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A review by briannadasilva
The Goddess of Nothing At All by Cat Rector
5.0
It's hard to know where to start with this review! This is easily one of the best books I've read this year; though there were a few minor things that didn't work for me, and I don't think it's for everyone, as I'll explain in a minute. But I can't recommend this enough for fans of Norse Mythology.
The Goddess of Nothing At All is a retelling of the Norse myths, particularly those involving Loki, from the perspective of his wife, Sigyn. I found myself so emotionally invested in this strange, dysfunctional family that I could scarcely tear myself away from the book. It ruined multiple bedtimes, as I kept telling myself I'd stop reading "just after this chapter" and proceeded to keep reading in this way for hours. -_-
But as I mentioned, I don't think this book is for everyone, so I'll break that down.
Who this book is for:
- People with at least a passing familiarity of the ORIGINAL (*cough* non-Marvel *cough*) Norse myths.
Who this book is NOT for:
- People who aren't familiar with the Norse myths, or who only know the characters through Marvel
- Modern Asatru Neo-Pagans who actually believe in and worship the Norse gods
Let me explain why:
Having a passing familiarity with the original myths will allow you to fully appreciate what Cat Rector has done with this book. She's taken these old stories and masterfully woven a hidden, deeper story beneath and between them, giving the characters new motivations and the stories more layers of meaning.
And while this shouldn't have to be said, Marvel's version of Loki and Thor definitely doesn't count, lol. Marvel's universe there is very heavily inspired by the old Norse myths, but the characters, events, and world are all so different that I personally wouldn't even consider it a retelling. It's a totally new story that borrows from Norse mythology, but is not, itself, Norse mythology... imo!
That being said, you don't have to be a Norse mythology nerd, who knows everything about old Norse culture and religion, to appreciate The Goddess of Nothing At All. That's why I say a passing familiarity will do. A great way to achieve that familiarity would be to read Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology; I highly recommend that book too, by the way!
But if you don't have this familiarity, I expect The Goddess of Nothing At All won't land as well. The pacing will come across as kind of strange, and some of the events will feel random. I see some reviews that reflect this. So if you want to read this book, I do recommend Neil Gaiman's first.
Additionally, if you are someone who actually worships the Norse gods and are sensitive to how they are portrayed.... *deep sighhhhhh* Not to be the annoying atheist here, but what the frick are you doing, reading a book like this that explicitly warns you at the beginning that the gods will not be portrayed favorably? And then giving the book a low review for doing exactly what it told you it would do? Stop taking away the fun from the rest of us who are perfectly capable of enjoying these stories as 100% fiction.
The Goddess of Nothing At All is a retelling of the Norse myths, particularly those involving Loki, from the perspective of his wife, Sigyn. I found myself so emotionally invested in this strange, dysfunctional family that I could scarcely tear myself away from the book. It ruined multiple bedtimes, as I kept telling myself I'd stop reading "just after this chapter" and proceeded to keep reading in this way for hours. -_-
But as I mentioned, I don't think this book is for everyone, so I'll break that down.
Who this book is for:
- People with at least a passing familiarity of the ORIGINAL (*cough* non-Marvel *cough*) Norse myths.
Who this book is NOT for:
- People who aren't familiar with the Norse myths, or who only know the characters through Marvel
- Modern Asatru Neo-Pagans who actually believe in and worship the Norse gods
Let me explain why:
Having a passing familiarity with the original myths will allow you to fully appreciate what Cat Rector has done with this book. She's taken these old stories and masterfully woven a hidden, deeper story beneath and between them, giving the characters new motivations and the stories more layers of meaning.
And while this shouldn't have to be said, Marvel's version of Loki and Thor definitely doesn't count, lol. Marvel's universe there is very heavily inspired by the old Norse myths, but the characters, events, and world are all so different that I personally wouldn't even consider it a retelling. It's a totally new story that borrows from Norse mythology, but is not, itself, Norse mythology... imo!
That being said, you don't have to be a Norse mythology nerd, who knows everything about old Norse culture and religion, to appreciate The Goddess of Nothing At All. That's why I say a passing familiarity will do. A great way to achieve that familiarity would be to read Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology; I highly recommend that book too, by the way!
But if you don't have this familiarity, I expect The Goddess of Nothing At All won't land as well. The pacing will come across as kind of strange, and some of the events will feel random. I see some reviews that reflect this. So if you want to read this book, I do recommend Neil Gaiman's first.
Additionally, if you are someone who actually worships the Norse gods and are sensitive to how they are portrayed.... *deep sighhhhhh* Not to be the annoying atheist here, but what the frick are you doing, reading a book like this that explicitly warns you at the beginning that the gods will not be portrayed favorably? And then giving the book a low review for doing exactly what it told you it would do? Stop taking away the fun from the rest of us who are perfectly capable of enjoying these stories as 100% fiction.