Black Shield Maiden

When I read the premise of Black Shield Maiden, I was intrigued by the mix of an African warrior among the culture and world of the Vikings. The concept of these two vastly different cultures mixing together had me curious, and I wasn't disappointed.Our main character is a young African princess, Yafeu who finds herself taken from all she's known and facing a life either as a slave or dead until she unwittingly encounters a group of Vikings as they pillage fresh shores. This meeting will change everything.I loved how Yafeu's strength and internal fire are felt from the page, and she truly comes to life as the book goes on. She's a warrior in many ways from the way she's raised, to her refusal to not give in when all is lost and I was firmly in her corner willing her on - I love that kind of writing when a fictional character feels so real that you can't help but look for them. Her journey is written so well from what is familiar and home for her in the Ghanaian empire to the cold and unknown lands of Norway, etc, that the Vikings call home. From her clansmen who she's known all her life, and the humidity that is again written so well, to the cold, and terrifying North the world building is done brilliantly and I was hooked from page one.The fantasy aspects are woven skillfully into what is known from history and the tales of Old. There is legends and lore told between Yafae and Freydis, whom she serves for a period of time as a somewhat lady's maid and eventual friend which are fascinating and the reader will undoubtedly feel as though they're sitting at the fireside with the two women. I do need to acknowledge that there is darkness in the book, as both cultures at the time were focused on war, aggression, the claiming of people as slaves, and of pillaging, etc.  It doesn't glorify it, but Yafae's journey of self-discovery, etcetera, stems from being snatched and sold as a slave. Freydis's own journey, albeit not physical, is again one that begins from having no control over her own life. Slavery is a central part of Yafae's life at various moments, and whilst the practice is indeed shameful, it is prevalent to Black Shield Maiden. For many, life was cruel, but it was especially cruel to women even if people such as the now infamous Shield Maidens make being a woman in Viking culture be free of the controls of their sex. (Thank you, Vikings, for that romanticisation of the culture).