Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

I'm biased, I know, because I feel like Gaiman can do no wrong. I will read all of his books even if I'm a bit skeptical of the premise, such as Norse mythology. Not really my thing, but it's Neil Gaiman.

I have a new appreciation for Norse Mythology! Although, admittedly, I kept picturing Thor and Loki as Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston but, hey, movies ruin everything. Gaiman crafted the myths of gods with such an approach that made it less myth and more novel (captivating novel, no less).

He walks us through the players first: Odin, Thor and Loki. Then he guides us through all the pertinent stories that shape the myths from the Beginning to the End. The end leaves us with slaughter of the gods with Ragnarok. The story of Kvasir is actually the one that stuck with me the most. His blood, taken in a most brutal way, became the mead of poetry.

I appreciate short stories quite a bit as they take more thought and craft than long novels, I think. To be able to tell a story and engage the reader in just a few pages takes skill and Neil Gaiman has skill in abundance.

Even if you think Norse myths are not your thing, take a chance with this. Despite the unpronounceable names (how do you pronounce names that are almost all consonants???).... maybe listen to the audio :)

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