
The Shapeshifter's Daughter
A powerful reimagining of the Norse myth of Hel of the underworld
$31.50
- Paperback
272 pages
- Release Date
11 November 2025
Summary
Nothing, on earth or below it, in the skies or under the seas, freezes faster than the worthless heart.
Before she was a hideous monster, the Queen of the Underworld was simply Hel. But cast as a young girl from lofty Asgard, the realm of the gods, by Odin the Allfather, Hel’s fate as the terrible goddess of death is sealed. Half beauty, half crone, she has reigned for centuries over the starless darkness of Niflheim, welcoming the most pitiful amongs…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781399825214 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1399825216 |
| Author: | Sally Magnusson, Karen Traynor |
| Publisher: | John Murray Press |
| Imprint: | John Murray Publishers Ltd |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 272 |
| Release Date: | 11 November 2025 |
| Weight: | 273g |
| Dimensions: | 214mm x 134mm x 28mm |
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Critics Review
Magnusson is superb at evoking a landscape rich in history and prehistory, although the novel’s greatest strength is her feminist interpretation of Norse mythology in a story that centres equally on Hel and Helen, both of whom are daughters wounded by “fathers whom they still, in the last winter of their own lives, struggles to forgive”. * Irish Times *Burdened with a grim prognosis, librarian Helen Firth returns to live her last days in her native OrkneySteeped in folklore, home to stone circles, selkies and sea sorcerers, it provides the backdrop for a stirring novel about finding love in the darkest hour, as the gods of Norse Myth, Odin, Thor and a surprisingly endearing Hel loom up in the narrative. Magical in every sense. * Saga Magazine *A heart-rending opus on love, death and change … captivatingly written, Magnusson has grand ambitions, mashing together a tragic romance, a god’s exploration of what it means to be human and a cosmic scheme to outwit the mighty Odin, but by interlacing her plotlines with threads of healing, reconciliation and taking control of one’s destiny she’s fashioned it into a powerful emotional journey. * Herald *One of the most imaginative and ambitious books I have read all year… gives the Norse myths a feminist tweak somewhat akin to Madeleine Miller and Pat Barker’s reimagining of the OdysseyAn exciting read for anyone interested in Norse mythology and drawn to the fantastical. Magnusson should be praised for her exquisite world-building * Irish Examiner *
About The Author
Sally Magnusson
Bestselling author, journalist and broadcaster Sally Magnusson has written several books for adults and children, most recently her Sunday Times bestseller Where Memories Go (2014) about her mother’s dementia, The Sealwoman’s Gift (2018), her acclaimed debut novel, The Ninth Child (2020) and Music in the Dark (2022). Sally lives outside Glasgow.
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