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ginalucia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I've been craving exactly this type of Norse Mythology retelling for such a long time, and now that I have it, I couldn't be more thrilled.
Instead of seeing the story of Ragnarok from a male god or character’s perspective. We get to see it unfold through the eyes of Sigyn. A character that Cat Rector has perfected into one that’s relatable, strong, and full of feminine rage.
If you love feminine rage in Greek Myth retellings and have been seeking that out in your Norse books - this is it guys!
The writing style is effortless, making it easy to get lost in the story. But what really stands out are the characters - they're front and center, driving the story forward, and everything else flows around them seamlessly. I had an absolute blast immersing myself in their world.
The Goddess of Nothing at all is absolutely fantastic. I loved every moment of this long and winding journey, and what's even better, there’s queer rep throughout.
If you're a fan of Norse Mythology, but want a different perspective, or you’re a fan of myth retellings that focus on women, this book is a must-read.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, and Torture
dcnireads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Body horror, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Abandonment, Death, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Child death, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, War, Death of parent, Infidelity, Torture, Homophobia, Cannibalism, Mental illness, Grief, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism
caribougoat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Torture, Violence, Homophobia, Grief, Pregnancy, Death, Gore, War, and Bullying
nelldiaz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I couldn't put this book down. It was very good however, I will be sending my therapist bill to the author lol. This book is very dark. I would check trigger warnings, but its so good! Can't wait to read more in this series
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, Rape, Sexual content, War, Abandonment, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Grief, Blood, Body horror, Murder, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Homophobia and Pregnancy
jura_atmos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, Animal death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, War, Toxic relationship, Violence, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
bookishfaye's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Boy oh boy has this book ever given me ✨ feelings ✨ (I dnf’d with 50 pages left, but I’m counting it as read because I read the majority of it)
🍂 Positives:
- Loki’s gender-fluidity is straight up the best representation of being gender-fluid that I have come across thus far. It deserves a full star in itself for that & was amazing. Same with the queerness in this book, I adored how gay it was.
- the writing style was super fast paced and easily accessible & the romance writing I found to be quite fun at times. This book does a good job getting you invested.
- the physical copy of the book is so stunning
🍂 negatives:
-This one might just be a personal opinion; I don’t really get triggered by much, but some of the things Loki had to go through felt unnecessarily traumatic, & by the end of the book so many things I just couldn’t stomach & had to put it down.
- how Loki absolutely lied to Sigyn to basically trick her into having a family with him?? & then how he gaslighted the fuck out of Sigyn throughout that 3rd quarter of the book was actually so unbearable to read. Also the fact that he had the audacity to go off and create a whole other FAMILY while occasionally taking Sigyn to bed & thought she didn’t have a right to know???? Like I’m sorry????
- also really hated how Angrboda was being written in here versus the witches heart
I was really trying to push through because I adored The Witches Heart, & I did actually thoroughly enjoy the first chunk & definitely got invested, but I can’t handle the rage this book makes me feel & I have to say enough is enough.
🍂 Positives:
- Loki’s gender-fluidity is straight up the best representation of being gender-fluid that I have come across thus far. It deserves a full star in itself for that & was amazing. Same with the queerness in this book, I adored how gay it was.
- the writing style was super fast paced and easily accessible & the romance writing I found to be quite fun at times. This book does a good job getting you invested.
- the physical copy of the book is so stunning
🍂 negatives:
-This one might just be a personal opinion; I don’t really get triggered by much, but some of the things Loki had to go through felt unnecessarily traumatic, & by the end of the book so many things I just couldn’t stomach & had to put it down.
- how Loki absolutely lied to Sigyn to basically trick her into having a family with him?? & then how he gaslighted the fuck out of Sigyn throughout that 3rd quarter of the book was actually so unbearable to read. Also the fact that he had the audacity to go off and create a whole other FAMILY while occasionally taking Sigyn to bed & thought she didn’t have a right to know???? Like I’m sorry????
- also really hated how Angrboda was being written in here versus the witches heart
I was really trying to push through because I adored The Witches Heart, & I did actually thoroughly enjoy the first chunk & definitely got invested, but I can’t handle the rage this book makes me feel & I have to say enough is enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence
stillnotstars's review against another edition
i picked this up bc i was browsing idly through some norse mythology book lists and am always curious about how queer loki is depicted---dark/gritty sff is not a genre i tend to read, so take this with a grain of salt.
i didn't find this very interesting as someone who's read the myths/eddas. this doesn't feel super different from other retellings/adaptations that're sympathetic with loki, but maybe i've just read five million of them. rector just gets way into the gore, which like---yeah, i know you warned me about it, i know it's on the tin, it just really does not add that much to the myths or anyone's characterization for me? i guess this is probably more interesting if you haven't tried to hunt down and read every norse mythology retelling you can get your hands on.
wrt queerness... well, at least loki didn't shapeshift into a woman once for the sleipnir myth and never again? but still, don't make me tap the sign [sexuality as an identity rather than an act is a 20th century concept tied to modernity and the rise of the individual; queerness did not exist the same way in 13th century iceland and in 2022] [also, someone's pronouns don't necessarily change based on their genitals and presentation]
i have lots of questions about why sigyn's this pale on the cover. like, isn't she mixed?
there are cw's on the author's website but it doesn't mention memory manipulation in addition to what's listed there.
i didn't find this very interesting as someone who's read the myths/eddas. this doesn't feel super different from other retellings/adaptations that're sympathetic with loki, but maybe i've just read five million of them. rector just gets way into the gore, which like---yeah, i know you warned me about it, i know it's on the tin, it just really does not add that much to the myths or anyone's characterization for me? i guess this is probably more interesting if you haven't tried to hunt down and read every norse mythology retelling you can get your hands on.
wrt queerness... well, at least loki didn't shapeshift into a woman once for the sleipnir myth and never again? but still, don't make me tap the sign [sexuality as an identity rather than an act is a 20th century concept tied to modernity and the rise of the individual; queerness did not exist the same way in 13th century iceland and in 2022] [also, someone's pronouns don't necessarily change based on their genitals and presentation]
i have lots of questions about why sigyn's this pale on the cover. like, isn't she mixed?
there are cw's on the author's website but it doesn't mention memory manipulation in addition to what's listed there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Medical content, Torture, and Violence
loonieslibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5
My jaw hurts from it dropping every two seconds while reading this book.
