Burned, Bound, and Reborn

Long ago, a nameless witch skilled in seid—magic that divines the future—teaches her craft to both the Aesir and Vanir gods. Odin, hungry for forbidden knowledge, turns on her when he learns she's also aiding his rivals. Branded Gullveig, "gold-lust," she's stabbed, burned, and reborn three times, each time resisting Odin's attempts to force her into the darkest depths of prophecy. Her suffering sparks the first war among the gods. Fleeing, she leaves her heart behind, only to have it found by a curious, mischievous stranger. This is the beginning of a new existence, one marked by pain, resilience, and the promise of transformation.

The Trickster's Gift

In the wilds of Ironwood, the witch—now calling herself Angrboda—meets Loki, the shape-shifting trickster. He returns her heart, sparking a strange friendship built on banter, mutual wariness, and the thrill of unpredictability. Loki's irreverence and Angrboda's guarded wisdom create a dynamic of challenge and comfort. Their connection is immediate, yet fraught with secrets and the scars of past betrayals. Loki's presence is both a balm and a threat, as Angrboda senses the danger of being drawn back into the gods' games. Still, she allows herself to hope for peace, even as the world's edges seem to close in.

Ironwood's Solitude

Angrboda settles in a cave at Ironwood's edge, seeking anonymity and healing. She builds a life from scratch, learning to survive on meager resources and the occasional company of Loki, who drifts in and out like a restless spirit. The forest is haunted by memories and rumors of ancient witches and wolf-mothers. Angrboda's days are filled with small acts of creation—gardening, potion-making, and the slow, painful process of reclaiming her body and heart. The solitude is both a refuge and a prison, as she tries to forget the world that burned her and the gods who would not let her rest.

Unlikely Friendships Forged

A near-fatal encounter with Skadi, a formidable giantess and huntress, leads to an unexpected alliance. Skadi's practicality and trading acumen complement Angrboda's magical skills. Together, they establish a barter system: potions for supplies, survival for both. Skadi's presence brings warmth and structure to Angrboda's isolated life, and their friendship deepens through shared labor and mutual respect. The cave transforms into a home, filled with handmade furniture, laughter, and the beginnings of trust. Yet, beneath the surface, both women carry wounds—loss, ambition, and the longing for something more than mere survival.

A Witch's Domesticity

With Skadi's help, Angrboda's cave becomes a haven. She learns the rhythms of domestic life—cooking, gardening, trading—while Loki's visits add chaos and color. The witch's potions gain renown, reaching far beyond Ironwood. Yet, the specter of prophecy lingers. Angrboda is determined to avoid the fate that seid once brought her, refusing to peer into the future or meddle in the affairs of gods. Her heart, though mended, remains wary. The peace she's found is fragile, threatened by the world's demands and the unpredictable tides of love and friendship.

Wounds, Pranks, and Healing

Loki's penchant for trouble leads to disaster when he's punished by the gods—his mouth sewn shut for a prank gone awry. He seeks refuge with Angrboda, who tends his wounds with care and exasperation. Their bond deepens through shared vulnerability, humor, and the unspoken understanding of outsiders. Loki's stories of Asgard are tinged with bitterness, revealing the cost of being different among gods. Angrboda, in healing him, confronts her own scars and the possibility of opening her heart again. Their intimacy grows, blurring the lines between friendship and something more dangerous.

Winter's Unwanted Guests

A magical mishap leaves Loki transformed into a mare, pregnant with a supernatural colt. Angrboda cares for him through a long, lonely winter, their roles reversed and boundaries tested. The birth of Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse, marks a turning point—both a gift to Odin and a symbol of the strange family they are building. Skadi's visits bring news of the world beyond, and Angrboda's cave becomes a crossroads of myth and reality. The seasons turn, and with them, the witch's sense of belonging and the inevitability of change.

