A review by kfish3
Nordic Tales: Folktales from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark by Chronicle Books

3.0

Nordic Tales, illustrated by Ulla Thynell, is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in early July.

Similar to the Japanese folk tales I’ve read recently, this book is thematically chaptered by characters going through a change (my favorites of the bunch), outsmarting someone or something, or traveling a great distance. Before delving into this, I’m pretty sure that, based on being from Minnesota and a place colonized by Nords, there’s going to be some story elements that I’m familiar with (not like a Sven & Ole-level of familiarity, but you know what I mean). There are fantastical full-page, dark watercolor and oil pastel etched illustrations and hygge pattern pages to divide the chapters with symbols and animals. Some of the stories are halting in their matter-of-factness (maybe from translation?) and there are lots of instances of finding the best of something, confronting dilemmas with reason and peacefulness, and (super)natural entities rewarding good behavior.