Publisher and Publication Date: One More Chapter, HarperCollins. June 3, 2022.
Genre: Historical fiction.
Pages: 400.
Format: Kindle e-book.
Source: I received a complimentary e-book from One More Chapter, HarperCollins and NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review.
Audience: Historical fiction readers. Readers of the Viking age in the 11th century North America upper coastline.
Rating: Okay.

Tamara Goranson’s author page at Goodreads.

Tamara Goranson’s Website.

Link for the book @ Amazon. The Kindle price is .99 on this day.

Link @ One More Chapter.

Summary:

The Flight of Anja is the story of Anja Freydisdöttir. She has been raised by Freydis the sister of Leif Erickson (A.D. 970-1025). He was a Norse explorer.

Freydis is an important character in the start of the story. She is the backbone, strength, and contributing factor to the adventure of Anja. Freydis is strong, determined, resourceful, brave, courageous, and a loner. She is heroic.

Anja is a mini-Freydis. As the story progresses, I will see more of Freydis in her.

The story begins in Greenland and travels to Vinland (a coastal area of North America)/Newfoundland.

The time period is the 11th century.

My Thoughts:

On my own, I found out information about the name Vinland, who the Beothuk people were, Leif Erickson, and other notable history.

The Flight of Anja is book two in the series. I have not read book one which probably would help me understand the background and other gaps in the story.

One of the main problems I had with the story is I didn’t always know what part of the world I was reading about. What I mean is what and where is Vinland? And when Anja travels on a Viking ship, I thought the destination (for a while) was in Norway or another Scandinavian country. So, I was lost. I don’t like to be lost

Freydis is a huge character. She is an interesting character. She is difficult to switch away from and towards Anja. I was not ready to leave Freydis.

For half (or more) of the book the tone and pace are a mix of on the edge of your seat-engaging-serious-suspicious-tense. Then the tone switches and an additional theme is introduced. There is a lag in between.

I had a difficult time becoming invested in the character of Anja. And for reasons I have yet to fully discover beyond the previous above statements in this section. It is unlike me to not have more description to give. In brief, this book is just not for me.