Lois 's Reviews > Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age

This was fascinating. My maternal grandmother was born in Norway, and so the history of the Viking Age has always held interest for me. Of course, the viking age doesn't just hail from Norway or even Scandinavia. Viking age culture is part of a much larger and richer history than has been conveyed thus far.

This author divided the history by chapters such as: love, beginnings, unfreedom, travel, etc. This format allowed this historian to really maximize Viking age history and tell a very human, everyday story of this period using relatable items like combs or other grooming tools. This method helped the subject matter feel applicable to today and familiar to the casual reader of history.

I saw in the posted reviews that some reviewers found this style a bit dry but I actually found it to be quite easily accessible. History is full of lists and other less exciting details. Historians are writing for and with accuracy, not pacing. If readers are unaccustomed to this kind of history text, I highly recommend the audiobook. I think it maintains the research integrity but balances that with faster pacing.

I truly loved the style and layout of this book. I think the layout helped to give such a personal view of folks who were alive during this time period. This is not like the TV show Vikings or common Hollywood depictions of the viking age.

This audiobook is narrated by the author, Eleanor Barraclough. This is a nonfiction history book and I enjoyed hearing the authors own excitement conveyed in the narration.

Thank you to Eleanor Barraclough, HighBridgeAudio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.