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When We Were Vikings

Andrew David MacDonald

  6 Reviews

Twenty-one-year-old Zelda, who lives with her older brother and caregiver Gert, is upfront with the fact that she has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. However, Zelda is not going to let any label limit her ambitions - she wants to be 'legendary', as legendary as the heroes and heroines of the Viking world she is so fascinated with. As it turns out, there will be many opportunities for Zelda to be the stuff of legends as she and Gert navigate the tricky currents of their circumstances and her growing independence.

With its unique narrator and its compassionate exploration of the issues facing cognitively impaired adults, this is an exhilarating and heart-warming coming-of-age story.

Pages
323
Year
2020

Reviews

THAM 005
11-03-2024
This book split the group - half found it a bit twee in places, and perhaps a bit exploitative of people with mental disabilities ( we contrasted with TV shows 'Down With Love' and 'The Undateables'). Half appreciated Zelda's courage and strength and her use of Viking culture to create meaning in her life.
CULV 001
24-01-2024
Most of us found the book was repetitive and initially boring. The premise of the book was interesting however, and the pace of the book was easy to read. Overall most of us did not enjoy the book.
MATUA 001
11-05-2023
We all loved this unique book - one of our favourites.
ASHB 028
07-03-2023
We all thoroughly enjoyed this book telling how the weaker sibling could become the stronger despite the disability bestowed on her at birth.
ASHB 009
03-03-2023
We had a bit of a mixed response to this book...some didn't finish, but those who did agreed that it was a well-written and researched book, probably because the author himself was a care-giver to a similarly disabled person. Very insightful - made the reader feel for the two main characters, Gert and Zelda.
HAMIL 022
15-09-2022
An interesting insight into the thought processes of Zelda, who has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.