Grendel's Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015
237
Novel • Fiction
Scandinavia • 6th Century
2015
Adult
14+ years
Grendel's Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife by Susan Signe Morrison reimagines the tale of Brimhild, originally depicted as a monster in the epic Beowulf, as a strong woman navigating a patriarchal Medieval society. Found as an infant with mystical objects, Brimhild is raised by a fisherman and later marries King Hrothgar, but she and her son Grendel are eventually outcast as monstrous by their people. The book includes themes of violence, exile, and discrimination.
Mysterious
Dark
Melancholic
Fantastical
Contemplative
178 ratings
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Mixed feelings
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Grendel's Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife by Susan Signe Morrison offers a fresh and imaginative retelling of the Beowulf saga from a female perspective. Reviews praise its lyrical prose and rich historical detail, though some mention uneven pacing. Readers seeking a feminist twist on classic tales will find much to appreciate.
Readers captivated by feminist retellings of classic tales, as seen in Madeline Miller’s Circe or Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad, will enjoy Grendel’s Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife by Susan Signe Morrison. This novel artfully reimagines the Beowulf epic from the perspective of a key but often overlooked female character.
178 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
237
Novel • Fiction
Scandinavia • 6th Century
2015
Adult
14+ years
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