Freya Morris journeys back into the dramatic events of her childhood as she unravels a family secret and tells her cousin her family’s story. Freya grows up in suburban America. Each summer she escapes to Gimli, a small village on Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. Gimli or ‘New Iceland’ is home to Freya’s extended family, including her troubled Aunt Birdie who wants Freya to learn the language and mythology of Iceland.

The landscape, language, history, and mythology of Iceland are woven throughout this debut novel. The Tricking of Freya tells a compelling story that touches on mental illness, being caught between old and new worlds, and how the past, our own and our ancestors, shapes the present.