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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Usually, I love a retelling. However, there was something about this one that did not quite click for me. The connections were just not there and I disliked the unearned time skips. Time in general was an odd situation here because despite talking about eternities and how every small moment mattered, there was not a good sense in how some of the relationships formed. Angrboda was a particularly hard one to love because I wanted her to do better and be more active. There was also a great line from Loki about stories being the only thing we can pass on, but otherwise it was a very middling story.
4.5 I was frustrated with the beginning and the gendered power imbalances but the author earned it, took the story exactly where it needed to go and I cried at work lol
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I pushed through to the end of this but found it an ultimately forgettable novel. It takes the easy path of recycling cultural touchstones into middle-class stereotypes. Within the strictures of available plot and character, such as they are in the prose and poetic eddas, Gornichec imagines a coherent story with figures whose charisma is wholly beyond her. It is hard to convey how disappointing it is to see the raw, alien brutalities of Loki, Angrboða, Jörmungandr, Fenric, Hel, and the like reduced to the banalities of familial discontent. Along the way, infelicities occur. For example, is the implication meant that Ragnarok occurs because of what appear to be daddy issues? Is the plainspeech of the characters meant to make of them simpletons? Is this novel essentially a fan of Norse mythology's excuse to turn that interest into "content"? Someone wiser and more patient than me could settle those questions, but I'd like to move on to more interesting books than this one.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Second half was much stronger than the first half. Still dont really understand why Hel harbored so much anger towards her mother. Glad there was reconciliation btw the two. Has similar vibes to Circe but found the pace and the chracter's choices more frustrating and therefore just did not enjoy as much, though I still really liked it. Mother's love for her children will suck me in every time. Wish I had known more about Norse mythology prior to reading. About to do a deep dive
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
i loved the expansive, challenging, and tender love between these characters. this was a quick and engaging read and i enjoyed diving into Norse mythology! definitely gives Circe vibes but with its own flavor
4.5/5. See review for explanation.
TW: mentions of childhood and domestic abuse
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.
.
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Pardon me while I ugly cry. Having gone through childhood in an abusive household, this story really touched me on a deep, personal level. Other interpretation of the myths of Angrboda, which only depict her as the mother of monsters, have generally left me with more questions than answers. This particular retelling not only satisfies that part of me, but I also believe that this book is going to become a huge part of the conversation of the Norse gods. Gornichec is going to do for Norse Mythology what Holly Black did for faeries. Cannot recommend this book enough.
Also, I think having Baldr fall in love with Hel is so fucking sweet. Hel and Baldr is something I hadn't thought about before, since most of the interpretations of the myths I've read have said that Nanna was with him in Helheim. The foreshadowing with this match was also done very nicely.
Why I took 1/2 star off:
The formatting of the book wasn't great. Instead of chapters, everything is in three parts with paragraph breaks every few pages. I just prefer chapters.
TW: mentions of childhood and domestic abuse
.
.
.
.
Pardon me while I ugly cry. Having gone through childhood in an abusive household, this story really touched me on a deep, personal level. Other interpretation of the myths of Angrboda, which only depict her as the mother of monsters, have generally left me with more questions than answers. This particular retelling not only satisfies that part of me, but I also believe that this book is going to become a huge part of the conversation of the Norse gods. Gornichec is going to do for Norse Mythology what Holly Black did for faeries. Cannot recommend this book enough.
Also, I think having Baldr fall in love with Hel is so fucking sweet. Hel and Baldr is something I hadn't thought about before, since most of the interpretations of the myths I've read have said that Nanna was with him in Helheim. The foreshadowing with this match was also done very nicely.
Why I took 1/2 star off:
The formatting of the book wasn't great. Instead of chapters, everything is in three parts with paragraph breaks every few pages. I just prefer chapters.