Kata and Tor

It is 1066 and King Harald Hardrada is planning to invade York with his Viking fleet. His youngest son, Tor, and his companion, Eirik, have been sent ahead to gather information, but an accident wrecks their boat. With Eirik dead, Tor is left to complete his mission alone. Whilst gathering information, Tor meets Katya, an Anglo-Saxon girl, and the two fall in love. As war approaches, each must ask themselves where their loyalties really lie.

Kevin Crossley-Holland is well known as a master story teller, whose passion for history and folklore combined with skilled use of language make any book he writes a must have as far as I am concerned. Set in 1066, readers might expect ‘Kata and Tor’ to be about the Norman Conquest, a well known date and event in English history, but instead it focuses on the events which led to the Battle of Stamford Bridge, just a few weeks before the Battle of Hastings. Perfect for anyone studying the events surrounding the conquest of England, it also offers an engaging ‘human’ story of those caught on opposing sides- a ‘Romeo and Juliet’ style relationship!

Although the son of a King and expected to partake in war, Tor questions many of his father’s decisions, not relishing the violence and chaos of conflict and conquest, not wanting to fight. Kata also feels trapped into a path which has been decided for her- marriage and a life of farming or perhaps life sequestered in a nunnery. When they meet, a different future seems possible. Kata and Tor might be fictional characters, but story is rich in historical detail and also encourages readers to consider the choices people make, or are forced to make, and how these shape lives.

The use of kennings, alliteration and evocative descriptions create a powerful background to a dramatic, immersive story which is a compelling read.

Kata and Tor

Kevin Crossley-Holland

Walker Books ISBN: 978-1406399059