Zelda is a marvel, a living, breathing three-dimensional character with a voice so distinctive she leaps off the page…. When We Were Vikings is the tale of Zelda’s quest for autonomy, and MacDonald charts her course admirably.

Heartwarming and unforgettable.

When We Were Vikings is eye-opening and heart-expanding. The mundane and the fantastic meet in a powerful mix of joy and sadness, as Zelda embarks on a legendary quest to gain her independence and protect what’s left of her family. By the last page, you will wish you were part of her tribe, too.

This original debut novel is by turns graphic, charming, moving — and ultimately uplifting.

A beautifully written novel . . . Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Fine and The Silver Linings Playbook.

A sweet, funny, dark, roller coaster ride of a book, about two unforgettable siblings trying to help each other grow up. Zelda is an entirely original character, a young woman with a cognitive disability, trying hard to navigate life on her own terms. But it’s her loving thug of a brother, Gert, that stole my heart. A wonderful book that’s less a novel than a movement, proving we can all be heroes of our own stories.

You shall not pass! These are the words of Zelda, but also my advice to any reader who is lucky enough to come across this book. Andrew David Macdonald has written of the finest debut novels I have ever encountered, and I have no doubt that he will become as legendary as the beloved Zelda. This book glows, it shines, and most of all, it’s important. Macdonald’s humanity and empathy make this a book worth treasuring. I’ve never, ever read anything like it. Zelda is fresh, she’s fearless, and she gives the reader hope, something so rare these days. She is brave, she is determined, and she will stay with you for all your days to come—there is a Zelda inside all of us, and this delicious book will give you the courage to face the things you fear the most. There is no better gift than a book that can change lives.

Told with skillful empathy, When We Were Vikings explores a violent world as experienced by Zelda, a girl with a mental disability finding her power. Andrew David MacDonald is a writer to watch, an insightful new voice who invents in ways that feel deeply personal.

In When We Were Vikings, MacDonald has written one of the most unique heroines I’ve ever read. You can’t help but root for, care about, and thoroughly enjoy Zelda and her quest to be legendary. A most-welcome and wonderful debut.

It is rare that a book comes along with a character like Zelda, whose singular vision of the world transforms your own. Noble, chivalrous, wise, and true, Zelda undertakes a heroic quest that will leave you breathless and profoundly changed. When We Were Vikings is a triumph. It made my heart sing, full-throttle, like a Viking in an opera.

One word: Epic. Not since Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, have I been so moved by a young girl’s earnest narrative.

The guileless Zelda, who narrates, is a joy, and her fierce love for her family drives her, even if it means running headlong into danger. MacDonald avoids oversentimentality and a too-neat resolution, instead depicting Zelda’s desire to shape her own life and be the hero of her own legend with frankness and humor. Readers will be inspired by the unforgettable Zelda.

MacDonald covers very difficult terrain: poverty, lack of health care, violence, child abuse, abandonment, and alcoholism. Yet Zelda prevails and becomes a hero in her own “legend.”….In this well-written and compelling novel, MacDonald conveys Zelda’s particular challenges and succeeds in bringing her to life.

Every so often a character transcends the page, leaping into readers’ hearts; when this phenomenon coincides with the debut of a superbly talented author such as Andrew David MacDonald, it’s even more extraordinary. In When We Were Vikings, MacDonald’s captivating, beautifully written and witty novel, he introduces to the literary world an unforgettable protagonist….When We Were Vikings sets [MacDonald] on a trajectory for a most legendary writing career.

A truly original story filled with love, tragedy, heartache, and triumph, and his heroine is sure to inspire readers to be legendary themselves.