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A review by maeclair
Hotel Fen by Meri Benson
4.0
An intriguing story that blends present and past in a story heavily flavored with Norse myth and folklore. Victor, an American professor of Norse mythology wins a trip to Hotel Fen, a vintage resort tucked into the Scandinavian Mountains. Shortly after arrival he meets Silje, a woman of Norwegian descent, who has also been gifted with an all-expense paid stay. It isn’t long before the two realize the hotel is nothing as it seems, and that surviving their stay involves facing not only danger but understanding a shared and complicated past.
As someone who loves Norse myth, I was thoroughly immersed in this story. From the snowy isolated setting to the creepy old hotel with its wolf carvings and door handles, to the tight weave of folklore interlaced with whispers of past lives and reincarnation, the plot kept me flipping pages well into the night. Victor and Silje are both intriguing characters, and the myth elements are vividly imagined. There is a fair amount of head hopping that takes place, particularly early on, but it did not distract from the story for me. The writing is otherwise polished and pace is spot on. If you enjoy Norse myth, you’re sure to love this book!
As someone who loves Norse myth, I was thoroughly immersed in this story. From the snowy isolated setting to the creepy old hotel with its wolf carvings and door handles, to the tight weave of folklore interlaced with whispers of past lives and reincarnation, the plot kept me flipping pages well into the night. Victor and Silje are both intriguing characters, and the myth elements are vividly imagined. There is a fair amount of head hopping that takes place, particularly early on, but it did not distract from the story for me. The writing is otherwise polished and pace is spot on. If you enjoy Norse myth, you’re sure to love this book!