perfect for those of you looking for a follow-up to #EleanorOliphant or #HowNotToDieAlone; about a quirky young woman who lives her life by the Viking code of conduct and must use her “skill set” to protect the brother who raised her when he finds himself in too deep with the local gang. It’s sweet and funny and a perfect read for those of you looking for a quick palette cleanser from some of the heavier books out right now

With the publication of When We Were Vikings, debut novelist Andrew David MacDonald has created a legend!

This humorous, frustrating, maddening, disgusting, heart-breaking, heart-warming, inspiring, empathetic, and triumphant account of a twenty-one-year-old woman challenged by fetal alcohol syndrome but determined to create her own legend as a Viking hero will win readers’ hearts as Zelda strives to battle her Grendels, imagined, metaphorical, and all too real. She uses lists to organize and manage life: apartment rules, steps necessary to become a Viking hero, techniques for using a Viking sword, and more. She depends on her loving, but sociologically-damaged older brother Gert for food and housing, her developmental psychologist Dr. Laird for stress management and gradual self-confidence, the community center’s Big Todd for helping her find a job, and the author of Kepple’s Guide to the Vikings, the book that has inspired her to create her own legend, for answering her emailed questions although for the longest time he does not.

Compared to Silver Linings Playbook, The Rosie Project, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night, Andrew David MacDonald’s unforgettable When We Were Vikings gifts us with two of the most touching characters in modern literature, not only Zelda, but also Gert.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster’s Scout Press and NetGalley for providing an Advance Reader Copy of this outstanding novel. I will watch for future work by Andrew David MacDonald.

This is the story of Zelda who lives by the Viking code of conduct. Zelda, living with FAS, grew to independence with the help from her tribe. She checked off all the boxes to live her own legend and becoming a hero.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scout Press for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS, which will be available in just a little over two weeks on January 28, is a story told to us in first-person narration from the perspective of Zelda, a 21-year-old young woman who is on the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum. Her story has the feel of a coming-of-age narrative as throughout Zelda is working toward achieving independence and living her own “legend” as she refers to it considering her love for Viking lore and the parallels she draws in her own life to Viking mythology. Zelda lives with her brother, Gert, who readers discover is living a life of danger that threatens not only him but those around him whom he loves, which is central to the plot of this novel. Over and over again, readers learn that what defines Zelda isn’t FAS but her fierce and courageous love that she has for her family and friends: she will go to any lengths to save those around her, even if it means that she sometimes must break the rules that she likes to follow and that help her order her life. Zelda is truly an inspirational character in her determination, doggedness, and willingness to persevere even when she’s scared.

I have to confess, I’ve struggled with how to rate this novel. The last quarter of the novel gripped me and pulled on my heartstrings to the point that I was tearing up, but the novel took a long time to get there, at least for me. The novel felt slow paced initially, and there were many times that I wanted to abandon it altogether; with that said, I’m so glad I didn’t, because the story that comes about at the end is very much worth the wait.

Probably the primary reason that I’ve lowered the rating of this novel to three stars is the strong language that is used throughout. While I try not to hold this against a book that is depicting very real situations in which this type of language is the norm, I still have to confess I struggled with it. Maybe if MacDonald had scaled back the frequency of how many times this language appeared, it would have helped me to remain in the reading experience while still staying true to his characters’ realities. The amount of strong language used caught me off guard and wasn’t something I expected, and had this not been an ARC given to me in which I felt obligated to provide a review of, I might have actually put it down and not finished it at all. For those that are bothered by this issue, I would definitely not recommend WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS.

So, while I have conflicting feelings about this narrative, what I can say is that I loved all the main characters by the end of the novel, especially considering their complexity. I loved the inspirational message of how it’s one of the most courageous things you can do to continue loving your family and friends—what Zelda calls your “tribe”—even when it hurts and is painful. And finally I loved the fact that the narrative highlights that as much as we want life to play by our rules, sometimes (and maybe even most of the time) it doesn’t work that way, and that’s really okay, which is highlighted in a heartwarming quote from the novel: “sometimes life finds us, and when it does we have to rise to the occasion and have courage. And we make lists, rules, and try to order things, trying to control them, when actually the most important parts of life, the parts really worth cherishing, are the things that we don’t expect.” Three stars overall for a memorable, emotional, bittersweet read.

Zelda loves Vikings, and when her roommate and brother gives her a real Viking for her 21st birthday, Zelda knows just how much he loves her. She spends her days at the community center, going to see her counselor, increasing her knowledge of all things Viking, learning new words, and texting with her boyfriend. Pretty normal things for a girl who didn’t grow up in a normal household. But she and Gert have rules, and Zelda knows that following rules keeps her safe.

When she finds out that Gert hasn’t been keeping the rules, Zelda decides to go on a quest to become legendary. After all, Vikings achieve legendary status by doing heroic things. Unfortunately, Gert needs saving from some pretty shady characters, and Zelda’s quest puts her smack in the middle of dangerous situations and people.

MacDonald brings the reader into the mind and heart of an orphaned, not-normal woman coming of age surrounded by people who want to label her. He explores the theme of how not-normal doesn’t mean not capable. After all, Zelda does some pretty legendary things and discovers her true power in the process.

