A deft work deeply set in the Norse mythology and, though the central character is a giantess witch aggregated from multiple witches within the mythology, the story follows Loki's offspring and misadventures. What is impressive is the way the legendary figures become real characters, with daily lives, passions, weaknesses, drives and each having different ways of responding to the boundaries and bindings of fate. ( )

A reimagining of, essentially, all the high points of Norse mythology through the eyes of Angrboda, mother of Fenrir, Hel, and Jörmungandr.

Easily one of my favorite books so far this year. I love myth retellings, but I’m also very picky about them, and Gornichec is Gaiman-level good at lovingly recrafting those old stories. The writing is top notch. ( )

A reimagining of, essentially, all the high points of Norse mythology through the eyes of Angrboda, mother of Fenrir, Hel, and Jörmungandr.

Easily one of my favorite books so far this year. I love myth retellings, but I’m also very picky about them, and Gornichec is Gaiman-level good at lovingly recrafting those old stories. The writing is top notch. ( )

The Trickster Loki


While I’ve always loved mythology, I wasn’t as familiar with tales of the Norse gods and goddesses as I was with the Celtic and Greek myths. I have read Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman and I loved it but that is as far as I have explored. What I did know of the Norse myths didn’t include the love story of Angrboda and Loki, mostly associating them with evil based on the stories of their children—Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungand—who all play a role in Ragnarok.

However, it’s always good to remember that there are two sides to every story, and the stories are often written by the winners or those with the most power, and these stories often favor men. Loki is a trickster. Thor is a bit of a narcissist. And Odin can be quite manipulative and self-absorbed. I had a bit of a hard time because I have seen the Thor movies so trying to picture the characters differently was a stretch.

Angrboda the burned witch and her friend Skadi the huntress are the central figures in this reimagining of the events leading up to and culminating in Ragnarok. Their story is just as important as the stories of the Aesir and much less dramatic. I loved the pacing and the good feelings that I had when reading this book it is worth the time for sure.
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A really fresh and moving take on the Norse mythology - Aesir, giants, witches and wolves. And about what it means to be a mother. ( )