, Euthalia displays a balance of both strong and flawed traits and I was rooting for her to have her happily ever after. Humanizing Sigyn was a unique, unexpected element that also worked well and Loki, who I primarily read this for, gets a very fine treatment, very true to his morally-ambiguous character. The character of Freyja was also developed in a meaner way I wouldn't have expected, but it fit well within the confines of the story.
Overall, the myths were treated with respect and the new elements were "weaved" in so expertly, they fit seamlessly into the narrative. I would definitely recommend this to fans of either Greek or Norse mythology and anyone who loves a good fairy tale (like me!)
September 17, 2020
Norse (and Greek) mythology lovers—this one's for you! I loved navigating the strange world of the gods with Euthalia, our protagonist. And boy, is it hard to navigate! It's not just Loki lying and playing tricks—the whole pantheon of Norse gods is full of hidden agendas, half-truths, and inhuman desires and motivations. If I were in her place, I doubt I would have fared as well. She was an easy protagonist for me to root for—one who feared but always found the courage and strength to move, chasing what she believed was right in a world of gods who couldn't care less. The ending was a little hard to follow (I'm not sure at all what Euthalia was supposed to learn), but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book.
Content Note: This is an adult book. It contains graphic violence in the style of mythology (binding someone with their child's intestines, for example), foreplay between a married couple (with a fade-to-black), and gods talking flippantly and sometimes coarsely about sex. I do not recommend for younger readers.
Content Note: This is an adult book. It contains graphic violence in the style of mythology (binding someone with their child's intestines, for example), foreplay between a married couple (with a fade-to-black), and gods talking flippantly and sometimes coarsely about sex. I do not recommend for younger readers.
July 27, 2017
2.5 Stars
I have to say I feel a little underwhelmed with The Songweaver's Vow. I thought I would have enjoyed it much more than I did since I'm a huge fan of Norse Mythology.
I think the main problem for me was the main character. Euthalia (I hope that's how you spell her name) was a constant source of frustration and it bugged me to no end that she thought she could undo curses and save the world. Furthermore there very few characters that I actually liked in this book. The Gods can be incredibly unpleasant and cruel but they're cruelty to Euthalia did not make me root for her but in fact did quite the opposite. It highlighted her self importance.
It's clear that the author has done an immense amount of research into creating this book and I enjoyed the way both Greek and Norse mythologies intertwined with one another.
This book had a lot of promise but I think it was the main character that let it down for me.
I have to say I feel a little underwhelmed with The Songweaver's Vow. I thought I would have enjoyed it much more than I did since I'm a huge fan of Norse Mythology.
I think the main problem for me was the main character. Euthalia (I hope that's how you spell her name) was a constant source of frustration and it bugged me to no end that she thought she could undo curses and save the world. Furthermore there very few characters that I actually liked in this book. The Gods can be incredibly unpleasant and cruel but they're cruelty to Euthalia did not make me root for her but in fact did quite the opposite. It highlighted her self importance.
It's clear that the author has done an immense amount of research into creating this book and I enjoyed the way both Greek and Norse mythologies intertwined with one another.
This book had a lot of promise but I think it was the main character that let it down for me.
January 4, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. I won’t go too much into the storyline as I don’t want to spoil it for others. There were so many elements to it which kept surprising me. My initial thought was “Yeah, so it’s ‘Beauty and the Beast but set in Asgard’ but as the story unravelled, it became so much more than that. I just adored the central character, Euthalia - she was intelligent, brave and stalwart - a true “hero” who braved so many dangers to reclaim her love, although, I must admit I found myself wondering whether he was really worth it. Although he was a god of Asgard, she was so much more than that. Would he have gone through, for her, all the trials and tribulations she went through for him I found myself asking. No doubt the author would say that, yes, he would but, then, he was never really given much chance, I suppose.
So, Ms Baugh, thank you for providing us all with an eminently worthy female hero - one of whom we can all be proud!!
So, Ms Baugh, thank you for providing us all with an eminently worthy female hero - one of whom we can all be proud!!
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