Zelda

Zelda is the novel’s narrator and protagonist. She is 21 years old and has cognitive disabilities. Her mother was an alcoholic who drank heavily when she was pregnant with Zelda. Zelda was thereby affected by fetal alcohol syndrome, which is the cause of her cognitive disabilities. However, Zelda is still fairly intelligent. She is deeply interested in the history and culture of Vikings. She even thinks of herself as a Viking and often considers her life in terms of her desire to be a Viking hero. Zelda’s mother died of cancer years ago, and her father has been estranged from Zelda and her brother Gert for years. Zelda and Gert live in an apartment together. When Zelda was a minor, Gert was her legal guardian, and he is still now her de facto caretaker.

Zelda attends classes at a local community center, and her character arc is...