Gone Viking by Helen Russell

Gone Viking Reviews

• 
  Laura

  Book reviews on
  www.snazzybooks.com
  
  Gone Viking is a humorous, fun story about discovering what's really important, all told through the eyes of 'frazzled' mum Alice.
  
  The characters are good fun (some more likable than others); I found main character Alice quite hard to warm to, especially at first - I suppose I don't have a lot in common with her as a character. However, following her and the group's adventures during their Viking 'holiday' is really amusing, and the story is uplifting and engaging. I really liked Inge, in particular - she is someone to aspire to in many ways!
  
  Some parts of Gone Viking are ridiculous, but you kind of expect that, and there are some more emotional parts too, meaning this isn't completely light and fluffy. You follow Alice as she really changes during her time away, and see her grow as she realises what's really important, and learns to loosen up a bit! 
  
  An amusing, fun read in the 'women's fic' category which doesn't just focus on relationships!
• 
  Asia (zupa.czyta)

  Przedstawiam Wam najzabawniejszą powieść tego lata (a kto wie, może nawet i roku). Podczas lektury nie zabraknie Wam dzikich rechotów, parsknięć śmiechem i chichotania pod nosem!
  Alice nie ma czasu na przyjemności: pracuje jako dentystka, ogarnia dwójkę dzieci i męża-łajzę, ma na swojej głowie domowe obowiązki, poza tym we wszystkim chce być najlepsza i nie pozwala sobie na potknięcia (no, może jeden jedyny raz na wyjeździe służbowym). Jej siostra Melissa nie mogłaby się bardziej różnić od naszej bohaterki: żyje w domu pełnym zwierząt, uwielbia niezdrowe żarcie i patrzy na świat z dystansem, podczas gdy Alice ma przysłowiowy kijek w tyłku i jest ździebko aspołeczna. Gdy obydwie dziewczyny postanawiają wybrać się razem na wywczas, Alice ma nadzieję, że trafi do jakiegoś przytulnego hoteliku, odpręży się i zrelaksuje. Nic z tego! Melissa zabukowała im tydzień na obozie przetrwania dla Wikingów. W Danii! Spartańskie warunki, hipsterski opiekun i jedyne w swoim rodzaju towarzyszki sprawią, że będzie to dla naszej bohaterki niezapomniana podróż (również w głąb siebie)!
  
  Nie będę się zbyt długo rozwodzić - ta książka jest genialna! Musicie jedynie wiedzieć, że zarówno komizm językowy, jak i sytuacyjny dosłownie zwalają z nóg. W drugiej połowie książki robi się odrobinę poważniej, dziewczyny zmagają się z sobą nawzajem i ze swoimi problemami, nie znaczy to jednak, że humor kompletnie zanika. To jest niezwykle pozytywna i ciepła opowieść, wypełniona komicznymi sytuacjami i kilkoma świeżymi, życiowymi hasłami - instagramowi kołcze mogliby się wiele nauczyć od wikingów ;)
  
  BARDZO POLECAM! A w przyszłości, gdy tylko dowiem się, że Helen Russell wydaje u nas kolejną książkę, to bierę ją w ciemno i bez zastanowienia!
• 
  Sean

  Most excellent
  
  This is more of a woman's book, an empowering story highlighting some of the ways women in the modern world are challenged by themselves, their career, and their families.
  
  Having read Helen's Year of Living Danishly I was prepared for all the mess of life presented here and the Scandi (Viking) solutions.
  
  I loved it. I loved the relationships, the characters, and the simple plot. Look, a good story does not need to be convoluted.
  
  I listened to the audio version. Be warned there is a lot of screaming in the beginning.
• 
  aikaterine

  *UPDATE 15/12/2020
  I decided to give this another chance, because, honestly, I've DNF'ed much worse books.
  
  DNF'ed at 48%.
  Not a bad read, but not exactly what I was in the mood for.
• 
  Desmond Reid

  ‘I keep four Sainsbury bags for life in my car. I’m the in charge person’
  
  Sensible 30 something Alice Ray always keeps it together. But after a drunken encounter with ‘Mr. Teeth’ at a Dental Convention, she finally gives in to her estranged sister and goes on holiday with her.
  