Had to just double check something, and yes, this is a debut for this author. Amazing!

I have a feeling this is going to be the best writing I read all year. The characters and the narration of this story is superb and I hope this book reaches many readers, and is nominated for lots of awards.

The narrator is Zelda, a young adult born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and a lover of all things Viking. She lives with her older brother Gert, who struggles to keep them afloat with various nefarious practices, but he's basically a good guy, and protective of Zelda and seems to be doing his best.

Zelda is the star of this piece and the author's ability to put the reader inside her head, and let us experience her world is a thing of beauty.

I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love this book. A beautiful and powerful story. There of been a lot of stories about Neurodivergent characters, but this one is extraordinary. Instead of focusing on the ND protagonist finding love, the story is an epic battle of a female warrior, who just so happens to end a relationship with a man who’s not on her level. Never pandering or condescending, but always warm and inspiring. Five legendary stars

"When We Were Vikings" by Andrew David MacDonald was a lovely book told from the unique perspective of Zelda, a girl with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome who came from a rough background and is raised by her brother, who has plenty of struggles of his own. My favorite thing about this book are the nuances it shows in the people around Zelda, how they all have dark and light, how many are just doing the best they can with what they've been given, and how sometimes there are no right answers. Her growth is amazing as she discovers that she can be brave and run her own life and she doesn't have to limit herself based on what other people think she can or can't do. Also, her point of view is both humorous and heart-wrenching at times as she explains her carefully defined views of language and the world around her and the reader is able to see things through her eyes. It was a smooth read that pulls you in immediately because it is both different and relatable, with a pace and tension that makes it hard to put down. The reader knows more of what's going on than Zelda most of the time and it makes you fear for her in a way that builds and builds until a pretty intense ending. In many ways, this book is a window not only into the life of a girl with a disability, but of people raised in poverty with little to no resources to support them. It was enlightening and inspiring and so good.

This is a book about a topic I haven't encountered before, an adult with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. I flew through it and gained some new perspectives. Watching her search for her own independence was a pleasure to read.

Often compared to "CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME," this novel is told from the perspective of a young woman who is developmentally delayed (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome). Zelda (or Z) lives with her tattooed, tortured brother Gert, a man who thought football would provide a life path, but finds himself resorting to drug dealing to keep himself and Zelda safe.

The writing is strong and the book's message is inspirational ("We are all legends of our own making"), but this is a dark story. Raw language, raw poverty, raw violence -- although "Vikings" has been compared to "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time," the tone of the two books is quite different. Readers who are looking for a gritty, meaningful novel will be satisfied. Those expecting a whimsical, charming tale like "The Rosie Project" may struggle.

You meet some people who seem to have it relatively easy in life, and some do or don’t realize it. Then there are people like Zelda, who have far from easy beginnings. Zelda as born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and is a young adult living with her brother.

Zelda is fascinated with Vikings and is on her own journey to become a heroine. I could not help but root for her along the way. Her story turns in ways you do not always expect, and Zelda as chances to decide who she wants to be.

There are several content/warnings due to various parts of the book, making it at times hard to read, but worth it if you can. For more information, you can message me. It is one of my top recent reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#whenwewerevikings #netgalley #ARC #botm #fiction #vikings #specialneedsbook #strongwomenreads

When We Were Vikings was an absolute delight to read. Being inside Zelda's head was unlike any story I'd read before, and I loved getting to know her and the way she sees the world.

Zelda is a young adult with fetal alcohol syndrome who lives with her older brother, and even though her abilities are different from the people around her, she's mostly figuring ish out just like the rest of us. She's navigating friendships, applying for her first job, thinking about taking her relationship to the next level, and trying to keep her older brother on track. She is all of us, except the no-bullshit version of us that will always tell it exactly like it is. Oh, and she loves vikings.

MacDonald also created a host of secondary characters that make WWWV a rich a complex story—
-There's Gert, Zelda's older brother and caregiver who's really in desperate need of some care himself. He's gotten mixed up in a rough situation, and he struggles to fill all the roles he thinks he needs to fill in Zelda's life (brother, parent, teacher, friend). He struggles, hard, and sometimes you really just want to smack him. But you know he's trying.
-You've got Annie aka AK47, one of Zelda's favorite people and also Gert's ex-girlfriend. She treats Zelda like the strong and capable woman she is, helps her navigate the intricacies of interpersonal relationships, and helps whip Gert into shape when he needs it.
-Plus there's Toucan and his crew, Zelda's boss at the library, Big Todd and her friends at the community center, her boyfriend Marxy, her therapist Dr. Laird, and the infamous Dr. Kepple, viking expert and Zelda's idol.

When her brother gets caught up with some rough people, she refuses to let him throw away everything he's worked for. She fights for the people she loves at every turn, she's funny and fierce and an absolute force to be reckoned with—and oftentimes, she's the glue holding up the people around her.

At the end of the day, Zelda is just trying to write her own legend, which is all any of us can hope to do.

