Norse Mythology

Some complain that when compared to Gaiman's other works, Norse Mythology falls a bit flat. The goal of this project was not to tell new stories, but to breath new life into the old stories. Gaiman stays true to the source materials and presents the stories of Thor and Odin and Loki and all of the Norse gods in a language that feels fresh and engaging. I've worked my way through the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda and they are anything but an easy read. The prose of a millennia past is something of a hot mess. Gaiman has done all of the painful research for us and given us the old stories gift-wrapped in tight, modern language and a clarity and singular narrative that old Snorri Sturluson was incapable of providing. If you want new and exciting stories about Thor and the gang, pick up a Marvel Comic book or Rick Riodan's Magus Chase series. But if you have a genuine academic interest in the old Norse stories, you'll learn more from spending a day with Gaiman's Norse mythology than you will learn from spending a year sifting through the Prose and Poetic Edda and it will be a hell of a lot more fun.

I've studied Norse Mythology for 20 years. However, I know that the academic texts that are so interesting to me are very hard to get into and could be described by many as 'hella dry.' For my friends and family, I've been searching for a telling of the myths that was approachable, respectful of the source material, well-written in a more modern style, but adjusted the myths to reflect the best academic ideas and opinions about them. Basically, I've wanted a telling of the myths as they most likely had been told before being butchered by those who meant to demonize the gods, but written in such a way as to entertain a modern audience. I had hoped that this book would be just the thing I've been looking for.

Neil Gaiman made a lovely introduction that hinted that he'd done all that I could have asked for. My eyes lingered on a typo of a Goddesses's name, but I forgave it and moved on. He spoke about his research and I was excited about that even if I felt he'd come to some very different conclusions than I had.

And then I read his 'cast of characters.' My spirits sank. Thor, Odin and Loki are not the main gods! There is some argument among the academics, but the usual suspects are always Thor and Freyr, with either Odin and Freyja, or Odin and Frigga rounding it out (and sometimes Odin doesn't even make the cut.) Loki might be a key player, but he's a supporting character and shouldn't be considered the main cast as the Norsemen saw it. Peeved, I moved onto the first myth. Not only was it sadly short and lacking in many of the details that have been teased out by academics, it was straight up wrong in places. Gaiman lifted phrases from other translations, which is perfectly fine in the academic sense, but not what I expected to see here. I expected his very own words, not reading words that I could nearly recite from having read them so often.

I skimmed a few more of the chapters and found them to all have the same fundamental issues -- all the Christianization was still present, no effort had been made to clean up any of the known apocryphal additions to the myths. Sometimes things were just plain wrong. It seems that Gaiman didn't realize that certain things were not the same things, so sometimes I'd find myself confused because two distinct ideas had been conflated into one. The gods, who are often very deep characters in the myths, had been rendered very flat and entirely unlikable. After Neil's lament about so many of the the tales of Goddesses being missing in the introduction, I found it odd that he decided to make Freyja a one-note woman. Another thing I noticed is that the book slid from one spelling to another for proper nouns. I realize that there are multiple acceptable spellings for these very old words, but I prefer when a book sticks to one (perhaps acknowledging the others but saying which one it will use.)

Far from the promised modern retelling of the myths, which is sorely needed, this book is junk. It's wrong, it's lacking known details that would have done a lot for this rather short book. It takes a very out-of-date approach to the material, and doesn't present it in an entertaining way. These myths were meant to be told and retold and made lush with detail by the poet or storyteller presenting them. Gaiman should know this if he did the research he claimed he did. But here are the same old words that have been used forever. As much as I love these arc words, they were exactly what I didn't want in this work.

In conclusions, this lacks all that it claims it's got. It's a shiny cover (with the wrong shape for the hammer, by the way....) and a spiffy intro.... and the rest is just not worth the money. Get Kevin Holland's book, or even a copy of the Eddas and read them instead. This offers no advantages over either.

This is genuine storytelling in the oral tradition. It is deliberately written as if you were listening to a grandmother telling the tale around the fire. Picture her waving her arms and leaning forward to emphasize a point, her voice going gutteral and silken interchangeably as she voices a giant or the Trickster Loki.

A prime example is the story of how poetry was born. "It is a long story, and it does no credit to anyone: there is murder in it, and trickery, lies and foolishness, seduction and pursuit. Listen.
It began not long after the dawn of time, in a war between the gods: the Aesir fought the Vanir. The Aesir were warlike gods of battle and conquest; the Vanir were softer, brother and sister gods and goddesses who made the soils fertile and the plants grow, but none the less powerful for that."
It is a great story, with a perfect comedic last line.