Before going into this, I barely knew anything about Norse Mythology. Sure, I picked up some knowledge about the characters and stories through my numerous Marvel movie nights or other pieces of media, but I didn’t know enough to be able to predict nearly anything happening in this book. It’s filled with plot twists, drama, and gore as you can expect from any sort of book based on any mythology. But Cat Rector also manages to add hilarious and flirty banter and loveable yet complex and morally grey characters, while making the mythology very understandable for the reader.
Sigyn is such a wonderful main character. She is powerful, while still remaining feminine. I loved how she wasn’t just a “good girl” trying to change Loki’s trickster ways. Now Loki…God(s). I just can’t help but love him despite him being the most aggravating person ever. I can’t blame Sigyn for falling in love. I also love how nearly all the side characters are three-dimensional as well and not just there for the plot.
I absolutely loved the character of Idunn but I was sad that she completely disappeared during the second half. Of course, I knew why, but it would have been nice to read a bit more about her life after what happened to her.
Lastly, I want to mention that I’m the official captain of the Hreidulfr protection squad. Don’t you dare touch him, Cat. I won’t hesitate to take a plane to Canada. Yes, that is a threat.
It follows the stories in Norse Mythology very closely (now we just see it happening through the eyes of Sigyn) so the shock factor lasts throughout the whole book basically. Don’t expect it to follow the classic structure of a story. I absolutely loved how different it was from any book I had ever read before, but it may throw you off your pace from time to time.
HOWEVER, I would like to thank the author for making the chapters this short. Longer chapters may have become a bit overwhelming considering the heavy themes and frequent twists, but the short chapters were a great way to either keep me going in the book or provide me with a little break.
Cat handled the queerness of all the characters (especially Loki being genderfluid) in such a careful and heart-warming way. The MC is bisexual, Loki is pansexual and regularly shifts into different bodies, and many other characters are queer as well. I would have loved to see Loki in her female-presenting body a bit more during the emotional moments as well as she is just as much a part of their identity as Loki’s male-presenting body.
But if it’s still not clear by now, I absolutely loved this book. The ending had me sobbing so much, I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my skull, but it also left me incredibly intrigued for the sequel. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Sigyn, although considering the first book, I don’t think we can expect book 2 to just be Sigyn on a nice and calm vacation through the nine realms (although she really deserves one!).
Thank you so much to Cat for sending me an arc of this wonderful book. I had such a wonderful time reading it together with everyone who participated in my buddy read.
TWs, tropes, and list of all the rep in GoNaa: https://www.catrector.com/blog/categories/gonaa-warnings
My jaw hurts from it dropping every two seconds while reading this book.
Before going into this, I barely knew anything about Norse Mythology. Sure, I picked up some knowledge about the characters and stories through my numerous Marvel movie nights or other pieces of media, but I didn’t know enough to be able to predict nearly anything happening in this book. It’s filled with plot twists, drama, and gore as you can expect from any sort of book based on any mythology. But Cat Rector also manages to add hilarious and flirty banter and loveable yet complex and morally grey characters, while making the mythology very understandable for the reader.
Sigyn is such a wonderful main character. She is powerful, while still remaining feminine. I loved how she wasn’t just a “good girl” trying to change Loki’s trickster ways. Now Loki…God(s). I just can’t help but love him despite him being the most aggravating person ever. I can’t blame Sigyn for falling in love. I also love how nearly all the side characters are three-dimensional as well and not just there for the plot.
It follows the stories in Norse Mythology very closely (now we just see it happening through the eyes of Sigyn) so the shock factor lasts throughout the whole book basically. Don’t expect it to follow the classic structure of a story. I absolutely loved how different it was from any book I had ever read before, but it may throw you off your pace from time to time.
HOWEVER, I would like to thank the author for making the chapters this short. Longer chapters may have become a bit overwhelming considering the heavy themes and frequent twists, but the short chapters were a great way to either keep me going in the book or provide me with a little break.
Cat handled the queerness of all the characters (especially Loki being genderfluid) in such a careful and heart-warming way. The MC is bisexual, Loki is pansexual and regularly shifts into different bodies, and many other characters are queer as well. I would have loved to see Loki in her female-presenting body a bit more during the emotional moments as well as she is just as much a part of their identity as Loki’s male-presenting body.
But if it’s still not clear by now, I absolutely loved this book. The ending had me sobbing so much, I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my skull, but it also left me incredibly intrigued for the sequel. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Sigyn, although considering the first book, I don’t think we can expect book 2 to just be Sigyn on a nice and calm vacation through the nine realms (although she really deserves one!).
Thank you so much to Cat for sending me an arc of this wonderful book. I had such a wonderful time reading it together with everyone who participated in my buddy read.
TWs, tropes, and list of all the rep in GoNaa: https://www.catrector.com/blog/categories/gonaa-warnings
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
soswiin's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, War, Homophobia, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Vomit
jackie_recommends's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia, Homophobia, War, and Biphobia