BOTM - Ice Land

[Brianna]

Our first mythic fantasy groupread for this month is:
Ice Land by Betsy Tobin

Summary Provided by GoodReads:

A beautiful epic of love, longing, redemption, and enchantment in the tradition of Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon.

Iceland, AD 1000
Freya knows that her people are doomed. Warned by the Fates of an impending disaster, she must embark on a journey to find a magnificent gold necklace, one said to possess the power to alter the course of history. But even as Freya travels deep into the mountains of Iceland, the country is on the brink of war. The new world order of Christianity is threatening the old ways of Iceland-s people, and tangled amidst it all are two star-crossed lovers who destiny draws them together-even as their families are determined to tear them apart

Infused with the rich history and mythology of Iceland, Betsy Tobin-s sweeping novel is an epic adventure of forbidden love, lust, jealousy, faith and magical wonder set under the shadow of a smoldering volcano.

Questions

Has anyone read this book already? If so, do you plan on rereading it?

What thoughts do have about the book? Do you think you'll like it? Or is it something you just can't see yourself reading?

[Brianna]

I haven't read this book before. I'm unsure if I will have the time to read it before this month is over because I do not already own this book. I will check and see if my local library has it, hopefully they do (fingers crossed!!!).

I really haven't read many mythic fantasy books, but this sounds pretty intriguing. I like the idea of a golden necklace that has the power to alter the course of history. I just hope that there is actually a such necklace in the book and it doesn't turn out that there is not such necklace. I really want to see that necklace put to use.

Now I must see if the library has this book.

[Shomeret]

The necklace is from mythology. It's called Brisingamen. I have read an urban fantasy that deals with it called Brisingamenby Diana Paxson. It takes place in 20th century San Francisco. It's a mythic fantasy as well as urban fantasy because it's based on the myth of the theft of Brisingamen.

I was the one who nominated Ice Landand I was really looking forward to it. I started reading it and found that I couldn't go any further because it started with "When Freya was sixteen..." I had too much trouble with that statement. For me, a Goddess is immortal and ageless. She exists outside of the human conception of time.

I know that many people might disagree with me. There is an entire series by Rick Riordan dealing with teenagers who are Gods. It seems to be a popular idea. I've run across a number of novels about an ordinary teenager who discovers that he or she is really a God or Goddess. To me, that stretches the concept of Godhood to the point that it becomes meaningless.

[Brianna]

Yayyyy the necklace does actually exist!!! I'll have to check out Brisingamen by Diana Paxson.

I don't know how to feel about mythology that includes teenagers. I also feel like a Goddess should be immortal and at least an adult if the author wants to give her some type of age. I could possibly deal with her being sixteen if she's part Goddess and part human. Anything else just doesn't seem to fit the genre to me when age is defined. Maybe if it would have started with "When Freya was a young Goddess..." I might feel more into the story.

[Shomeret]

Brianna wrote: "Yayyyy the necklace does actually exist!!! I'll have to check out Brisingamen by Diana Paxson.

I don't know how to feel about mythology that includes teenagers. I also feel like a Goddess should b..."

Another problem I had is that in this book Freya's father is Odin. In actual mythology Freya's father is the Sea God Njord.

I recently read a novel containing the mistaken idea that Odin's title All Father means that he is the father of all the Gods, but that was never intended. Odin is called the All Father because he created humanity in Norse mythology. He didn't create the Gods and actually had parents himself. His father is called Borr.

[Brianna]

Hmmm that's not good. I think that would get me completely confused with the author changing Freya's father.

On the other hand I never knew why Odin was called the All Father, but now I do. I guess that's because I haven't read a lot of mythology