I had this idea that Norse mythology was dire and bleak. A mythology that ends with Ragnorök, the death of the gods and the end of the world doesn't sound entertaining. I couldn't be more wrong. For one thing, Ragnorök is the end of one cycle of the world. Like Wagner's Ring, the world will start over again, just as it once did to usher in the time of the gods.

I have read other books by Neil Gaiman, and so far, this is my favorite. I thought the writing exceptionally evocative. Obviously, Gaiman had some amazing original material to work with, but this was great fun to read. It brings fabulous images to mind, such as this from "Hymir and Thor's Fishing Expedition": "The grandmother with nine hundred heads killed each ox, skinned it, and tossed it into her enormous cooking pot. The pot boiled and bubbled over a fire which hissed and spat, and she stirred it with a spoon as big as an oak tree. She sang quietly to herself as she cooked, in a voice like a thousand old women all singing at the tops of their voices at once."

I usually buy paperbacks, but I got "Norse Mythology" in hardback, because the cover of the hardback is beautiful. The details of Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, are raised and the hammer glimmers. The story of why Thor's hammer is short-handled is included in this collection. Most of the depictions of the hammer in Viking jewelry and carvings show the handle even shorter than on the book cover.

5 stars and a book to re-read with great pleasure!

Happy Reader

I grew up reading books full of folk and fairy tales, the Norse myths included, soaking them and their violence, their humor, their logic, their magic, into my soul. My major was inspired by folk lore and fairy tale, and part of my love for Neil Gaiman has always come from the way the structures of fairy tale weave through and warp in his works, and his incorporation of mythic figures from a full compendium of folk lore figures. Because of that, it was unlikely that I’d have any reaction other than adoration for his new book: a collection and retelling, in his own words, of the main stories of Norse mythology. So it was with little surprise but a lot of happiness that Norse Mythology was as good as I had expected, my first read of the new year as chilly freezing rain fell and my cat curled near my feet.

Neil Gaiman takes the Norse myths as we know them and retells them in his mysterious, careful writing. He has studied his characters carefully, and Thor’s strength and relative ignorance, Odin’s wisdom, and Loki’s trickery and desire for chaos, all emerge beautifully in this collection. He acknowledges in the introduction that it’s unfortunate that so many tales of the Norse goddesses have been lost, but gives strength and complexity to the female goddesses and giants who appear in his works. The Norse mythology is reborn in a magnificent storytelling voice that makes your heart ache over tales you already knew and jump through tales you hadn’t yet heard. Gaiman knows how to write folklore, and without lengthening the tales, he makes the gods both terrifying and familiar, the stories haunting and funny. He has done his research, but most of all, he just knows how to tell a story, and that’s the most important piece of passing down mythology, something born through oral inheritance over the centuries. As a side-note, it’s also one of the best smelling books I’ve ever held in my hands, and the book design is stunning. I received a review copy from @wwnorton in exchange for an honest review, and this truly is an honest and happy review.

I wanted to have a fun read of Norse Mythology. Neil Gaiman provides that. He starts where he should, which means you have to start like you are a 5 year old first listening to a fable by the fire light. You have to meet these characters somewhere. Just a little later you will get the fun stories and the logic, or lack thereof, of these characters and worlds will play into the structure provided in the first pages.

There are no illustrations, leaving illustrated editions for some future artist. I appreciate this. I get to use my own imagination guided only by Gaiman's clear prose.

The stories are clear and concise. There is very little plodding, even when plodding is the activity in the story.

The book is properly designed. Great typeface, excellent page layout, nice weight to the paper. Unlike many current books your eyes don't trip on a minefield of typographical errors.

This book is what it is, and that is a lot. It isn't Stardust, Coraline, or American Gods, and you should not expect it to be.

I pre ordered this book as I am a huge Gaiman fan. I enjoy the way that he can create such visual images with his words. He is a master at giving depth to his characters and scenes. Unfortunately this book is figuratively flat and to be honest maybe I was expecting too much. What I had hoped for was a book that used the Norse legends and had Gaiman fill in the brevity and gaps in the story. Unfortunately this was not the case. What we are left with is a basic retelling of the Norse Myths that you can find elsewhere on the internet and/or free publications. So for that I am disappointed. I was expecting the usual depth and suspense that Gaiman normally provides, but this time the stories read more like an encyclopedia than a novel. I guess maybe if you did not have a background or had read these myths before, it would be a great book to familiarize you with these wonderful tales. I hate to say it, but if you have a background in the Norse tales you will not learn anything new.