This book will make you laugh, make you cry, and it'll make you a better and more empathetic person. There's a lot of adult language, and it definitely covers adult themes—and that being said, I think it'd be an excellent book club read, because it will definitely spark a lot of valuable discussion!

Big thanks to Gallery/Scout Press, NetGalley, and Andrew David MacDonald for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

I love the phrase "swan in a cemetery." This was beautifully written, and reminded me a lot of THE ONE MEMORY OF FLORA BANKS in terms of the bravery that it encounters and adventuring out on one's own. I enjoyed.

* I was provided an arc by NetGalley in exchange for a review*

This book is complicated. There are aspects I think the author did well, but there are other parts that just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It is about Zelda, a young woman who was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and lives with Gert, her brother and primary caretaker, and her journey to become more self reliant and confident. It is a well written book and worth giving a chance.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of When We Were Vikings by Andrew MacDonald from the publisher during a promotional tour. Zelda is fierce, strong, wants to be independent, and loves anything to do with Vikings. She also has fetal alcohol syndrome, but she is much more than her diagnosis. She spends her days studying Vikings, playing basketball with her friends, and hanging out with her brother, who is her provider. Her brother struggles to keep them afloat and resorts to nefarious activities to bring income to their household. Zelda wants to help contribute and gets a job at a local library. Soon her brothers "crowd" infiltrates her world and changes it forever.

I loved the unique characters in this book. Zelda felt real and relatable. She was easy to like and admire. The story itself kept me intrigued, but it read like a YA book, which are not my usual genre. Overall, I liked MacDonald's writing style. It is very upfront, honest, and blunt. Which makes sense with the main character, because that is how Zelda is. The storyline with Zelda's brother kept me intrigued. He involves himself with a drug dealer who is unsettling. The storyline ends up taking a dark and violent turn towards the end, which felt disjointed to me. I did not see things getting that dark and it came out of nowhere.

Overall, I gave it a 3-3.5 star review.

A heartwarming tale of what it’s like to be the hero of our very own story. Many times our lives are set by expectations and limited in what we do or say. Life surprises us in the best way when we surpass these expectations and reach for the stars. Having the courage to make our own paths can be scary but also amazing. I think Zeldas story is one that will warm the heart and soul of many. A delightful debut I am happy to have read.

Beautiful story about Zelda, a woman born on the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum who is high-functioning, and her life with her “tribe”. I absolutely adored Zelda and her unique POV. Inspiring and heartwarming, we join Zelda on her quest to find her own legend as she learns how to live an independent life and that not all things seem as they are. Highly recommend!!

Another great start to 2020, as this was such a good story. I am already predicting this will be in my top 10 favorite books of 2020. As in the description if you enjoyed “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”, this will be right up your alley.

This is the story of Zelda, and she is a Viking, and lives by they Viking code. She was also born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She lives with her older brother Gert, who adores her, but you come to find out he is making questionable decisions all in the name of his sister. Zelda uses her code to save her brother from himself.

You will absolutely fall in love with Zelda. She is strong, and really shows all the possibilities of what a person with special needs can do. I laughed, and felt sad, but in the end I was rooting for Zelda the entire time. The author really took care to tell this beautiful story. This was a huge 5 stars for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Scout Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the most unusual books I've read in a long time. Told from the viewpoint of Zelda, a mentally challenged young woman, the reader actually gets a feel for what it's like to be Zelda! She reminded me of a young woman I used to see at a Walmart who was a greeter about the same age as Zelda and probably similar mental capacity. 'She always said 'you look beautiful today' to every woman who came in the store - and she sounded like she really meant it. Reading this book reminded me to never take people at face value. Not the person who appears 'mentally challenged' and not the person with a shaved head and tattoos who looks totally scary. Maybe he's dealing with something in his life and doing the best he can.

The story moved from Zelda being a frightened young woman obsessed with Vikings to a self-confident young woman with a job and an independent life. Sure she won't be joining Mensa anytime soon, but she's found her niche in the world and she can be proud of what she's accomplished. Her brother can also be proud of the job he's done in raising and protecting his sister.

I wish I knew what would happen next. Would Gert and AK47 get back together? Will Gert be able to finish college and get a good job? Will Zelda find someone to love?

This was really a refreshing read.

Zelda is the hero of her own legend and also my hero after reading this wonderful, heartfelt novel by Andrew David MacDonald. This 21 year-old with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has overcome many obstacles in her young life as she holds onto her brutal honesty, her obsession with Vikings, and her devotion to the members of her tribe. Zelda’s brother Gert is on an emotional roller coaster, while Zelda’s path throughout this novel is on an upward trajectory of self discovery and independence.

Opening scenes in this novel are somewhat disturbing and I found myself going into “protection mode” as unspeakable abuse comes into play. The feeling of dread looms large, but just as Zelda’s confidence soars and her tribe starts to believe in her, I also changed my perspective. Zelda herself leads the reader on this journey, where the cast of characters often cannot be categorized clearly as Hero or Villain.

I will be rooting for the success of this novel, just as I rooted for Zelda on every page.

Thank you to Goodreads, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Publishing for the privileged of reading an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.