Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

[Dave_LF]

Anyone else aware of this? I just heard today. Gaiman has long been on my mental "I should really try reading his stuff someday" list, and this pretty much guarantees he'll be moving off it (in the positive direction ).
http://www.neilgaimannorsemythology.com/

[Primula Baggins]

Holy smoke! It sounds like the Silmarillion for an actual mythology. Preordered! (It's #1 on Amazon in its niche.) It won't be out until February.

I enjoy preordering interesting things; it's like getting a present from myself months later when I've forgotten.

[WampusCat]

I’ve read it. Rather, I’ve listened to it, since I’d rather listen to Neil Gaiman read aloud than … just about anything.

It’s a great retelling of the old myths, but that’s all it is. Don’t expect it to be another Gaiman novel. I quite enjoyed it but mostly knew the stories already, since the Norse myths were my favorite. He does tell the stories with flair.

If you want a short novel that will give you a taste of pure Gaiman goodness, try “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” or “The Graveyard Book.”

[Frelga]

There are recordings on YouTube of Gaiman reading The Graveyard Book that are just delicious.

[yovargas]

I read The Ocean last month and LOVED it.
Which has inspired me to go back and re-read the awesomeness that is Sandman.

[Alatar]

I'm waiting till I have time to full enjoy and absorb American Gods.

[anthriel]

I read this title as "Nurse Mythology".

I think that would be a good read.

[Frelga]

anthy, I'd read it!

[anthriel]

[Primula Baggins]

Anthy ought to write Horse Mythology. I'd read that!

[elengil]

I adore Gaiman and I am a sucker for Norse mythology. Have I ordered this book yet? Of course not. That would make way too much rational sense. It'll probably be on my Christmas list with Fall of Gondolin.

I love some of the hijinx that the Norse pantheon gets up to, especially with Loki's help. But I also appreciate that some of these myths were filtered through a later lens of the Christianization of Scandinavia. In Norse Mythology, Loki has a child called Hel whom Odin banishes to a realm of the same name (in general all of Loki's children were treated rather monstrously by the Aesir).

She is allotted a portion of the dead, though there are differing accounts as to whether this portion is of evil men (possibly another example of change of perspective brought by Christians) or whether these were those who died of old age or sickness, or whose deaths were not heroic or notable enough to get into Valhalla.

Loki is noted as responsible for the death of Baldr, the most beloved of the gods (think the modern Marvel version of Thor is much closer to the Baldr of myth), by tricking his brother into killing him with a weapon (spear or arrow depending on the version) made from a mistletoe, the only thing in all creation from which could harm him.

The connection of these two ideas is entirely my own, however, as I was thinking the other day that there is far too little in the Eddas about Loki interacting with his own children, and that as much as he was a trickster, he never struck me as particularly evil or that there was really any indication of why he would want to kill Baldr.

It seems the evolution of Loki in the later Eddas was one more of becoming closer to a satan figure rather than merely a mischievous and trickster figure. Thus this prose/poem is an attempt to reconcile the Edda story of the death of Baldr with a possible motivation on the part of Loki.


Now Hel’s abode was beneath the second root of Yggdrasil,
There cast down by Odin, where a portion of the dead are taken.
In winter’s maw she dwelt, within the hall of Éljúðnir.
Her countenance eclipsed, her weeping rose
Even to the ears of her father
Who desired to know the source of such grief.

Spoke Loki, “What has turned your eyes to seas,
Oh daughter? What your brow to blackness?”
Hel replied, “For the face of he, oh father,
Who is counted fairest, whom I am denied.
For the company of my heart’s desire,
Barren in my breast as my bed.”

Then spoke Loki, “Be still, oh daughter, and quell your rivers.
Call your servants to array you in dresses and jewels
Your heart’s desire shall be fulfilled, but in time.”
Then upon her father’s cheek Hel gave her offerings of obedience
And her servants bore away her tears in vials of glass,
To make of them jewels upon wires of sunlight and threads of moonlight.

But Loki returned to Ásgarðr, purposed already in his mind
For what father could be blinded to such sorrows?
Then taking upon him the appearance of an old woman
And in disguise, he persuaded Frigga to tell him Baldr’s weakness;
For the mistletoe alone had she not secured the promise
Of bringing no harm upon her son.

In this was found the chance Loki needed,
And from the plant he crafted a spear.
Giving it to Baldr’s brother to throw
So that it pierced him and instantly he fell dead,
Thus would the fairest of the gods be sent
To the Grave-warden’s halls upon flaming ship.

As Odin banished Hel, so Loki sent Baldr, also,
And to her bosom he was received, fairest of the gods.
When the Æsir came with supplications for his return
She replied that unless the whole of creation grieved –
Even as she had grieved for his absence –
Then he would not be released from the grave.

All creation grieved, save for one alone;
Who, being Loki in disguise, ensured his daughter’s joy.
What father is there who would do more?
As Odin banished Hel, so Loki sent Baldr, also,
To bind them until Ragnarok.
For as Odin does, so too shall Loki Laufeyson.


Complete with accompanying illustration

[Alatar]

I read it. I really liked it, but it is very Gaiman-esque...

[Dave_LF]

I read it too and enjoyed it. No real surprises if you're already familiar with the myths in question--as he states, his goal was to retell the tales in modern language and in an order that makes them feel like a single story--but that was fine.

[yovargas]

I read it earlier this year and thought it was delightful. I was unfamiliar with most of the stories so it was all new to me. But my biggest takeaway was that I wish I could rewrite all the Marvel movies to make Thor and Loki more like the originals.

[elengil]

I read it earlier this year and thought it was delightful. I was unfamiliar with most of the stories so it was all new to me. But my biggest takeaway was that I wish I could rewrite all the Marvel movies to make Thor and Loki more like the originals.

You can! I mean, not the exact Marvel stories, but you can write your own hijinx stories of Thor and Loki

[Inanna]

I got it from the library, but it got returned without being read (would happen only on a kindle!). I need to borrow it again.