The Witch's Heart

By: Genevieve Gornichec

Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle

Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology.

Angrboda’s story begins where most witches' tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to be Loki, and her initial distrust of him transforms into a deep and abiding love.

Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who Angrboda is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin’s all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she learns that her blissful life - and possibly all of existence - is in danger.

With help from the fierce huntress Skadi, with whom she shares a growing bond, Angrboda must choose whether she’ll accept the fate that she’s foreseen for her beloved family...or rise to remake their future. From the most ancient of tales this novel forges a story of love, loss, and hope for the modern age.

This audiobook includes a PDF that contains the Acknowledgments and the Appendix - a listing of people and places that appear in the story, and recommendations for further reading.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Genevieve Gornichec (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A deep journey into the mists of the ancient Norse world of gods, monsters and humans, who shape shift from one to another. But the heart of the story is a witch’s passage over many lifetimes and the ultimate sacrifice she makes for those she loves. A timeless tale of great power and artistry." (Margaret George, New York Times best-selling author of The Splendor Before the Dark)

“A beautiful and fleshed-out story for the jötunn Angrboða.... Genevieve Gornichec both acknowledges her erasure and resolves it, giving Angrboða a life beyond her relationship with Loki, even as she explores their love story in detail. We see Angrboða as a powerful witch and seer, a devoted mother, a lover and friend, and most importantly, as a woman at the heart of her own story at last. I’m very grateful for books like this one.” (Samantha Shannon, New York Times best-selling author of The Mask Falling)

“Ms. Gornichec subverts the mythology from inside, knowledgeably and provokingly. Whatever the Elder Edda may say, the heroines of The Witch’s Heart will not be a delight to “wicked women” alone.” (Tom Shippey, The Wall Street Journal)

Excellent: 10/10 would recommend

This story was amazing from start to finish. If you’ve ever read the Percy Jackson series then this will feel familiar. The story is woven together so beautifully! I have a pretty strong knowledge of Norse and Slavic lore and the author did an amazing job of bringing those stories to life, but in a refreshing new way, while still staying fairly true to the source material. The author writes so vividly that you can almost feel the elements come to life around you.
But this story is so much more than that, it’s a tale of re-discovery and finding yourself. It touches on love, loss, friendship, overcoming fear and lots of other feminists themes etc. At the beginning of the story the MC is literally hiding in a dark cave.
By the end she as COMPLETELY found herself, after having been betrayed and used and nearly every point in her life she literally rises from the ashes to begin anew. LIKE LITERALLY… by the end she’s healed herself, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually. And it’s only through this healing, this true mending of the body and soul that she is able to tap into the power she needs at the end of this tale. But wait! Cause she’s also she’s a POWERFUL witch, a mother of three, and a successful businessman? Aaaannnd kinda of single handedly trying to stop the end of the world? OK GIRL damn!
TRIGGER WARNING. During the second half the book the MC is dealing with all kinds of trauma, one of them being something that happened to her by force and without her consent. It’s not exactly SA, however I do feel the language used to describe the event and the healing afterwards could be easily paralleled
Overall I really enjoyed this story, more than I’m able to articulate here. If you’re looking for a book to kick off your Fall reads, a budding new witch, or on a soul journey yourself, then you will thoroughly enjoy this read.
The narrator did a great job as well, full of emotion and did a good job with the voice distinction. 10/10 would recommend.

Eternity of a Parent in Their Child

This book is a perfect example of a happiness sadness. It speaks to the part of us that enjoys stories such as Romano and Juliet. Even though the reader the knows the ending for much of the book the journey to this ending is so mesmerizing that one is constantly lost in the story in a good way. This story also touches on how adults live in their children and their children’s children so they are never truly forgotten. This book is truly wonderful.

Beautiful and Haunting

I am not sure why I chose this title, possibly because of the intriguing cover. I don't recall hearing the sample but so glad I did. The narrators voice brought the characters to life very subtle sometimes but I loved it.
An especially nice follow up for Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman.
Looking forward to more tales from this writer.

Excellent tale of a key witch in Norse mythology!

If you’ve spent time watching movies or tv shows who use Loki as nothing but a heartless, scheming kicking boy, Ragnarok as the only really significant thing about the downfall of the Gods and the old ways, this is a refreshing change.

Angrboda gets far too little notice in the tales of the Aesir and how significant her marriage to Loki was in the end of Asgard. The marvel movies and The Vikings and their ilk are fun interpretations, but Loki wasn’t just a bitter, greedy snake. He did many things for a laugh. But this tale of the birth of Hel, Fenrir and Jormangand, born from love to end all things and causing the rebirth of the world… a beautiful tale well written.

My only trouble was that I would have preferred the book be read with appropriate accents. While I understand the use of accents to depict status levels, the one chosen for Angrboda and Hel seemed wildly wrong to who they are.

The Mother of Norse Legend

A compelling interpretation of Norse legend, and a prequel of sorts, as remembered by the AllMother of Norse Legend.

in love

I was so in love with this my fiance and I are re listening to this once again for the sake of this masterpiece

Beautiful story, well presented

I just loved this one so much. Lovely storytelling and wonderful content, weaving together known stories of old in such a magical way.

Great story!

This was very captivating and kept me eager to finish because I needed to know how it ended.

beautiful story, beautifully read

loved the story, the audiobook reader was also a very fitting person as it just added more to the atmosphere while listening to the book. looking forward to more from this author.

Great

Loved it great writing and storytelling! Great narrator! Highly recommend keeps you engaged the whole time.