Children of Prophecy

Angrboda and Loki's relationship blossoms into love, fraught with passion and foreboding. Their union produces three extraordinary children: Hel, half-dead and wise beyond her years; Fenrir, a wolf of immense power; and Jormungand, a serpent destined for greatness. Each child is both a joy and a harbinger of doom, their existence echoing the prophecies Angrboda has tried to escape. The family's happiness is shadowed by the knowledge that the gods will not tolerate such threats. Angrboda's heart, once healed, is now stretched between hope and dread.

The Gods' Cruel Bargain

The gods, fearing the children's power, descend upon Ironwood. With Loki's reluctant complicity, they steal Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungand from their mother, binding them to fates of exile, imprisonment, and isolation. Angrboda is left broken, her heart shattered anew by betrayal and grief. The bonds of love and trust are severed, and the witch is forced to confront the limits of her power. Her solitude returns, now haunted by the absence of her children and the knowledge that prophecy cannot be outrun.

Love, Loss, and Betrayal

In the aftermath, Angrboda is rescued by Skadi, who nurses her back to life. Their friendship deepens into love, offering solace and strength in a world that has taken everything from them. Together, they weather the long winter of grief, finding meaning in small acts of care and the rebuilding of home. Yet, the shadow of Ragnarok looms, and Angrboda is drawn back into the web of fate. The lessons of love and loss become the foundation for a final act of defiance.

The Prophecy's Shadow

Angrboda's seid returns, bringing with it visions of the world's end—Ragnarok. She sees the deaths of gods and monsters, the burning of the worlds, and the survival of only a chosen few. The knowledge is both a burden and a weapon. As the final winter descends, she prepares a spell to shield her daughter, Hel, from the coming fire. The cost is great: her own life, her heart, and the acceptance that some endings cannot be changed. Yet, in embracing her power, she finds purpose and peace.

The Gathering Storm

Fimbulwinter arrives, and the world is plunged into chaos. Skadi joins the giants in their march against the gods, while Angrboda remains behind, perfecting her spell and caring for Hel. The bonds of love and friendship are tested one last time, as each woman chooses her path. The witch's cave becomes a sanctuary, a place of memory and hope amid the gathering storm. As the sun and moon are devoured, and the armies of gods and giants assemble, Angrboda prepares for her final act.

The End Begins

The bonds holding Loki and his sons break, and the final battle erupts. Fenrir devours Odin; Jormungand and Thor slay each other; Skadi and the she-wolf fall in battle. Loki, freed and scarred, leads the dead against the gods. Angrboda, wielding the full force of her power, shields Hel and Baldur from Surt's flames, sacrificing herself in the process. The world burns, and the old order is destroyed. In the ashes, the seeds of a new beginning are sown.

Sacrifice and Survival

As the fire consumes all, Angrboda's spell holds, saving Hel and Baldur. The witch's heart, once broken and mended, becomes the source of new life. The survivors awaken in a world reborn, green and full of promise. Angrboda is gone, her presence lingering in memory and legend. Hel, healed and whole, must learn to live in this new world, carrying forward the lessons of love, loss, and resilience. The cycle of sacrifice and survival continues, echoing through the ages.

The New World's Dawn

In the aftermath, Hel and Baldur create a life together at the edge of the world. The old gods are gone, but their stories remain, shaping the lives of those who come after. The world is green and peaceful, a testament to the endurance of love and the possibility of renewal. The past is honored, not forgotten, as new generations learn the tales of gods, giants, and witches. The dawn of a new age is both an ending and a beginning.

Stories That Remain

The story of Angrboda, the witch's heart, and the family she built becomes legend. Her descendants tell tales of her courage, wisdom, and sacrifice, ensuring that she is never truly forgotten. The world moves on, but the memory of those who loved fiercely and defied fate lingers. In the end, it is not prophecy or power that endures, but the stories we tell and the love we leave behind.

