Based on Icelandic Sagas of Viking explorations, this fascinating historical novel tells of a life's adventures seen through the eyes of Gudrid, dictating her story to an Icelandic monk in Rome, who translates and writes them down. I struggled with the numerous Icelandic names, but there is a helpful list of characters at the beginning, and a map! Reading it during the December freeze created ambience. A very hard life, a very readable book.
(Mary Standing - bwl 59 Winter 2011 ) |
