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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-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:
No
The story is good at an entertaining level (in the sense that it makes you want to continue reading/listening) but the overall narrative is undone by a weak wrestling between fate and agency, with the main character contradicting her own judgments of whether the gods, Loki, or even herself are responsible for their own actions. And if it was all fate, then what is the point of the story, no? Its redemption is in the portrayal of Angrboda as a mother, especially as a mother of three special needs children. The portions that are authentic and moving generally surround their small family dynamics (including part-time father Loki) and their reckoning of the oppression and exploitation they experience. The length feels too long as well for the story it was telling—quite thin at parts. I also didn't like that Hel was healed in the end, not because she was healed, but because it is strongly implied that her life is now much more enjoyable AND valuable as a healed person vs a disabled person.
Almost literally just “Madeline Miller’s Circe, but Norse mythology”, this book is no less enjoyable for its lack of creativity.
I think some might be bothered by the central theme of the self-sacrificing mother, but overall the book still works. The author also does a better job than Miller of giving the protagonist stuff to do and agency in her own life/story.
It’s surprisingly readable for a book that is mostly “hanging out in the woods with people stopping by to tell you about the more interesting stuff off-screen” and I think the author does some fun stuff patching holes and contradictions in the source material.
I think some might be bothered by the central theme of the self-sacrificing mother, but overall the book still works. The author also does a better job than Miller of giving the protagonist stuff to do and agency in her own life/story.
It’s surprisingly readable for a book that is mostly “hanging out in the woods with people stopping by to tell you about the more interesting stuff off-screen” and I think the author does some fun stuff patching holes and contradictions in the source material.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
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:
Yes
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read most of it, but my kindle subscription scores and I didn’t enjoy it enough to wait another few weeks for the holds