Characters

Angrboda

Angrboda is a witch of immense power and resilience, marked by suffering and rebirth. Once Gullveig, burned and betrayed by the gods, she flees to Ironwood to forge a new life. Her journey is one of healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—as she builds a home, forms deep friendships, and dares to love again. As a mother to Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungand, she is fiercely protective, yet haunted by the knowledge that her children are fated for tragedy. Angrboda's psychological depth lies in her struggle between hope and fatalism, her longing for peace, and her refusal to be defined by the violence done to her. Her ultimate act of sacrifice—shielding her daughter from Ragnarok—cements her legacy as a figure of love, endurance, and quiet defiance.

Loki

Loki is the embodiment of unpredictability—witty, irreverent, and deeply wounded. As Odin's blood brother and a shape-shifter, he straddles the line between god and outcast, never fully belonging. His relationship with Angrboda is complex: equal parts affection, rivalry, and mutual need. As a father, he is both loving and unreliable, his actions often driven by impulse and a desire to escape boredom. Loki's psychological complexity is rooted in his fear of being controlled, his longing for acceptance, and his self-destructive tendencies. His role in the prophecy—fathering monsters, betraying the gods, and leading the dead—reflects his inability to escape the consequences of his nature. In the end, Loki is both a victim and an agent of fate, his love and flaws intertwined.

Skadi

Skadi is a giantess defined by independence, skill, and a fierce sense of justice. Her initial encounter with Angrboda is adversarial, but it quickly evolves into a partnership built on mutual respect and shared hardship. Skadi's practical wisdom and emotional fortitude make her a stabilizing force in Angrboda's life. Her journey from vengeance to love is marked by loss—her father's death, a failed marriage, and the looming end of the world. Skadi's psychological depth lies in her struggle to balance duty and desire, her willingness to fight for what she believes in, and her capacity for tenderness. Her final choice—to join the giants in battle, even at the cost of her life—reflects her commitment to agency and honor.

Hel

Hel is born half-dead, wise beyond her years, and destined for greatness and isolation. As the ruler of the underworld, she embodies both the pain of abandonment and the strength of self-reliance. Her relationship with Angrboda is fraught with misunderstanding, resentment, and eventual reconciliation. Hel's psychological journey is one of acceptance—of her nature, her power, and her capacity for love. Her healing, both literal and metaphorical, is made possible by her mother's sacrifice. In the new world, Hel becomes a figure of hope and continuity, carrying forward the lessons of the past.

Fenrir

Fenrir is the embodiment of raw power and untamed emotion. Born a wolf, he is both beloved and feared, his destiny shaped by the gods' terror of his strength. His relationship with Angrboda is marked by loyalty and longing, while his bond with Loki is strained by betrayal. Fenrir's psychological arc is one of frustration and rage, chafing against the bonds imposed upon him. His ultimate role in Ragnarok—devouring Odin and dying in battle—reflects the tragedy of being shaped by others' fears. Fenrir is both a victim and an agent of fate, his story a meditation on freedom and inevitability.

Jormungand

Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent, is a creature of isolation and latent power. Cast into the sea by the gods, he grows to encircle the world, his presence both feared and misunderstood. His relationship with his family is marked by distance and longing, his voice rarely heard. Jormungand's psychological depth lies in his endurance—surviving exile, bearing the weight of prophecy, and ultimately facing his fate with dignity. His battle with Thor at Ragnarok is both a fulfillment of destiny and a testament to the enduring bonds of family.

Odin

Odin is the relentless pursuer of knowledge, willing to sacrifice anything—including others—for wisdom and power. His relationship with Angrboda is defined by exploitation and violence, his actions setting the stage for war and tragedy. Odin's psychological complexity is rooted in his fear of the unknown, his need for control, and his willingness to embrace darkness for the sake of order. He is both a creator and destroyer, his legacy marked by the suffering he inflicts and the world he shapes. In the end, Odin is undone by the very forces he sought to master.

