I have long felt that my knowledge of Norse mythology was not as great as it could be, so was eager to rectify that. Does Emilie Kip Baker deliver, where she fell short with the Greeks? Again, this book is aimed at a younger audience, with deliberately softened language and removal of all sex and rape. It is a selection of twenty eights stories, the first half being about the Norse gods and giants, and the latter the telling of the hero Siegfried, more famously known as 'The Ring of the Nibelung' or 'The Ring Cycle.' The early stories range from the creation of the Nine Realms, the Aesir's many forays into Jotunheim to battle the frost giants, and the internal squabbles among the gods. The final chapter is the Twilight of the Gods, a very hastily told and anti-climactic overview of Ragnarok.
Unfortunately, I do not feel that my knowledge is sufficiently more enriched than before. Whilst this book is a good introduction to Norse mythology, it centres mostly on the more famous of the gods, namely the wise Odin, arrogant Thor, and troublesome Loki. I still don't know much about the rest. With the exception of Sif, Baldur, and Iduna, the others were not given any standout tales of their own and act more like bystanders. It was also annoying and confusing that Baker uses the words 'elf' and 'dwarf' interchangably. I recognise that this is a hangover from Victorian times, when the two were treated as synonyms. However, when these are distinct races living in their own realms, the correct delineation is important. I would recommend this book as an accessible entry point to pique one's interest, but for the real deal, you'll need the Icelandic Eddas and the Sagas.
Rating: 3/5
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