  But when she finds herself freezing in a Danish field, she didn’t expect to be signed up for a berserker Viking camp. If Alice and Melissa are to survive each other, they’re going to have to embrace their inner Viking....
  
  In this unprecedented time of a global pandemic, urgent measures are required for mental survival. So, I grab Helen’s Russells debut novel on sisterly survival in Denmark. Russell previously penned her adventures relocating to the land of the Viking in ‘The Year of Living Danishly’. A travelogue which proved equal measure hilarious and insightful.
  
  We meet Alice attending a Dental convention. A so - so marriage with indifferent kids back home, she has a fumble at her Premiere Inn hotel with a fellow delegate she vaguely remembers as ‘Mr. Teeth’.
  
  Under duress she seeks distraction by Melissa’s offer to get away. For all Alice self loathing, Melissa is her opposite, who thumps her sister on the arm in greeting and eats ‘....like Elvis after Ramadan’
  
  Visions of spa relaxation are gone when Alice finds herself in front of topless Magus, their Viking guide. A man in love with his own skin wearing palatial pants and a braided beard in the manner ‘...of an old fashioned bog chain’.
  
  In Viking tradition he bequeaths their other party noble names: Tricia, a buxom older blonde: ‘Proud Chest’, Margot ‘...a model - esque twenty something with caramel coloured hair and the ass that won’t quit’ - ‘Night Wolf’. Melissa is ‘Strong Legs’ and to Alice horror she is known as ‘Aslog’ - ‘“Ass Log”? As in Ass Log?’
  
  When Magus is taken out by some rogue berries - it is the ‘Amazonian Goddess’ that is Inge who steps up to complete their Viking training. All knowing, she dispenses such Viking lore as ‘Don’t apologize!’
  
  The women under Inge wisdom, work out their individual issues including the reckoning of the sisters fraught relationship involving the demise of their mother. At times while a little overly dramatic, the humour is fast with many funny cultural references of days past. (Melissa stopped watching TV after 1997 ‘...as a one women protest at ‘Soldier, Soldier’ being axed from ITV. I feel her pain).
  
  A fast and entertaining read with parts social commentary, humour and pathos. A welcome distraction, as we all need a good dose of Inge to repel the dark times of COVID - 19. 8/10
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Justyna Golat

  I did not expect this book to affect me so much. I picked it up randomly at a newsagent's (not even at a proper bookstore!) because I finished the book I had with me and needed something light to read on the way back home. Anyways, I was expecting a light, cheesy, slightly goofy book and 'Gone Viking' definitely has moments that are a little bit cheesy, it contains more poop and barf jokes that you would imagine but at the same time it is surprisingly deep and emotional. It actually made me rethink my actions and how I treat others (a thing that none of the self-help, psychological books managed to accomplish so far). + I'm a total fan of everything Viking so I loved the concept and setting of the book. Much recommended!
• 
  Meredith Spidel

  I love Helen Russell. She is the master of a too-relatable voice that makes you laugh while gently introducing a heavy dose of introspection--with a truly smart, life-improving perspective. All of this tied up in a delicious novel with an uber-original plot full of heart-string tugging? Count me in for whatever Russell pens!
• 
  Kate

  2.5 stars.. what to write about this? Parts of it I enjoyed yet other parts I wanted to stab my eye out with a spoon.. it really wasn’t what I was expecting, what I was expecting I don’t really know but this wasn’t it hah... I enjoyed the Viking bits.. I think Alice was my problem
• 
  Noemi Proietti

  Alice Ray doesn’t have time to sit and relax. She has a full-time job as a dentist, two young children, and a husband who spends his days watching news on TV, while she cleans, cook, and takes the children to school. With a house full of animals and no wi-fi, her sister Melissa couldn’t be more different, but when she proposes a week away in a spa, Alice can’t say no. But the spa turns out to be a getaway in Denmark on how to be a Viking, learning to build boats, use swords, and become a warrior, together with two other women. For Alice this is also a chance to let herself go, improve her relationship with her sister, and face the fact that she is in an unhappy marriage.
  This book is hilarious, the characters are hilarious, and the situations they get themselves in are hilarious. I laughed out loud from start to finish, although there are also a few moving moments. The characters are engaging and realistic, each of them with a different story to tell. An uplifting, very well-written, and witty novel with the perfect ending to a great story!
• 
  Mandy Baggot