Freyja

Freyja is a figure of beauty, power, and ambition. As a practitioner of seid, she is both a student and rival to Angrboda, their relationship marked by envy and grudging respect. Freyja's role in the story is that of a survivor—adapting, manipulating, and enduring in a world shaped by male power. Her psychological depth lies in her pragmatism, her capacity for both kindness and cruelty, and her understanding of the costs of magic. Freyja is a reminder of the complexities of female power in a world that fears and covets it.

Sigyn

Sigyn is defined by loyalty—to Loki, to her children, and to her own sense of duty. Her initial encounter with Angrboda is antagonistic, but shared suffering leads to understanding and forgiveness. Sigyn's psychological journey is one of endurance—bearing witness to her family's destruction, holding the bowl above Loki's head, and finding meaning in small acts of care. She is a figure of quiet strength, her love both a source of pain and a shield against despair.

The She-Wolf

The she-wolf is a remnant of the old world, a companion to Angrboda and a symbol of the lost Jarnvidjur. Her presence is both comforting and haunting, a reminder of what has been forgotten and what endures. As a guide, she helps Angrboda reclaim her power and identity, offering wisdom and perspective. The she-wolf's psychological depth lies in her acceptance of mortality, her loyalty, and her role as a bridge between past and present.

Plot Devices

Seid and Prophecy

Seid, the witch's magic, is the central plot device—allowing Angrboda to see and shape the future, but also marking her as a target for the gods' fear and violence. Prophecy is both a burden and a weapon, driving the narrative's tension between fate and free will. The story's structure mirrors the cyclical nature of Norse myth: beginnings and endings, death and rebirth, the inevitability of Ragnarok. Foreshadowing is woven throughout, as Angrboda's visions and the gods' actions converge on the prophesied end. The narrative's pacing is shaped by seasons, the passage of time, and the slow build toward catastrophe. The interplay of memory, trauma, and storytelling blurs the line between past and present, myth and reality.

Transformation and Rebirth

The motif of burning, dying, and returning is central—Angrboda's repeated rebirths, Loki's shape-shifting, the monstrous children's transformations, and the world's destruction and renewal. These cycles reflect the psychological processes of healing, grief, and self-discovery. The characters' identities are fluid, shaped by love, loss, and the demands of survival. The narrative structure echoes this, with chapters that revisit and reinterpret earlier events, building layers of meaning and emotional resonance.

Family and Found Family

The story's emotional core is the creation and loss of family—by blood, by choice, by circumstance. Angrboda's relationships with Loki, Skadi, her children, and the she-wolf form a tapestry of connection that defies the gods' attempts to control and destroy. The plot is driven by acts of care—healing, teaching, protecting, forgiving. The found family motif is a counterpoint to the violence and betrayal of the gods, offering hope and meaning in a world shaped by suffering.

Sacrifice and Survival

The narrative is structured around acts of sacrifice—Angrboda's willingness to suffer for her children, Skadi's choice to fight, Loki's acceptance of punishment, Sigyn's loyalty. Survival is not just physical, but emotional and spiritual—the ability to endure, to remember, to love in the face of loss. The story's resolution is not triumph, but the quiet persistence of memory and the stories that remain.

Analysis

Genevieve Gornichec's The Witch's Heart is a profound reimagining of Norse myth, centering the marginalized voices of women and monsters in a world dominated by gods and fate. Through Angrboda's journey, the novel explores the costs of survival—how trauma, love, and loss shape identity and legacy. The story interrogates the nature of prophecy: Is fate immutable, or can it be subverted by acts of care and defiance? Gornichec's narrative suggests that while some endings are inevitable, the meaning we make in the face of doom—through love, friendship, and storytelling—endures beyond destruction. The novel's lessons are deeply modern: the importance of found family, the power of resilience, and the necessity of reclaiming one's story from those who would erase or exploit it. In the end, The Witch's Heart is a meditation on the endurance of love and the stories that outlast even the gods.

Last updated: November 2, 2025