In Giants of the Frost, the second instalment in her ‘Europa Suite’ trilogy, Wilkins again turns her hand to a unique blend of fantasy and the everyday. Meteorologist and mathematics whiz Victoria is stationed on a remote island in the Norwegian Sea and there discovers her world intersecting with that of Asgard and the Norse Gods. Victoria, a dyed-in-the-wool sceptic, learns to believe in the impossible as she realises she is the eternal lover of Vidar, son of the despot Odin. Once she is discovered by Vidar it becomes a race against time for Victoria to elude the savage and murderous rage of the Norse elders. Wilkins’ most recent outing will not disappoint fans, as it is very typical of her style, bringing fantasy into reality. However, those looking for the thrills found in her earlier horror works will be disappointed as the book does not cross over into the horror genre. For readers of standard genre fantasy-authors such as Robin Hobb or Sara Douglass-Wilkins’ book may lack the epic adventures enjoyed in their titles. Overall, the strength of the novel lies in the love story and this could be a good title to suggest to those who typically read romance and are looking for something a little different.

Nadine Whitney is a former bookseller and is currently the literary editor of Fiend, an independent youth-oriented magazine.

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