As someone who grew up fascinated with the epic of Beowulf, this sapphic retelling is a breath of fresh air. If you are already familiar with the story, then reading this won’t be too hard to follow. I love how easy it is to understand with the familiar characters and places. With a modern take on the writing tone, it felt like reading the Witcher books. It absolutely felt more emotional for me, especially the ending. I truly loved this version of Beowulf more, and I wished she had been given more adventures.

Review posted: October 1, 2025 (Goodreads)

Absolutely outstanding.
This is an extremely well done retelling of Beowulf; the original tale remains intact and respected while O'Connor had a strong voice behind what she added as well. Beowulf herself is a strong, compelling character that you want to root for amongst her adventures, struggles, and what she is doing for her people even when you know how this story will end. The action is strong while being paced well amongst politic struggle as well as the central slow-burn romance. I truly did love this.
The added art within the book is also beautiful and added so much to this. I look forward to more from this author if that's another retelling or something original.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Aqh Publications for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Staying true to the original story of Beowulf, this sapphic retelling is an incredibly rich and poignant tale of a woman who rose from her origins as a foundling to become a great legend in her own right. Told in prose more akin to a skald's spoken word, She-Wolf covers Beowulf's story from the hunting of Grendel to her final, fatal encounter with a dragon. As the author notes in the closing, to describe any less would be to do a disservice to both this Beowulf and that original tale. It is a wonderful work, and I recommend it to any reader who shares a similar fascination with the old legend.