mat_tobin's review against another edition
5.0
Nobody does it better than Crossley-Holland. Impeccably researched and written like a true storyteller, I was pleasantly surprised at the whole structure of the collection and how, even though the stories are vast and stupendous and world-breaking in scale, the author managed to bind it all with a beginning and an end. Parallels to Christianity abound and the patterns of the older stories and how they were taken and moulded to fit new religions was key for me. For younger readers though, it will be curmudgeonly dwarves and arrogant giants, hammer-wielding gods and of course, Loki the trickster himself. Fantastically illustrated throughout by Jeffrey Alan Love.
iina's review against another edition
4.0
Great fun on audio, these stories work well when told in an oral format. Quite enjoyed how they were written to interlink and follow one another, too, even if the original myths don’t exactly do this.
rolien's review against another edition
5.0
De Noorse mythen zijn uiteraard tijdloos, en toegankelijk opgeschreven door de auteur.
Het is verder prachtig vormgegeven en geïllustreerd. Pareltje in mijn boekenkast!
Het is verder prachtig vormgegeven en geïllustreerd. Pareltje in mijn boekenkast!
evafc's review against another edition
4.0
Prachtig, maar bloederig. Geen geschikt voorleesboek voor kinderen onder de 10
mwager's review against another edition
5.0
Crossley-Holland retells the stories of Norse Mythology, from the creation of the nine realms to their fiery destruction in Ragnarok. Stories include the forging of Thor’s hammer Mjollnir, how the gods tricked and bound Fenrir the giant wolf, Thor’s visit to Utgard, and the many tricks and eventual treason of Loki, climaxing with the death of the best and kindest of the gods, Balder, and ending with the tale of the future destruction of the gods and mankind in the final battle, Ragnarok, and how the world will be reborn.
The Norse myths have shaped our culture in numerous ways, from the names of the days of the week to superhero movies and comics to providing the basis for most of our Fantasy literature. This masterful retelling of these powerful stories pulls the reader in to the world of the Norse gods, with its giants, dwarfs, and magic. Crossley-Holland’s prose is authentic and well-researched. With Love’s stark black-and-white silhouette artwork, it almost feels like these stories are being told around a campfire, just as they were for centuries. Both experts in the religion of the Vikings and newcomers to the stories will find this book interesting and educational.
The Norse myths have shaped our culture in numerous ways, from the names of the days of the week to superhero movies and comics to providing the basis for most of our Fantasy literature. This masterful retelling of these powerful stories pulls the reader in to the world of the Norse gods, with its giants, dwarfs, and magic. Crossley-Holland’s prose is authentic and well-researched. With Love’s stark black-and-white silhouette artwork, it almost feels like these stories are being told around a campfire, just as they were for centuries. Both experts in the religion of the Vikings and newcomers to the stories will find this book interesting and educational.
reed_with_read's review against another edition
5.0
Such a fun and good spirited read!
A perfect re-telling of the classic Norse stories.
I felt like a big kid reading it, and look forward to reading it to my own kids one day.
A perfect re-telling of the classic Norse stories.
I felt like a big kid reading it, and look forward to reading it to my own kids one day.