Daughter of Fire and Ice

Jensen sets her fifteen year-old heroine's story in the ninth century, when Norwegian Vikings settled Iceland.

Thora is a healer with second-sight, who avoids an unwelcome marriage to a cruel chieftain when Bjorn, an Irish slave, kills him and they escape to Iceland.

Having fallen in love, they are imprisoned en route by a Faroese ruler, and Bjorn buys Thora’s freedom by marrying his demanding and vindictive daughter.

Although we are never really in doubt that ultimately true love will win through, there are interesting twists in the narrative, and an unexpected denouement.

Overall Jensen creates a detailed and evocative picture of life in a harsh land in a time very different to ours.