Shield Maiden

• Author: Sharon Emmerichs
• Genre: Fantasy
• Publication Date: October 3, 2023 
• Publisher: Redhook

Thank you to Redhook and Angela Man for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

CONTENT WARNING: earthquake, blood, trauma, enslavement, ableism, sexual assault, violence, substance use, death of a parent

Both epic and intimate, Shield Maiden is the brilliantly imagined retelling of Beowulf from the perspective of a fierce young woman reclaiming her power.

Fryda has grown up hearing tales of her uncle, King Beowulf, and his spectacular defeat of the monstrous Grendel. Her one desire is to become a shield maiden in her own right, but a terrible accident during her childhood has thwarted this dream. Yet still, somehow, she feels an uncontrollable power begin to rise within herself.

The last thing Fryda wants is to be forced into a political marriage, especially as her heart belongs to her lifelong friend Theow. However, as foreign kings and chieftains descend upon her home to celebrate Beowulf’s fifty years as the king of Peatland, the partnership begins to seem inevitable.

That is, until, amidst the lavish gifts and drunken revelry, a discovery is made that threatens the safety of Fryda’s entire clan—and her own life. Incensed by this betrayal, Fryda resolves to fight for her people no matter the cost. As a queen should. As a shield maiden would.

And as the perilous situation worsens, Fryda’s powers seem only to grow stronger. But she is not the only one to feel the effects of her newfound battle-magic. For, buried deep in her gilded lair, a dragon is drawn to Fryda’s untamed power and is slowly awakening from a long, cursed sleep…

This was a buddy read that I did with Julie @ One Book More, and I’m so glad I did because we got to fangirl over this story and vent our frustrations together. This was one that we were super excited for, and it didn’t let us down. It was probably the easiest rating I’ve given in a while, too.

It’s been quite some time since I read Beowulf, but thankfully this book doesn’t require that you actually read and remember the original story to be able to follow and enjoy this one. Also, it helps that the events in this book actually take place after the ones that made Beowulf the famous hero. In this story, we focus more on Beowulf’s niece, Fryda. 

Fryda was a character that I found immensely easy to empathize with. Early on in the story, she experiences a disabling injury that crushes her dream of becoming a shield maiden. Despite being the daughter of a lord, and the niece of King Beowulf, she still experiences ableism and internalizes this shame over her disability, causing her to hide her disabled hand as often as she can. But she still practices to be a shield maiden, and doesn’t let her disability get in her way.

Fryda is very close with two other characters in the story, both of which I loved. Hild is an enslaved woman of African descent, and she is Fryda’s best friend. She strictly maintains the boundaries expected between a slave and a lord’s daughter, no matter what Fryda asks of her, and despite the fact that Fryda treats her as a friend and never as a slave. Their relationship is a close one, and I loved seeing how they interact with each other. The bond between them is obvious throughout the story. Theow is the other character, another enslaved person that Fryda has grown up with, and the two of them have a star-crossed lovers dynamic between them. 

Emmerichs has done a fantastic job with this story. Everything is so well researched, and the descriptions are so detailed that I was able to picture everything vividly as I read. It made this even more enjoyable to read, especially since it was building on the previous tale of Beowulf, and providing a new perspective to the story. The author incorporates action, romance, friendship, family dynamics, grief, and loss. Towards the end of the story, there are some scenes of violence that are beautifully juxtaposed with scenes of love and strong emotion, and it was done so well, and in a way that I have never seen before. This was a fantastic book that I thoroughly enjoyed, and strongly recommend to others. It’s one that you don’t want to miss out on.

People who have sat around with me while I’m reading, especially when there’s a surprising reveal, a shocking plot twist, or an unexpected event often look up in alarm when I gasp audibly. The gasp factor is directly related to the number of times I audibly gasp during a reading, and there isn’t an upper limit.

Gasp Factor: 10