Norse Mythology

"The Norse myths are the myths of a chilly place, with long, long winter nights and endless summer days, myths of a people who did not entirely trust or even like their gods, although they respected and feared them."

No one could surpass Neil Gaiman at mythology retelling. One such jewel of a retelling is his Norse Mythology. It narrates the story right from the origin; the formation of nine worlds, Yggdrasil and their gods to the disruption of their world; The Ragnarok.

The book delves into detailed stories of the cunning and devious Odin, the highest and the oldest of all gods; Thor - his straightforward and good-natured son; Loki - Odin's blood brother who is the most subtle and shrewd of all the inhabitants of Asgard. We come across many tales on dwarfs that forged Thor's mighty hammer, Mjollnir; fights between giants and gods and some petty but hilarious fights between the gods.

Reading mythologies is always tricky. Because you wouldn't know its accuracy as they vary from book to book. Gaiman has stuck to the original stories and made them more approachable for the readers. Because some books on mythologies can be quite daunting as they are very monotonous to read.

Gaiman's crisp prose captures the reader's attention immediately. Even though the stories may not be in their obvious chronological order, it gives us an illusion of a story that's being developed from the scratch. His narration helps us understand more about the dispositions of Gods and their actions. If you're looking for an informational and fun read then this could be your go-to.