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Daughter of Doom
CCBC Review:
Yrsa (white) is the daughter of the great seafarer Toke, and though her father is a rich and respected leader, her social position in the small Danish coastal community of Mirmir’s Stool is inhibited by her crooked leg (likely club foot) and her rumored ability as a seeress. Life in the Viking village revolves around the male sailors—the whales and fish they hunt, the goods they trade, the silver and gold they steal, and the slaves and hostages they capture. After a long voyage, Toke and his men return from the seas with a prisoner, Sister Job (white), a young nun from Belgium likely to yield a handsome ransom for her safe return. Job is tough, tiny, and unabashedly intolerant of her pagan Viking captors. Yrsa, a fierce believer in the fates, nature spirits, and Viking deities, dismisses Job with her dedication to prayer, the written word, and strange tonsure. Opposite in appearance and beliefs, the young women are nonetheless strikingly similar in their quests for self-preservation. During a violent episode of vengeance and rape, Yrsa comes to Job’s aid and kills her attacker, the beloved son of a village leader. Immediately, the young women know that escape is the only chance for their survival. Vengeful warriors in pursuit, Yrsa and Job dodge dangers on land and sea, relying on their respective sharp wits and faiths to keep them one step ahead and toward a future of their own making. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Translated by Kristen Gehrman. Translated from Dutch. Originally published in the Netherlands.
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 14 and older
Age Range:
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Faith, Spirituality and Religion
Friendship
Girls and Women
Humor
Independence/Self-Reliance
Journeys and Quests
Self-Esteem and Self-Worth
Sexual Assault and Rape
On CCBC Booklist:
Sophisticated and Substantial Books for Teens
Publishers:
Levine Querido, Em Querido
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 399
ISBN: 9781646145034
CCBC Location: Fiction, Rijckeghem