The title alone is self-explanatory. This is a collection of Norse Mythology that is presented to us by Neil Gaiman. I find it unnecessary to remind many of you of the standards to which I happen to hold this particular author to. He is an auto-buy. He has proven his worth and earned that respect. He tirelessly prevails and exceeds. So I had no doubts that this beautifully and so aptly covered book would meet these high expectations.

What is presented to us is a masterfully crafted interpretation of myths that are easily engaging equally for readers with a solid background in Norse mythology to those with little to no previously working knowledge. I admit that I fall into this latter category. In fact, I believe most of my learned mythology was derived from comics and video games. My high school and college studies tend to have leaned more heavily towards Greek mythology. So I can claim not true intellectual comprehension, I speak only of what I took away from this reading.

This was an experience that read more of a worthy and fascinating history than simply fiction. We are given a clear concept of the events that unfolded during the lives of Odin, Thor and Loki. The stories are delivered in an almost simplistic yet impactful and memorable manner that has made the entire event flawlessly engrossing and informative. Gaiman has taken something older and complex at times and made it approachable for every individual.

After a welcoming introduction, we are immediately introduced to the key players and some familiar Gods for many of you:

Odin – He is oldest of all gods and the all-father, he is known by many names.
Thor – He is known for his strength and his legendary hammer Mjollnir, he is a son of Odin.
Loki – He is known for his wit and looks. He is a constant thorn in the sides of the other gods and Odin’s blood brother.

Don’t fret, Gaiman has left no stone unturned including many other gods and characters that are familiar to Norse mythology, including dear Freya.

I attribute part of the successful execution of Norse Mythology to just how well Gaiman has managed to divide each story and narration appropriately. He has even so kindly inserted a thorough glossary for those who find themselves in need. The reading process is fluid and effortless. This is a title that could easily be consumed within a few hours.

We are graciously gifted 15 stories within this beautiful title. My favorites would include:

Mimir’s Head and Odin’s Eye
Freya’s Unusual Wedding
Hymir and Thor’s Fishing Expedition
The Last Days of Loki
If I had to choose an absolute favorite god, it would be Loki. For all of his mischief and arrogance, there was a great amount of entertainment to be found within his exploits and adventures. He truly is cunning.

“Because,” said Thor, “when something goes wrong, the first thing I always think is, it is Loki’s fault. It saves a lot of time.”

“He is tolerated by the gods, perhaps because his stratagems and plans save them as often as they get them into trouble.
Loki makes the world more interesting but less safe. He is the father of monsters, the author of woes, the sly god.”

Gaiman has vividly painted the worlds of Asgard and beyond with great clarity. This fascinating history of mythology unfolds in a way that only he could make happen. His ability to weave endlessly enchanting stories full of magic and promise carry you effortlessly on a journey from the very birth of Odin to Ragnarök. Even those with zero comprehension of Norse mythology will walk away feeling knowledgeable and satisfied.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Awful translation of the myths. Gaiman adds in his own stuff, changes things around, and it is the only work of his I've read that I couldn't finish I hated it so much. Get the Kevin Crossley-Holland translation of the Norse Myths and skip this one.

I was so disappointed in this book. I tried so hard to like it because these myths were were stories that I was raised with. But here they are watered down as if for children and all the best bits were left out. Also he only told some of the myths. No where did I see the myths regarding Frey's necklace (there are more than one). Nor was there any mention of of the myths around the Goddesses other than where they were put in to prop up the men's stories. Where is the story of Gullveig, for example? This is just a YA book for 10 year old boys. Such a shame

I wish I could rate it, "It's okay, if you're a bright twelve-year-old". I received the book, read it in a short afternoon, all the while becoming more and more convinced that I'd missed, somewhere, the qualifying "YA" descriptive. I've been a Gaiman Fan and a reader since his very earliest novels, and I am stunned and disappointed at the - what shall we call it?- sheer cheap crummyness of this book.
Gaiman himself, in the introduction, presents the book as an overview and comprehensive introductory treatment of Norse mythology. It is not. It's brief and spotty and though it has all of Gaiman's charm and clarity of style, it's just not worth anything like the cover price. It's a bummer, and it's a ripoff. Maybe he's just spent too long writing children's books and comics, because this sure as hell is not worth your money, or your (very small amount of) time.