  An absolutely fantastic, uplifting, laugh-out-loud story that had me turning the pages at pace. This will resonate with every woman who lives her life struggling to maintain balance. I loved Alice and every member of her Viking group, each bringing something different to the story. It left me with a tear in my eye and a wish to live more in the moment. Highly recommended!
• 
  Inma

  Un libro para leer en un momento en el que te apetece desconectar y no pensar mucho. Es ligero, divertido y te hace pasar un buen rato con unos cuantos giros argumentales. Es rápido y fácil; si lo lees cuando buscas entretenimiento y ya, te gustará. No le doy 5 estrellas porque no lo veo a la altura de un librazo, pero a mí me ha encantado.
• 
  shales.daughter

  Having read The Year of Living Danishly, which was a pleasant and interesting surprise, I had expected more from this one, but it was a deja-vu, predictable and hence boring. Nonetheless, I admit that at times it was funny.
• 
  Chrystal

  This book was absolutely delightful from beginning to end. I never wanted to finish it but I must go practice my axe throwing and find my hygge now. Seriously...read this!
• 
  Karl

  Largely predictable but still a good read.
• 
  Simona

  *Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
  
  Two sisters, who couldn’t be any different from each other. Alice is busy with her job, family and life in general. Melissa, however, loves animals and leads a very diverse lifestyle. It’s her, who suggests a spa holiday for the two of them.
  
  The two women find themselves in Denmark, on a “How to be a Viking” getaway. Alice finally needs to learn to let go and it’s the chance for the siblings to finally put away all their problems and differences.
  
  There are a lot of characters and all of them have a story to tell. I felt it was a bit too much at times. The book is full of hilarious moments and that made the storyline very authentic.
  
  I also learned a lot about the Viking culture, which was very interesting. There are sad and thought provoking parts as well, which gives the book a great mixture and makes the plot exciting.
  
  This book is an uplifting, easy and fun read, perfect to relax!
  
  3.5/5
• 
  Lauren

  After reading Helen Russell's 'The Year of Living Danishly' and 'How To Be Sad' she became one of my favourite authors. So I thought I'd have a crack at her fiction.
  
  The main character (whose name escapes me because that's how much of an impression she made) is unlikeable, other characters follow over-used stereotypes such as the thirsty fifty-something with a boob job. The storyline is extremely predictable and relies heavily on projectile vomit and excrement jokes which were just disgusting and not funny.
  
  There appear to be some attempts at integrating Danish culture into the book as factual information for the reader, such as the nation's obsession with candles. If you want to learn more about this, I'd recommend The Year of Living Danishly far more than this book.
  
  I found it very hard to read until about 2/3 of the way through when I became somewhat interested in what might happen, but then nothing really did. I still love Russell's non-fiction, but I probably won't attempt her fiction works again and sadly I would not recommend this book to anyone.
• 
  Jyv

  This was such an irritating book! For a start there seems to be a new and very broad definition of "viking". I couldn't stand the main character. Alice was horrible, selfish and pathetic, and I just didn't buy her sudden change in attitude after only one week. She did illogical things such as changing clothes numerous times after vomiting (instead of having a shower), making pasta (seemingly in seconds) and eating it with just broccoli (who does that?). Her sister does an equally illogical thing by choosing to sail a boat at night during a storm. What the?
  The term "four bags for life" is mentioned 11 times! I have no idea what it means or the significance of it (could someone please enlighten me?) but it was extremely irritating! (I also have no idea what "peak bell" means).
  I'm surprised I finished this book, probably only because I had nothing better to read at the time.
• 
  Isabel

  Ha sido una decepción, al principio pintaba bien eso del retiro vikingo en el cuál tendría que sobrevivir por ella misma, aprender las costumbres vikingas, pero a medida que avanzaba el libro se hacía más pesado y había momentos en los que odiaba a la protagonista por ser tan tonta y quejica. 
  
