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persychan 's review for:
Il canto del ribelle
by Joanne M. Harris, Laura Grandi
2 stars
I read it in Italian, but since most of my problems are not with the writing but with the content, it doesn't matter.
I didn't expect much of this book, I'm used to mythological retelling that barely has anything in common with the original mythos and I was ready to enjoy it but this book isn't even that.
This book is the more tedious and Christianized version of pop-culture nordic myths + a narrator (that is Loki) that tries to be sarcastic and unreliable but is only vaguely edgy and verbose. It is like listening to someone talking about their first D&D character: "They're so eviL! A demon! A lone wolf, who thinks only to themselves!!"
The myths in themselves aren't technically wrong, there're some changes but they're well withing the author's freedom when writing a retelling, but for being a book about Loki any grey morality or just conflict are underwhelming. Loki is an egoist, the gods are dumb and Odin is a scheming b*stard and all the myths are at face value. It's like reading "All nordic myths for your children" but with more complicated prose.
Loki, in general, is an interesting figure because as a trickster and as deity of which we know very little (even by Norse religion standards) is open to interpretation: is he a misunderstood hero? An antihero? A mother of monsters? A fire god? The source of all evil? Who knows.
But until this book, I never thought he could be boring.
I read it in Italian, but since most of my problems are not with the writing but with the content, it doesn't matter.
I didn't expect much of this book, I'm used to mythological retelling that barely has anything in common with the original mythos and I was ready to enjoy it but this book isn't even that.
This book is the more tedious and Christianized version of pop-culture nordic myths + a narrator (that is Loki) that tries to be sarcastic and unreliable but is only vaguely edgy and verbose. It is like listening to someone talking about their first D&D character: "They're so eviL! A demon! A lone wolf, who thinks only to themselves!!"
The myths in themselves aren't technically wrong, there're some changes but they're well withing the author's freedom when writing a retelling, but for being a book about Loki any grey morality or just conflict are underwhelming. Loki is an egoist, the gods are dumb and Odin is a scheming b*stard and all the myths are at face value. It's like reading "All nordic myths for your children" but with more complicated prose.
Loki, in general, is an interesting figure because as a trickster and as deity of which we know very little (even by Norse religion standards) is open to interpretation: is he a misunderstood hero? An antihero? A mother of monsters? A fire god? The source of all evil? Who knows.
But until this book, I never thought he could be boring.