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Norse Mythology

Neil Gaiman

Start date: August 1, 2024

Finish date: August 31, 2024

Discussion: Mythology

Why we're reading this: August 2024 Group Read
09/23/22 nominated by Shanna
[close] August 2024 Group Read
09/23/22 nominated by Shanna

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Mythology

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What Members Thought

Apr 24, 2017 Rachmi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: egypt-greek-norse-and-all-mythology, retelling-and-or-inspired-by, fantasy

So, unlike Greek mythology, I’m quite new with Norse mythology. I don’t know much about it. I don’t think I ever read a book about it before. I don’t even watch Marvel’s Thor. So this one is my first experience and I don’t have anything to compare it with (I don’t count Wikipedia) either. And I might be biased since Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors, but I loved and really enjoyed reading this book.

Before I picked it up, I thought it will be about one full story with less narration and ...more

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Sep 05, 2017 Kirstie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: myth

To be honest I've not before read any of the original Norse myths. I knew what exposure to pop culture and stories that used them as a template or launching pad had taught me and little else, so it was great to come across this and finally learn what the brass tacks are.

The writing style is largely like a standard book of myths would read, but every now and again you get a lovely Gaiman bit of flair and you just know he couldn't resist adding that detail or joke.

Not knowing the source material ...more

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Feb 22, 2017 Jessica Andersen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: author-i-love, gods-and-goddesses, mythology

I will start by saying I love everything Neil Gaiman writes. I would like to live in the worlds in his head, even though they are sometimes scary. Norse Mythology is not a novel, which is the second thing I think I have to put out there. It is more or less a straight retelling of the Norse Myths featuring Thor, Loki, and Odin. It was shelved at my Barnes and Noble with the other mythology books and not with the Sci-fi/Fantasy where you normally find his work.

With that out of the way, I enjoyed I will start by saying I love everything Neil Gaiman writes. I would like to live in the worlds in his head, even though they are sometimes scary. Norse Mythology is not a novel, which is the second thing I think I have to put out there. It is more or less a straight retelling of the Norse Myths featuring Thor, Loki, and Odin. It was shelved at my Barnes and Noble with the other mythology books and not with the Sci-fi/Fantasy where you normally find his work.

With that out of the way, I enjoyed the book. I am only familiar with Norse mythology in a very general way. Mostly from Marvel comics and movies, and from the mentions in works like Gaiman's American Gods. So for me, reading these were fun. They were like the fun back stories that Marvel will never get around to telling in their cinematic universe (except Ragnarok, which is coming). But, these are not scholarly explorations of the myths. There are other books for that.

These feel like they are presented for our modern age, they are fairly short and sweet, but great fun all the same. They are a great jumping off point to Norse mythology, but I am sure there is more to find if you want to pursue a deeper study. Although, according to Gaiman's introduction many of the myths have been lost to time, and he told the few that we have left.

It also happens to be a nice way to get ready for the upcoming American Gods TV series, telling us a bit more about some of the characters we will see in there. That may have been a carefully calculated plan on Gaiman's part, or it may have just been that he was thinking more about Norse mythology as he was working on the TV series and wanted to write the stories for himself.

There has been some controversy over one of the stories in particular, having to do with building a wall around Asgard, and Gaiman has said he was working on this book long before a certain person was touting building a wall in our own country.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, it was a quick read and I feel like I learned a little more about Norse mythology than I knew before and who knows, maybe I will seek out one of the more scholarly books on the subject beause of it. And if the story featuring Thor in drag let me envision Chris Hemsworth doing all that, it was all to the good. ...more

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