To maintain his power, Edwin-king of Deira and Bernicia, or Northumbria-must be at war, planning a war, or amassing information about other wars being fought in the region (at a time when communications were primarily person to person): We also experience the violence of this era along with Hild, who witnesses brutal battles and learns how to kill men herself.īritain is just emerging from the darkest of the Dark Ages. We smell pork roasting, observe rooks swooping, feel flax and wool beneath our fingers, hear seals barking off-shore, taste mead and small beer. Hilda (a sequel is in the works, apparently), Griffith immerses us-with very little editorial context-into Hild’s time and settings. To tell the first part of the story of how Hild became St. But Hild was a real person, known to history as St. But she has a different wyrd (fate): to serve as seer for her uncle, King Edwin.Ī strange world-it almost seems like a fantasy world. (I can’t remember another book in which I checked the front page map so many times.) As a daughter of a mysteriously murdered aethling (prince), Hild’s traditional path would have been as a peaceweaver (bride of royal blood) between kingdoms. Tinamutha, Bebbanburg, Yeavering, Gipswic, Elmet, Lindum, Arbeia: places in seventh-century Britain that you’ll visit with Hild, the book’s main character.

Classes of people: gesiths, thegns, wealh. Kingdoms and tribes: Yffings, Iddings, Gewisse, Rheged, Alt Clut, Dal Riata, Dyfneint. Some are mentioned only in passing, but others are important characters. These are people in Hild by Nicola Griffith. Eorpwald, Eadbald, Eamer, Eadfrith, Eanflaed. Guenmon and Gwaldus (pronounced oo-la-doose). Osfrith, Osric, Oeric, Onnen, Oswine, Osthyrth. Aethelric, Aethelburh, Aedilgith, Aelberht, and the aethelings. Breguswith-not to be confused with Begu-and Hereswith.

Hild by nicola griffith