sendlasagna 's review for:

The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris

DID NOT FINISH: 17%

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- Surprised that Harris behaved like a male author and listed all the female goddesses as “wife of” with barely any more detail to them (or only physical detail). None of their husbands are described as “husband of”. 

 

- Odin’s court finds it disrespectful that a woman was chosen as ambassador. A goddess was sold as the price for some construction. Other goddesses were depicted as happy to sell her because they’re jealous. Only the men ‘think’. The women wail. The women are “pretty, but not very bright” and all their stories so far have had to do with marriage or fawning over Loki or bemoaning some loss of looks. I’m dissatisfied with any explanation that this isn’t misogynist just because it’s an in-world feature: it is plenty possible to craft in-world features that are not sexist, especially for the Odin/Loki pantheon. I’m also dissatisfied with any justifications that this is just Loki’s perspective and we don’t need to like him; we’re clearly meant to enjoy him, and even if we’re not, there’s no point reading a first person narrative full of such endless misogyny, pretending if that is in any way valuable. Amazed and disappointed that Harris wrote this.