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Summary
Summary
From the bestselling author of the Pegasus books, Kate O'Hearn, comes an exciting new series that puts a fresh twist on Norse mythology.
Valkyrie: Norse Goddess. Reaper of Souls. Defender of the Weak. Not someone you want to mess with...
Freya is dreading her upcoming birthday when she'll officially have to take up her duties as a Valkyrie. She doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of the legends before her--legends including her mother and sisters. And she certainly doesn't want anything to do with humans!
Freya thinks humans are cruel, hate-filled creatures, but as she observes their world, she begins to wonder what it would be like to make friends with the girls or laugh with the boys she sees. And what would it be like to live without the fear that she could cause someone's death with a single touch?
Then when she's sent on her first mission, she reaps the soul of a fallen soldier with unfinished business...business that sends her on an epic quest to the mortal world. Will Freya find the true meaning of being a human, or will she finally accept the legend she is destined to become?
Author Notes
Kate O'Hearn was born in Canada, raised in New York City, and has traveled all over the United States. She currently resides in England. Kate is the author of the Pegasus series, the Shadow Dragon series, the Titans series, the Valkyrie series, and the Atlantis series. Visit her at KateOHearn.com.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-9-O'Hearn sets her newest fantasy among the Valkyries of Norse mythology-the eternally beautiful winged women who routinely visit the battlefields of Midgard (Earth) in order to "reap" the souls of the bravest warriors and take them to Asgard. There, the great god Odin honors them as heroes, allowing them to live a life of feasting, dancing, and fighting in Valhalla-his "Great Heavenly Hall for the Heroic Dead." As this story begins, Freya, youngest and last of the Valkyries, is about to participate in her First Day Ceremony and her first reaping of a warrior on the battlefield. But proud and awed as she is by the pomp of the ceremony, she swears the Valkyrie oath reluctantly, uncertain of her capability to perform her assigned tasks. Freya's first reaping is Tyrone, a soldier whose concern for his endangered family in Chicago is so great that she promises to try to help them. On her illicit journey to Midgard seeking Tyrone's daughters, some very special teens and adults give her heightened respect for modern humanity. Featured characters are given sufficient depth and personality. Contemporary issues-gangs and neighborhood safety, bullying and self-protection, seniors raising grandkids-are addressed. VERDICT Freya's story, easy to envision as a movie, will surely please many young fantasy lovers, especially those looking for Rick Riordan read-alikes.-Susan Scheps, formerly at Shaker Public Library, OH © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Freya has just sworn her oath as a Valkyrie, but she isn't looking forward to the duties that come with the role. Disgusted by war and disenchanted by humanity, Freya brings back a reluctant war hero from her first "reaping," and breaks her oath when she visits his family on Earth to ensure their safety. On Earth, Freya meets many people who need her help, and she finds a way to channel her restless energy into good as she works to address gentrification, school bullying, and child neglect in present-day Chicago. Trading the Greek myths of her Pegasus series for Norse themes, O'Hearn offers a strong balance of action-packed fantasy and contemporary realism that doesn't shy from real issues. The stakes are always high- capture and death stalk Freya and those she grows to care for, making for an engrossing, fast-paced read. Whether on the battlefield or city streets, Freya confronts what it means to do one's duty and be a true hero, in a smart, sharply written, and empathic story. Ages 9-13. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
As a Valkyrie, Freya is charged with bringing the chosen warriors to Valhalla, where they spend the afterlife drinking, feasting, and battling, but she finds violence horrifying and longs for a different life. In this regard she is unlike her mother and sisters, who find serving as Odin's shield maidens honorable. Freya's first reaping matches her with African-American soldier Tyrone, who likewise wants nothing to do with the festivities in Asgard. He elects to pass through the Gates of Ascension and enter heaven. But before he departs, he makes Freya promise to take care of the family he is leaving behind. Freya's only hope of leaving Asgard is Loki, Odin's trickster son. On Earth, Freya finds friendship, purpose, and some surprising allies. However, Loki is up to his old tricks. Soon Freya finds herself at the center of a battle between the forces of Asgard and the humans she has come to love. While this alternative look at Norse mythology is intriguing, the earthbound narrative is decidedly not. Freya is a confusing mix of mythological being and angst-riddled young girl. The repetitive plot lacks energy and originality, and the ending is similarly lackluster and predictable. An interesting premise that never comes together. (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Fourteen-year-old Freya is restless and unwilling to join her Valkyrie sisters as they reap human men who have fallen in battle, bringing them to Valhalla to dwell in honor and glory for all time. She doesn't like humans, or so she thinks, until she defies Odin's wishes about visits to Midgard (Earth) in order to keep a promise to her first fallen soldier. She spends time in a Chicago suburb, where she makes friends and feels compelled to protect them from both corporate and middle-school bullies. Following on the heels of her Pegasus series, this new series opener explores familiar ground: humans and (in this case, Nordic) gods interacting with a feisty lead character. At times O'Hearn doesn't give her audience enough credit, lapsing into didactic and repetitive narrative, and there is no author's note to augment the great information about Nordic mythology woven throughout the book. Nevertheless, she writes a rousing final battle scene, and the plotline about dealing with bullies could be used with young discussion groups.--Welch, Cindy Copyright 2016 Booklist