Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Introducing an instant classic—master storyteller Neil Gaiman presents a dazzling version of the great Norse myths.

Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales.

In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki, son of a giant, blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Once, when Thor’s hammer is stolen, Thor must disguise himself as a woman, difficult with his beard and huge appetite, to steal it back. More poignant is the tale in which the blood of Kvasir, the most sagacious of gods, is turned into a mead that infuses drinkers with poetry. The work culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and rebirth of a new time and people.

Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerge these gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again. @goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

First off the cover of this book is amaze balls! I just freaking love it!

Many gods and goddesses are named in Norse mythology. You will meet quite a few of them in these pages. Most of the stories we have, however, concern two gods, Odin and his son Thor, and Odin's blood brother, a giant's son called Loki, who lives with the Aesir in Asgard.

I have always wanted to read a good book on Norse Mythology and I think Neil Gaiman did a great job explaining some things before the stories.

The different stories were awesome, okay, some were mean and what not but they were just so awesome. Stories of the gods and giants and ogres and cunning and trickery. I just loved it.

This book isn't very long at all and the stories are short but I think they were still great. We don't always have to read big tomes to get good stories =) That being said, I think this would have been a cool trilogy of stories, but that's just my opinion. I would liked to have seen two more books.

I think that anyone that loves the gods will love or like this book. I would recommend it for all of the great stories. I can see how they all wanted to drop-kick Loki across the room =) 

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1958874404