A review by kjulie
All the Horses of Iceland by Sarah Tolmie

reflective slow-paced
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This is a poetic story about an Icelandic trader travelling through Europe and Western Asia in the early ninth century. His primary objective is to buy horses to bring back to Iceland, but this isn’t a story about trade. It’s also not a story about travel. I think the best description would be to call it a magical history. It’s beautiful and subtle, suggesting depth and tradition. There was, however, a bit of a learning curve while reading, specifically in regards to the names of peoples and places. Sarah Tolmie is a scholar, and it shows; she has provided readers with language that doesn’t immediately draw upon preconceived stereotypes or “historical” narratives. I found myself looking up certain place names in order to orient myself as I read, but it didn’t draw me out of the lyrical writing, and it made the reading experience even more rich. 

Thank you to Tor Forge and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 
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