I am unfamiliar with the Norse gods so this was all new to me. Listening to the audio book, sometimes it was confusing with Freyr and Freyja. ( )

I loved this book so much! The author has notes after each myth detailing the sources of each myth, the changes he made, parrallels with myths from other cultures and more. I love all those details!
And I was very surprised to read in the myth "Thor and Geirrod" that Thor had to cross a river of menstrual blood of a giantess. Good job Vikings acknowledging women's periods! ( )

“Retellings” of Norse myths, but thoroughly based on the original stories from the Eddas, Gesta Danorum, and Heimskringla. Something of an antidote if your perception of Odin, Thor and Loki comes from the MCU. Author Kevin Crossley-Holland notes that Thor was seen as a protector of the “middle class” – yeoman farmers – and is generally the most likable of the Norse gods, even if he loses his temper and smashes people with Mjolnir periodically. One interesting difference between the Greek and Norse gods is most of the Greek myths involve humans interacting with gods – Jason and the Argonauts, Helen of Troy, etc. – while the Norse myths are primarily god vs. god and god vs. giant. Odin is apparently just as likely to mess around with mortal women as Zeus, but the results, if any, just vanish rather than creating half-divine characters like Heracles and Achilles and Helen.

Almost a quarter of the book is detailed notes, explaining how Crossley-Holland picked the sources and what editing he did. There’s an extensive bibliography, with original sources, original sources in translation, and secondary works. ( )

A good translation of the surviving nurse Myths with some explanatory notes and links with other mythologies.
While the notes are interesting, there seems to be much more that could be said, which would make an even more interesting read. ( )

A metalhead must-read (for fans of Viking, Melodic Death, Folk subgenre).

-Read this with "Twilight of the thunder god" stuck in my head.

-Týr, and Valkyrja, and Vàli, and my head exploded and then I lost count :)) ( )