A bit late to the bandwagon on this one — but, Ragnarok is yet to happen, so … YORO?
(You Only Ragnarok Once.)
… OK. Let’s not say that again.
Norse Mythology is a collection of fifteen Norse myths, including The Treasure of the Gods, The Mead of Poets, and Freya’s Unusual Wedding. While the content itself isn’t new, Gaiman has recast the stories with modern language and imagery, with the result being a fast-based and rather humorous romp.
The book has a surprisingly high rating on GoodReads, — 4.1/5.0 — with lots of praise for its accessibility (vs. the Poetic Edda), pacing, and storytelling. In essence: the book reads like a collection of stories, and not a stuffy research paper or ancient sacred text. On the flip side, critics have highlighted that the book doesn’t offer anything new: these are well-established tales, and Gaiman doesn’t stray far from the standard narrative.
Where do I fall? As someone with only a basic understanding of Norse mythology — most of which comes from the Thor movies — I enjoyed it. It was a fun orientation to the broader mythos.
Things I liked:
The Simplicity. I listened to this book while entering data, and am pleased to report that the stories are simple enough that you can easily multi-task and pick up 80-90% of what’s going on.
Things I disliked:
The Irreverence. Gaiman’s treatment of these myths felt … rather sacrilegious. This isn’t to suggest that the ancient Norse interpreted their pantheon the same way the Judeo-Christian faith views God …
… but, there was something oddly childish with the way Gaiman’s mythological figures conducted themselves. Thor et al felt more like Taika Waititi’s characters than gods of Asgard.
Favourite quote:
“Because,” said Thor, “when something goes wrong, the first thing I always think is, it is Loki’s fault. It saves a lot of time.”
The Details:
- The Book: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
- Published: 2013, Henry Holt and Company
- My Copy: VPL
- Read date: November 12, 2019
- Rating: ★★★☆☆
- You should read this if you like …
- Avoid this if you dislike … burly men with egos
The Geeky Jock 