What do You think about They Came On Viking Ships (2005)?
this book was on my friend group reading list that we all wanted to read back in high school, this is where i first fell inlove with such a beautiful story with well-written characters. the only problem i had with this book overall was when the author wrote chapter headings that gave away a chapter and pivotal plot point in the book. the book also gives a small insights of what the people around this time did, like traditions and beliefs. i was rooting for hejka and bran to be together by the end of the book because i felt these two characters were meant for each other and just fit together so perfectly, but i was disapointed when this did not happen.
—Cassie Wells
This is an excellent read for older children, young adults and adults alike. The story follows a Scottish island girl, Hekja, who lives in a small village with her dog Snarf who protects the cows. A Viking raid however sees them taken captive and the family destroyed. Young fit slaves were valued by the Vikings as runners and after some time Hekja is put aboard a longship heading to Vinland under the leadership of Freydis Eriksdottir. The Vikings did not make maps so they have only the words of earlier sailors to follow and they narrowly avoid icebergs on the long rough journey. Snarf's nose alerts them to land and they make landfall near an abandoned cluster of longhouses. Not only the natives might be unfriendly as there are undercurrents within the expedition, and Hekja just has to rely on her owner to protect her.Another slave, Hikki, teaches Hekja how to run efficiently over long distances and since he cannot marry a Viking, we see him looking thoughtfully at the young girl and picturing their future. The colony gets established but the native people, who initially wanted to trade, resent the spread of the Vikings and launch their own raids.The world of the Vikings is well realised and small details, such as Hekja's never having worn soft wool clothes as there were no sheep on her island, draw us into her life. There are plenty of dangers but the worst of the violence is suggested rather than shown.
—Clare O'Beara
I would rate this book a 2.5 to a 3. If I wasn't a teacher, I would NEVER have picked this book to read, but I feel that it delivered many of the things that I love in great books. The story details the results of a Viking raid on a small town, and describes the often brutal and mysoginistic views that vikings hold dear. I did care about the main character, Hekja, and her dog Snarf, but not many others. The descriptions and writing style flowed well, although many of the descriptions were about food...over and over...that I could have avoided. Although the plot was good, it seemed to be bogged down by many chapters in which nothing important seemed to happen. That was my only real issue with this novel - the good parts were good, but the in between parts seemed to drag a bit. The ending was well done, but the plot seemed to tie up a little too nicely, (without giving anything away) with marriages and situations that seemed a little too convenient. A good read though, and I would recommend this novel to students and adults.
—Terry Costantini
