I loved this book. I found Ginn's world unfolding around me, thanks to the rich and vivid descriptions. For the first time in years, I actually sat down and read a book straight through. I might not have gotten much sleep last night, but my reader's soul is more than satisfied. ( )

This book grabbed me from the start and wouldn't let go. I was very intrigued by Jen's 22nd century life, where a simulation tank allowed people to live the lives of long-gone cultures. One day, a glitch in the tank sends Jen back to real 10th century Iceland where she must learn how to really fit in with the culture she has studied for years. She quickly learns that even the best historian can't get all the little details right and occasionally makes embarrassing mistakes, all while falling in love with a man believed to be cursed.
This is definitely a new favorite! I would love to see a sequel! ( )

This story begins in Iceland in the future where we live in sterile, minimalist environments probably because we've ruined a good deal of our planet. Then, when at work doing a procedure in water, she was transported to in the year 920. She awakens to Vikings where she begins a journey that she's always dreamed of, but isn't sure if she should stay.

This was an excellent book; I loved it! As I read I found myself being drawn more & more into the story until I was part of the story. The descriptive text was easy to visualize, & the story both scared & excited you at the same time. I didn't want it to end, but when it did end, I was sad because I couldn't continue 'my life' in 930ad Iceland.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, stories of other worlds & other times, time travel, or just a good story. ( )

Amazon Description:
In a bleak future built on virtual reality, Ginn is a romantic who yearns for something real. She designs environments for people who play at being Vikings. But when her project goes awry, she’s stranded in the actual 10th century, on a storybook farm in Viking Iceland.

Heirik is the young leader of his family, honored by the men and women who live on his land. But he is feared and isolated because of a terrible curse. Ginn and Heirik are two people who never thought they would find a home in someone else’s heart. When forces rise against them to keep them apart, Ginn is called on to decide—will she give up the brutal and beautiful reality of the past? Or will she have the courage to traverse time and become more of a Viking than she ever imagined?

Opinions:
Narration: First Person through Ginn

Character Development and Plot: The story is told through Ginn’s eyes. Coming from the 22nd century, her world is vastly different than Iceland she ends up in. Ginn is not satisfied with the life she had in the future. When she ends up 1200 years in the past, she takes in everything she can – the voices and surroundings. She ends up in a wealthy farmland. The chief of the land is Heirik – who is considered cursed by his strange birthmarks along much of his face and body. Ginn ends up falling in love with Heirik, and he with her. However, superstition remains in the way. No one has ever touched Heirik at all. How does she show Heirik that everything is okay? That she will not be cursed if he touches her. How does she show the people of the farm that as well? In other matters, Ginn does not do well with most of the chores done around the farm. Her thread making is terrible, and she tries to fit in. However, she makes a friend in Betta which helps her through the days in Iceland. The characters slowly grow over time in their own way. I’m not that familiar with Viking history – especially in Iceland. I would have to say that the only thing that I imagine should have been a little different is the reaction of the few characters that eventually learn that Ginn is from the future.

The story tightly weaves Viking history into it. There is a lot of tradition and daily life in the book. The flow of the story is a little slow for my usually reading. I think that some more dialogue might have helped in spots of long descriptions. The book contains a lot of breaks within the chapters. I know some people really like this and others don’t. I don’t mind either way.

Standalone or Part of a Series: Standalone ( )

As I licked the batter from the rim of the mixing bowl, I ground into the flour and baking soda particle clumps that didn’t smooth into the concoction. My face scrunches up in consternation, but I soldier on, determined to find nirvana. I am thwarted again when the kitchen timer chimes; tricked into believing the product is done, I find the brownies gooey and undercooked in the middle. Satisfaction only arrives when I work my way to the edges that are baked just right. This, my peeps, mirrors my journey through this novel. I don’t think I can say anything that expresses this story better than the title already has; it’s a beautiful wreck.

For the first 30 pages, I was muddled in the futuristic concept of the Viking virtual reality. There was absolutely no continuity with the exposition; luckily I could grasp enough of the terms to figure out what was happening. If I hadn’t been so determined to finish due to my investment in the characters, I would’ve quit before I hit page 50. Once the heroine, Ginn, made the jump through hyperspace, the shift in pacing was tremendous. Instant chemistry developed between Ginn and Heirik. It was too easy picturing another current Viking fave (Why, hello Chris Helmsworth a.k.a. Thor. Yum!) as the brooding leader.

Even with that distraction, the plot often bogged down in Viking culture—although that did lend itself to the authenticity of time and place. And about half way through the novel’s batter became lumpy with the relationships turning into high school drama. It was almost a relief when Ginn jumped back to the future taking a break from the hurt feelings and misunderstandings. However, by the end, the author hit her stride, much like Ginn did when she returns to Viking land as a force to reckon with. She doesn’t mess around playing any more childish games.

If it wasn’t for those god-awful lapses in writing? editing? (and that cover!) this story would easily cook into a blue ribbon special. Romance, action, adventure, mystery, and intrigue: they all blend together into a messy batter, lumps included. ( )