The Saga of Gudrid the Far-Traveler

The life of a globe-trekking Viking woman named Gudrid was the centerpiece of Brown’s 2007 nonfiction work, The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman, but the Icelandic sagas (the only known records of her) contain only scant details about her. Now Brown offers a fictionalized account of what Gudrid and her travels might have been like. Much of the historical detail assumes a broad understanding of daily medieval life in Scandinavia (there’s no back matter to help readers, other than a note about spelling), which may make the book best suited to audiences with an existing interest in the period. The plot follows Gudrid—recently married and restless for adventure—as she crosses the Atlantic like Leif Eiriksson before her. While the third-person narrative offers insights into Gudrid’s conflicted emotions during her travels, both she and the action of the novel can feel somewhat removed. But as the story of a young woman bucking traditional roles and exploring her world and the world abroad, it makes for intriguing historical fiction. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michelle Tessler, Tessler Literary Agency. (Aug.)