by Andrew David MacDonald
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Without a doubt When We Were Vikings is a strong showing of first person perspective written well. Andrew David MacDonald brings us into the world of a 21-year-old with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). She is high functioning, for the most part, but certainly sees the world differently than many of us would. Her coping mechanism? Viking culture and ensuring she meets the expectations and structure of a Viking accordingly; thus we have villains, heroes, battle plans, romance and more.
Disability Representation
I feel like there is some good disability representation here. The reader is able to see that in some ways our characters are 100% competent, in others perhaps not so much. The one thing that is apparent is that society expects little from them; but also doesn't provide very good supports or encourage them to participate either. It's certain sad to think that many are under estimated and under utilized to the best of their abilities.
Sex
First let me disclose, I have known or know many children (and two adults) with Down syndrome, a child with q22 cognitive disfunction, and have a cousin with cerebral palsy; so I am not completely unfamiliar with the types of things that might 'trigger' or upset our leading gal. I'm also not squeamish about sex since my parents were very open and discussed it at length from when we were little. Yet I felt the exploitative nature of sex was awkward and a bit off putting in this novel. Not that our gal might have sex; but that it could easily be with someone who is taking advantage of them (as showcased in this plot). This sits awkwardly with me and of course shows the nature of why we must protect those with cognitive disabilities; while still allowing them their independence. It's a fine line and one that MacDonald clearly portrays for the reader. I suppose the awkwardness of it is intentional, and thus it's successful..?
Supporting Characters
The key to this entire story is actually the characters that surround our lead gal. Each of them is critical to her life and plays an important part. I thought the brother was the least developed and most one dimensional; ironic as he's arguably the most important. Each of the other characters is a specific archetype from her boyfriend 'the fair maiden', to AK47 the saviour, to the therapist who is like her cheerleader; they all advise, help and influence her into the decisions she ultimately makes.
Without these characters I do think the plot of the story and the decisions she makes would fall flat.
Overall
There is a lot to learn and think about in When We Were Vikings. I will admit I was choked up by the ending (a relatively uncommon reaction for me). The realization that any person, regardless of their physical or mental capacity, can be a hero to another is very profound. I have personally seen this in action; a baby that renews energizes a new Mom, a puppy that engages someone from depression, or a friend who says the right thing at the right moment and saves someone's life. These are things happening everyday around the world and I love the message in When We Were Vikings that it doesn't matter how: smart, strong, or sufficient someone might be or appear; they can still be a significant influence to anyone's life.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Without a doubt When We Were Vikings is a strong showing of first person perspective written well. Andrew David MacDonald brings us into the world of a 21-year-old with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). She is high functioning, for the most part, but certainly sees the world differently than many of us would. Her coping mechanism? Viking culture and ensuring she meets the expectations and structure of a Viking accordingly; thus we have villains, heroes, battle plans, romance and more.
Disability Representation
I feel like there is some good disability representation here. The reader is able to see that in some ways our characters are 100% competent, in others perhaps not so much. The one thing that is apparent is that society expects little from them; but also doesn't provide very good supports or encourage them to participate either. It's certain sad to think that many are under estimated and under utilized to the best of their abilities.
Sex
First let me disclose, I have known or know many children (and two adults) with Down syndrome, a child with q22 cognitive disfunction, and have a cousin with cerebral palsy; so I am not completely unfamiliar with the types of things that might 'trigger' or upset our leading gal. I'm also not squeamish about sex since my parents were very open and discussed it at length from when we were little. Yet I felt the exploitative nature of sex was awkward and a bit off putting in this novel. Not that our gal might have sex; but that it could easily be with someone who is taking advantage of them (as showcased in this plot). This sits awkwardly with me and of course shows the nature of why we must protect those with cognitive disabilities; while still allowing them their independence. It's a fine line and one that MacDonald clearly portrays for the reader. I suppose the awkwardness of it is intentional, and thus it's successful..?
Supporting Characters
The key to this entire story is actually the characters that surround our lead gal. Each of them is critical to her life and plays an important part. I thought the brother was the least developed and most one dimensional; ironic as he's arguably the most important. Each of the other characters is a specific archetype from her boyfriend 'the fair maiden', to AK47 the saviour, to the therapist who is like her cheerleader; they all advise, help and influence her into the decisions she ultimately makes.
Without these characters I do think the plot of the story and the decisions she makes would fall flat.
Overall
There is a lot to learn and think about in When We Were Vikings. I will admit I was choked up by the ending (a relatively uncommon reaction for me). The realization that any person, regardless of their physical or mental capacity, can be a hero to another is very profound. I have personally seen this in action; a baby that renews energizes a new Mom, a puppy that engages someone from depression, or a friend who says the right thing at the right moment and saves someone's life. These are things happening everyday around the world and I love the message in When We Were Vikings that it doesn't matter how: smart, strong, or sufficient someone might be or appear; they can still be a significant influence to anyone's life.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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1 comment:
This sounds like a pretty cool book, and possibly an important one too.
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