  No dejaba en paz a su hermana, siempre estaba peleando con ella, su hermana solamente la estaba ayudando a volver a llevar las riendas de su vida y ha decidir que era lo mejor y lo que más feliz le hacía a ella, su hermana no buscaba ningún beneficio propio sino buscaba que ella fuese feliz.
  
  Del final mejor no comentar nada porque no sabría que decir ni como describir ese final.
• 
  Aoife

  totally lost interest 3/4 of the way though, couldn't keep my attention.
• 
  lotsoflove

  no i actually loved it. quirky real characters. the forest and the wild. made me wish to go viking myself. i loved everything about them going berserk at the end. perfect scene.
• 
  Death Ela

  En este libro conocemos a Alice Ray, dentista, madre y esposa que se siente completamente abrumada por la necesidad del control absoluto en su vida. Esto le lleva a ser una persona resentida consigo misma y antisociable que empieza a odiar a su marido y a no soportar a sus propios hijos.
  Tras un encuentro de odontología en el que deja se pasa con el alcohol para olvidar un poco sus problemas se encuentra con su hermana en su peor momento. Esta tras verla en su estado y su interacción en su casa decide que las dos deberían pasar algo de tiempo juntas y sacar a Alice de casa para que se relaje. Con la idea de ir a un spa para calmar sus nervios se ve embarcada en un retiro vikingo que su hermana prepara a traición.
  Debido a su carácter inmediatamente empieza a analizar las virtudes de sus otras compañeras de grupo de forma envidiosa. Mientras se enfrenta a los elementos y las duras pruebas a superar en medio de la naturaleza la ira que ha estado guardando en su interior burbujea dirigiéndose a sus compañeras. Sin embargo tras un punto de quiebre en su aventura y nuevamente algo de alcohol los resentimientos salen de su boca contra toda aquella persona que se encuentra en la habitación.
  Tras su explosión y siguiendo los consejos de su nuevo estilo de vida vikingo empieza reflexionar sobre su vida y su forma de tratar a las demás personas intentado mejorar la relación con su hermana. Mientras también intenta relacionarse mejor con sus compañeras de viaje, cada una con sus propios problemas y razones para encontrarse en aquella situación.
  En este viaje con la necesidad de sobrevivir llegando al os límites de su resistencia y la sinceridad de las emociones Alice se replanteará su vida hasta ahora y la necesidad no solo de un cambio en su día a día si no también en la forma en que trata a los demás y la felicidad y tranquilidad que quiere para el futuro. Todo ello mientras el grupo de mujeres pasan por divertidas y a veces humillantes pruebas que se le imponen para vivir la vida como autenticas vikingas.
  
• 
  Marina Shemesh

  I'm smack in the middle of the demography group who would find resonance with this book. A middle-aged, married woman with children who finally realized that she wants to live her life according to her own wants and needs.
  
  What is there not to love? And yet, it took a while for this book to start working its charm. The opening ‘berserker’ scene didn't really do it for me.
  
  The main background of the book is set somewhere in Scandinavia (Skandy) where a British group of women attends ‘viking-camp’ to learn the ways of the Viking. The main characters are two estranged sisters but we also meet a has-been TVpresenter and an a-type posh girl who irritates everyone. And of course the locals who run the viking-camp.
  
  Naturally the British women are fish out of water in the natural Skandy environment and there are lots of funny moments. And then you suddenly realize that you are no longer plodding through the pages but are suffering and becoming ‘vikings’ together with the four women.
  
  However, the book really leveled up for me when the male instructor became sick and his wife became the real teacher of the Viking way of living.
  
  Her grasp of the viking way is much more spiritual and in-depth than that of her husband and she becomes a true mentor to the four women. Even though they carried on with the physical aspects of the program, the women also learned to be mentally stronger.
  
  For example, never say that you are sorry. And your young children should help with chores in the house…
  
  The final graduation from viking school is a glorious high climax and I've bonded just as strongly as the characters as they did to each other.
  
  Of course we hear what happens afterwards with our Viking graduates. Not everyone has a happy ending, that is not the Viking way, but our main characters are much stronger and more content with their lives.
  
  ‘Gone Viking’ is a lovely and satisfying book to read and makes you want to pack your bags for your own Viking camp in Skandy!