The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Gornichec, Genevieve. The Witch’s Heart Penguin Random House, 2021.

The novel is narrated in the third-person past with a close focus on Angrboda. Part One begins like a traditional myth. Long ago, when the gods were all young, there was a witch who lived amongst the Aesir called Gullveig. She was skilled in seid, a magic that allowed her to travel out of her body and into the future. Odin wanted her to teach him how to perform seid and to see all the way to the end of the world, but she was frightened to touch the apocalypse the gods called Ragnarok. She refused to do ask Odin asked, and she started teaching the Aesir’s enemies, the Vanir, how to perform seid as well. In retaliation, Odin had her burned three times and speared out her heart.

The two sects of gods began a war and the witch escaped to Ironwood, which was on the edge of the world. A woman named Mother Witch had lived in the woods before. The witch wondered if she had been Mother Witch, but she could not remember her life before she was with the gods. She decided she did not want the name Gullveig anymore, since the gods had given it to her. She changed her name to Angrboda. Odin’s blood-brother, Loki, arrived in Ironwood and gave Angrboda her heart back. The two struck up a conversation and became close friends. Over the next few years, Loki came back to Angrboda’s cave many times to talk with her. Angrboda made friends with a huntress named Skadi who helped her sell potions so she could live a more comfortable life.

Loki and Angrboda fell in love and married. Loki continued to spend much of his time away from Angrboda. She got pregnant and spent the winter with Skadi. Angrboda nearly had a miscarriage, but she felt her daughter dying and used her magic to pull her daughter’s soul back from the underworld so she could be born. Angrboda gave birth to Hel, who was born with legs whose skin was rotting off. Angrboda concocted potions to help Hel, but she could not cure her. Loki arrived from his travels and fell in love with Hel, who would always be his favorite child. The gods had made him marry Sigyn, who had also had children. Loki spent most of his time with Angrboda and Hel though. Soon, Angrboda gave birth to Fenrir, a wolf. Odin found Angrboda with his mind and started plaguing her dreams in an attempt to find out the details of Ragnarok.

Angrboda gave birth to Jormungand, a snake. She realized that her visions of Ragnarok included a giant wolf and a humongous snake. She worried that her sons would die fighting in the apocalypse. Loki came to see Angrboda but was followed by Sigyn. She was disgusted when she realized that Angrboda’s children were beasts, and she called them monsters. Angrboda was infuriated, so she used her magic to access the future and then she forced Sigyn to see a vision of her own sons dying. Loki left with Sigyn and Angrboda performed a spell to keep him out forever.

Skadi’s cousin, Gerd, allowed Loki to pass the barrier. Loki told Angrboda he wanted to talk to her away from the children. However, his aim was to lure her away while Thor and the other gods captured their children and took them away. Angrboda was furious and betrayed. Thor hit her with his hammer and nearly killed her. The gods locked away her sons and sent Hel to the underworld where she would be ruler of the dead souls. Before Hel was sent, she befriended Baldur and fell in love with him at first sight.

Angrboda’s soul was forced by Odin to see the apocalypse. She saw his son, Baldur, being killed by his brother. She saw Loki bound and tortured. She saw three years of winter. She saw Loki escaping with his sons and leading an army of the dead against Odin. She saw the world consumed by fire.

In Part Two, Angrboda recovered from her injuries with the help of Skadi. Angrboda lost the ability to perform seid and went on a journey to figure out who she was and how she could reach her children. She met up with a she-wolf who helped her remember that before she lived with the gods she was Mother Witch. She started to practice her magic so she could create a shield against fire. She ran into Freyja, who helped her regain her ability to use seid.

Angrboda went to see Hel in the underworld, but Hel was angry and turned her away. Loki killed Odin’s son Baldur by guiding his blind brother’s arrow toward him. Loki had done this so Hel would not be lonely. Loki asked Angrboda to help him, but she refused and sent him away. He was captured by the gods and tortured.

Angrboda went home and met up with her old friend Skadi. The three-year winter began and the two women confessed their romantic feelings to one another. After three-years, Angrboda decided to release Loki so that he could convince Hel to come to Angrboda during the apocalypse. Angrboda released Loki, which released all the bonds of the universe. Loki convinced Hel to go see Angrboda while he and his sons went to fight the gods with the giants.

Hel and Baldur appeared in Ironwood and Angrboda was devastated to see that Hel was dying because her heart was weak. She realized that Hel and Baldur were in love. She gave Hel her heart, then performed magic to keep Hel and Baldur safe from the fires of Ragnarok.

In Part Three, Hel woke up as a human and lived the rest of her life with Baldur. They told many stories to their children about the gods.