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shelbycassie's review against another edition
4.0
I read this for a book club. I enjoyed it, especially the 2nd half. Knowing the Norse Mythology is really strange will help the reader appreciate this book. Most of the characters are found in the myths. If you like mythology, you will like this book.
riarchive's review against another edition
3.0
no one:
Angrboda, the entire book: I think I've seen this film before, and I didn't like the ending.
in all seriousness, i think Gornichec is not a bad writer, just that i have a bone to pick whenever someone rewrites mythology, this is my red flag.
what i like about the book is that Angrboda has a lot more skin to her than in the source material, which is virtually nothing. the thing is, i like Angrboda before this retelling anyway because i have a soft spot for the three little monsters, so this retelling doesn't do much to convince me. for someone who doesn't know the myth or doesn't like Angrboda to begin with, this book fails to be entirely gripping and convincing. what i DO NOT like about the book is that in order to make Angrboda more of a appealing character, the author has to take other people's stories and give them to her. she also became a stronger female character at the cost of other female characters' autonomies.
in terms of writing, Gornichec's pace is rather fast and flat. i think there are so many things she wanted to say so every detail is rushed or just told to us instead of seeing it in action. i am not bored of the story, but i cannot say the same for other people. i must say there is a huge chunk on love triangle and that itself should be a trigger warning to me lmao. oh, the sapphic twist is also cute and not a plot device, i like that too, except Loki got too much screen time for the sapphic couple to be at the centre.
this book inspires me to write Hel and do her justice. everyone go read [b:Norse Mythology|37903770|Norse Mythology|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516128292l/37903770._SX50_.jpg|51396954] though.
Angrboda, the entire book: I think I've seen this film before, and I didn't like the ending.
in all seriousness, i think Gornichec is not a bad writer, just that i have a bone to pick whenever someone rewrites mythology, this is my red flag.
what i like about the book is that Angrboda has a lot more skin to her than in the source material, which is virtually nothing. the thing is, i like Angrboda before this retelling anyway because i have a soft spot for the three little monsters, so this retelling doesn't do much to convince me. for someone who doesn't know the myth or doesn't like Angrboda to begin with, this book fails to be entirely gripping and convincing. what i DO NOT like about the book is that in order to make Angrboda more of a appealing character, the author has to take other people's stories and give them to her. she also became a stronger female character at the cost of other female characters' autonomies.
Spoiler
i absolutely adore Hel in the original myth, but unfortunately, she is pretty much an useless little girl in this book. Gerd is portrayed to be lowkey a misogynistic traitor, whereas in the original Poetic Edda, she is a very badass woman and says that she will not endure the coercion of any man. also, making Angrboda bigger than who she really is threw me off a little. this one makes Angrboda and Gullveig one person, which is just not true. however, i think it is a good twist, if only the author isn't trying to make her stronger by downplaying the other female characters so much.in terms of writing, Gornichec's pace is rather fast and flat. i think there are so many things she wanted to say so every detail is rushed or just told to us instead of seeing it in action. i am not bored of the story, but i cannot say the same for other people. i must say there is a huge chunk on love triangle and that itself should be a trigger warning to me lmao. oh, the sapphic twist is also cute and not a plot device, i like that too, except Loki got too much screen time for the sapphic couple to be at the centre.
this book inspires me to write Hel and do her justice. everyone go read [b:Norse Mythology|37903770|Norse Mythology|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516128292l/37903770._SX50_.jpg|51396954] though.
mariahcooke's review against another edition
3.0
This is my first ever mythology retelling and while I enjoyed the story and narrator I’m not sure if this genre is for me.
3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angrboda is a powerful witch who’s had her heart carved out. Loki, the trickster, returns it to her and they fall in love and have three children. You follow their story and how Angrboda foresees the future and what Odin wants to know.
While I enjoyed the story, I went in totally blind. Odin, Thor, and Loki are all familiar to me from Marvel movies, but this is totally different! The book does start off a little slow and abruptly. I felt like I was halfway through before I knew what the point was and at times was wondering if there was even going to be one.
If you like retellings I think this would be a good one, but I don’t have anything to compare it to since this was my first.
3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angrboda is a powerful witch who’s had her heart carved out. Loki, the trickster, returns it to her and they fall in love and have three children. You follow their story and how Angrboda foresees the future and what Odin wants to know.
While I enjoyed the story, I went in totally blind. Odin, Thor, and Loki are all familiar to me from Marvel movies, but this is totally different! The book does start off a little slow and abruptly. I felt like I was halfway through before I knew what the point was and at times was wondering if there was even going to be one.
If you like retellings I think this would be a good one, but I don’t have anything to compare it to since this was my first.
toriah's review against another edition
2.0
DNF- it’s not that it’s poorly written. The protagonist is fairly interesting but her amnesia really affects her sense of empowerment. Loki is likeable until he isn’t (of course) and the plot very much becomes about pregnancy and raising children and really- that’s not what I’m into a book for. Slow paced if well written, I was not drawn in.
ps1normanreedus's review against another edition
5.0
Everything you'd hope for in a good mythology retelling, and then some.
valbowski83's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
manuscriptable's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Reading this book felt a little like holding my breath; not in the suspenseful sense, as if I couldn't wait to see what was would happen, but in the sense that I was waiting for something that wasn't coming.
Because of my love for Norse mythology, my expectations may have been too high. While Gornichec did present some interesting interpretations of the myths and provided background to a little-known female character... something important was just missing.
For one, I could not get on board with the writing style. Gornichec had a lot of ground and time to cover, and it all came out very rushed. Little time was spent with the main characters and their inner selves; big shifts in personhood were glossed right over. Also, the author seemed at times to be aiming for an antiquated style in some places, then a very modernized style in others. This inconsistency was distracting.
The time covered, and quick pacing, meant that we spent little time exploring the characters' inner selves. I felt little connection with the protagonist and the main supporting characters; it was a story that required additional time with side-mythical characters and did not provide; therefore, I didn't care much about their struggles and ultimate sacrifices.
As is a frequent occurrence, there were good ideas, but the end result fell short.
Because of my love for Norse mythology, my expectations may have been too high. While Gornichec did present some interesting interpretations of the myths and provided background to a little-known female character... something important was just missing.
For one, I could not get on board with the writing style. Gornichec had a lot of ground and time to cover, and it all came out very rushed. Little time was spent with the main characters and their inner selves; big shifts in personhood were glossed right over. Also, the author seemed at times to be aiming for an antiquated style in some places, then a very modernized style in others. This inconsistency was distracting.
The time covered, and quick pacing, meant that we spent little time exploring the characters' inner selves. I felt little connection with the protagonist and the main supporting characters; it was a story that required additional time with side-mythical characters and did not provide; therefore, I didn't care much about their struggles and ultimate sacrifices.
As is a frequent occurrence, there were good ideas, but the end result fell short.
egmosh's review against another edition
4.0
What a strange little book this was. As a lover of Norse mythology, I was excited for this new take. I was not disappointed either. It touches on the myths and stories, but also adapts and turns some of them around. It focuses on a character about which not much is known, and makes her likable and strong, yet pitiable. The story itself is quite tragic and I wished for a few more happier moments. It also had some slow pacing throughout some parts. But overall I adored Angrboda and her love for her children. This also made me want to reread Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman which I highly recommend.