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izzykai's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A fun & easy read, great for mythology beginners, broken up into easy to digest short stories
Warning: it is pretty violent so don't read if you're not ok with that
Warning: it is pretty violent so don't read if you're not ok with that
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and War
thebookkeepers's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was an entertaining collection of short stories about classic Norse Mythology. A few of these I’ve heard through other retellings and enjoyed reading the version within this book, while others were new to me entirely. This feels like a mini encyclopedic source of Norse Mythology I can see myself revisiting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
donnanoble's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Violence
lottebluebird's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, and War
riverofhorton's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I went into this book with the assumption that it is at least somewhat accurate to the myths, and while there are elements that are, this is very much a Christianised Loki-Bad-Odin-Good portrayal of those myths.
Taken in isolation, it is as well written and mildly comical as Gaiman's other works, but within the context of it being a retelling of the Norse myths, it just missed the mark on so many points for me.
As example:the legions of Hel are described as being "the evil dead", which to my knowledge is not only a Christian concept, but also unjust. Those dead are simply people that didn't die in battle, so while there will be "evil" among them, they're not intrinsically so. Such phrasing also implies that Odin's warriors are equivalent to the angels of Christianity, something made ironic when you realise it's possible for "evil" people to die in battle.
Taken in isolation, it is as well written and mildly comical as Gaiman's other works, but within the context of it being a retelling of the Norse myths, it just missed the mark on so many points for me.
As example:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War
freschne's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
A collection of repetitive tales that celebrate cruelty, selfishness and betrayal
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder, and Alcohol
alexandrathegreat89's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Murder, and War
hue's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
5.0
Neil Gaiman's writing is so ripe with fantastical elements and intriguing storytelling, it's easy to fall into the story and forget all of everything. He writes of the Norse gods which such simplicity yet detail it'll stay with me for life.
I had heard the audio book before, read by none other than Neil Gaiman himself, but the physical copy was just as wonderful to get through.
I had heard the audio book before, read by none other than Neil Gaiman himself, but the physical copy was just as wonderful to get through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and War
nightmaresandfairytales's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
I bought this book because it was recommended somewhere as a good introduction if you want to learn more about Norse mythology because it is simpler to read than an actual Edda. In my own point of view, I would not recommend it to anyone not having a clue about Norse mythology though. I was familiar with the topic and quickly found my way into the stories about the gods, giants and others. Some basic knowledge is definitely helpful to know what is happening, who is involved and where it is happening.
But if you bring a solid base, this book is great entertainment. Gaiman managed to break down the stories about the Norse gods into simple, short tales that are entertaining and even make a round story. The characteristics of the gods and other creatures come out very well and I often had a good laugh. Gaiman's book stresses why Thor in particular is such a well-liked figure in Norse mythology.
I can't judge if the stories are adequate - I've never read the originals. But some of the tales sounded familiar, although I didn't know many details. I really enjoyed this book.
But if you bring a solid base, this book is great entertainment. Gaiman managed to break down the stories about the Norse gods into simple, short tales that are entertaining and even make a round story. The characteristics of the gods and other creatures come out very well and I often had a good laugh. Gaiman's book stresses why Thor in particular is such a well-liked figure in Norse mythology.
I can't judge if the stories are adequate - I've never read the originals. But some of the tales sounded familiar, although I didn't know many details. I really enjoyed this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Grief and Murder