Scan barcode
botanicpanic's review
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Incest, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Death, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, and Death of parent
alyssa_tauber's review
4.0
Like a lot of Norse literature it takes half the book to get to the central characters, which is fine if you are expecting it, but can be hard for a reader unfamiler with the genre. The later addition of Christian ideas to "The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki" didn't always work with the orginal ideas of the text (Odin is a "evil spirit" but they want to go to Valhalla? Not to mention the bashing the reader over the head with Christianity on the last page), making for a kind of muddled work in places. I would have liked the work more without this later addition. What appears to be the older parts are very interesting and reveal ideas of Norse peganism.
actualophelia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
You cand find my summary of this saga here: https://www.stuvia.com/doc/1415034/the-saga-of-king-hrolf-kraki-full-summary-family-tree
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and Alcohol
chalicotherex's review against another edition
5.0
"What can we do?" asked Hroar. "We are just two boys facing overwhelming odds." Spoiler: they set their uncle on fire.
King Hrolf's Berserker: so you think we're equals? Strike your sword at my helmet, see if it even hurts me, motherfucker. Spolier: it don't.
King Hrolf's Berserker: so you think we're equals? Strike your sword at my helmet, see if it even hurts me, motherfucker. Spolier: it don't.
my_forest_library's review against another edition
5.0
This book contains an Icelandic saga written down by an anonymous scibe in the 15th century. The events that are being described in the book would have happened 900 years earlier than the date it was written (if they happened at all).
Considering the age of this book, I'm almost amazed just how interesting the book is! It was really fun to read and it had lots of fascinating characters (like the family of bear-people, or the numerous strong women throughout the story). It's also a great way to learn about old Scandinavian traditions. At times, it read like an Arthurian tale (in the style of the Gawain Poet or Chrétien de Troyes).
I give it five stars because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Considering the age of this book, I'm almost amazed just how interesting the book is! It was really fun to read and it had lots of fascinating characters (like the family of bear-people, or the numerous strong women throughout the story). It's also a great way to learn about old Scandinavian traditions. At times, it read like an Arthurian tale (in the style of the Gawain Poet or Chrétien de Troyes).
I give it five stars because I thoroughly enjoyed it.