2.5 stars
An interesting dive into the world of Norse mythology. I loved the idea of a novel following Angrboda and tying together some stories of witches, giantesses, and other mysterious women.
For me, the first part of the book really dragged. I liked the second half more as things picked up, but that whole first chunk was a bit of a struggle for me. I honestly couldn’t stand Angrboda and Loki’s relationship. And the lack of chapters really got me.
I did like that this wasn’t the typical story of Thor and Odin being the heroes. It calls out Asgard’s bad behavior, humanizes Loki a tiny bit (though I still can’t stand him), and focuses on some lesser known characters.
At the back is an appendix that briefly introduces the people, races, and places from Norse mythology that inspired the book. There is also a list of further reading.
Nice for those just getting into Norse mythology or who have read Neil Gaiman‘s Norse Mythology. It’s interesting to see how the myths and stories are interwoven in the text.