By: Ashton Newton Entertainment Editor
Fans of comics and superhero movies are well aware of the lives of Thor, Loki and Odin. This is exactly what pulled author Neil Gaiman into the world of Norse mythology and began his inspiration for his narrative collection of Norse myths.
“Norse Mythology” is Neil Gaiman bringing his narrative style to ancient Norse myths and, for the most part, it makes for an incredible experience.
Initially, I was very put off by the book. The first few chapters are a very dense, mundane read that feel more like a textbook than a collection of stories. The chapters are short, but are packed full with names, attributes and brief histories of many different gods.
It’s not the best way to start, but it’s necessary to understand the characters in the stories that follow.
The stories themselves are great. Gaiman makes Norse mythology accessible and fun for newcomers and his focus on Thor, Loki and Odin give fans of those characters a deeper look at their origins and roots.
Gaiman uses his knowledge of mythology from “American Gods” and “Anansi Boys” to breathe new life into these old tales. The characters seem very alive; their feelings and emotions jump off the page.
The book begins with the creation of the world, then moves into stories about the gods and their adventures and origins and ends with Ragnarok, the end of everything.
Some of the stories end up feeling weak, however. “The Master Builder,” for example, finds the gods dealing with a man who is wagering Freya the sun and the moon on whether or not he can build them a wall in one season. This story feels long and drawn out, the tension of whether the gods will prevail disappears and is replaced by hope that the story will end soon.
Other stories are entertaining throughout. “The Death of Baldur” is easily the most heartfelt and compelling story in the book. The side characters feel as alive as the main characters and I found myself not wanting the story to end.
My biggest criticism of “Norse Mythology” is that it’s too short. The book ends way too quickly, especially considering that it deals with such a rich mythology. Four or five more stories could easily fit into the book and further add to the depth of the characters.
There are times when the characters do feel really weak. Gaiman has a habit of writing dialogue as Gaiman, rather than the characters that he is writing. This isn’t as much of an issue with the characters of Thor, Loki and Odin, since the book’s main focus is on them. Characters like Balder, Frey and Heimdall don’t get enough enough time in most stories to form their own voices, so Gaiman takes over.
“Norse Mythology” is a fantastic look into the world of Norse myth. The characters are more alive than ever before and Gaiman brings his masterful writing to these narratives, breathing new life into these old tales. Though the book is short and some stories are a bit boring, “Norse Mythology” is a great read for anyone interested in Norse myths.
Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu
