Review: When We Were Vikings

When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a well written and intriguing novel. With characters living with their development disabilities in young adulthood and the caregivers who are trying to figure out how to care for and support them. It deals with topics of job placement, navigating the community and navigating romantic relationships when you have life long challenges. For Zelda, she is learning to truly be independent and uses the history and mythology of the Vikings to guide her on her quest to be her true self. She lives with and is supported by her brother Gert, who she loves deeply, but is a character I found very difficult to like. She has a support system in her peers, her brothers on again off again girlfriend AK-47 (Annie) and her therapist. This story has possible triggers related to physical abuse, sexual abuse and violence. It was a well performed audiobook and I think is very relevant to our current times where there is a large population of individuals with autism and other developmental disorders aging into adulthood without appropriate supports to be successful. These characters are so real you root for them one minute and want to reprimand them the next. In the beginning of the book I felt that there was some repetition and too much time spent explaining Norse mythology, but it serves its purpose.

I recommend this book, it will give you lots to think about and feel.

I received an ALC of this audiobook through Libro.fm and I voluntarily give my review

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