‘A vivid evocation of an ancient volcanic land…this world pulses with subversion and unexpected passion.’ Telegraph
‘Tobin inhabits this pagan land with the passion and intensity of her characters.’ Observer
‘A lyrically written epic…Tobin finds female complexity at the heart of Norse mythology.’ Sunday Telegraph
‘Here is a world where magic and mystery rise from the currents of nature and not in defiance of it.’ Independent on Sunday
ICE LAND is an epic tale of forbidden love. Set in the year 1000 AD, in the shadow of a smouldering volcano, it portrays a society on the brink of change, where the old values of loyalty and kinship are threatened by a new world order.
Freya knows that her people are doomed. Warned by the Fates of an impending catastrophe, she goes in search of a magnificent gold necklace said to have the power to alter the course of history. But to obtain the necklace, she must pay a terrible price and sell herself to the four brothers who created it.
Infused with the rich history and mythology of Iceland, Betsy Tobin's novel is a moving meditation on desire, the nature of belief and the redemptive power of the earth.