Singer, Songwriter and activist Willow has come together with Jess Hendel to produce a powerful and groundbreaking historical epic about an African warrior in the world of the Vikings.
The artist broke the news this week on social media, where she also revealed the book’s cover.
Black Shield Maiden, the first book in a new series, is a medieval fantasy that makes visible the histories and mythologies of medieval African peoples, and women of the Viking age, which have been erased by dominant Western narratives in media and education.
The book tells the story of Yafeu, a defiant yet fiercely compassionate young warrior who is stolen from her home in the flourishing Ghanaian Empire and thrust into the world of the Vikings.
There she discovers a strange new world of savage shield maidens, tyrannical rulers, and mysterious gods—but also a kindred spirit in Freydis, a Viking princess, who also wants the same thing: to forge her own fate.
Championing intersectional feminism, freedom of gender expression, and dialogue across cultures, Black Shield Maiden confronts the most pressing subjects of our time, and shows a path forward, through connection and community.
Willow said: “I’m so grateful to bring the story of Black Shield Maiden to the world.
“At their core, the issues we’re facing now are the same issues we’ve faced time and again throughout our history. (Voice)