The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women

In the tradition of Stacy Schiff’s Cleopatra, Brown lays to rest the hoary myth that Viking society was ruled by men and celebrates the dramatic lives of female Viking warriors"Once again, Brown brings Viking history to vivid, unexpected life―and in the process, turns what we thought we knew about Norse culture on its head.

Superb." ―Scott Weidensaul, author of New York Times bestselling A World on the Wing"Magnificent.

It captured me from the very first page." ―Pat Shipman, author of The InvadersIn 2017, DNA tests revealed to the collective shock of many scholars that a Viking warrior in a high-status grave in Birka, Sweden was actually a woman.

The Real Valkyrie weaves together archaeology, history, and literature to imagine her life and times, showing that Viking women had more power and agency than historians have imagined.