Helpful Score: 3
When I started this book I thought it was going to be a really good one. I love mythology, especially Norse mythology. Unfortunately the awkward writing takes away from the fascinating landscape the book is set in.
The book alternates between three viewpoints. The first viewpoint is done in first person and deals with Freya the goddess of beauty. She is on a mission to save the Gods from self-destruction. The second viewpoint is done in third person and deals with Fulla, a young girl on the brink of womanhood who is dealing both with the invasion of Christianity and her looming betrothal. The last viewpoint is from that of Dvalin; also in third person, Dvalin is a half-dwarf who is connected to both Fulla and Freya. Between these viewpoints are small intervals where Ice Land's primary volcano is discussed.
Unfortunately this switching of viewpoints makes for an awkward story. The early passages with Fulla are done in third person with almost no conversation; so there is a lot of she does this, her hand touches this and it is a very awkward read. I agree with previous reviewers that if this book had been written in a completely different style it could have been great. As it is, it is very hard to read. I really had to push through the beginning of the book. The end was a bit better.
Once you get to know the characters, they are engaging. Unfortunately though it takes quite a bit of time for the characters' personalities to show through because of the cumbersome writing style. I am not sure if the book was written as it is to convey primitive culture, but the writing style itself is primitive. All in all this made it hard to enjoy the book.
There were some good things about this book. It was interesting to read about the gods acting and living as normal people. Most of this book was about the characters going about their day to day lives; there wasn't a lot of build up to some spectacular climax. It was also interesting to learn how the volcano affected everyday life; although this wasn't included until the end of the book. The characters were somewhat interesting and engaging and I was rooting for them by the end of the story. The setting of the book was creative and interesting too.
Unfortunately the above mentioned positives were just enough to drag this book into an "it's okay" category from me. I definitely don't feel a need to check out any more of Tobin's books and mostly I am just happen I am done reading it.
The book alternates between three viewpoints. The first viewpoint is done in first person and deals with Freya the goddess of beauty. She is on a mission to save the Gods from self-destruction. The second viewpoint is done in third person and deals with Fulla, a young girl on the brink of womanhood who is dealing both with the invasion of Christianity and her looming betrothal. The last viewpoint is from that of Dvalin; also in third person, Dvalin is a half-dwarf who is connected to both Fulla and Freya. Between these viewpoints are small intervals where Ice Land's primary volcano is discussed.
Unfortunately this switching of viewpoints makes for an awkward story. The early passages with Fulla are done in third person with almost no conversation; so there is a lot of she does this, her hand touches this and it is a very awkward read. I agree with previous reviewers that if this book had been written in a completely different style it could have been great. As it is, it is very hard to read. I really had to push through the beginning of the book. The end was a bit better.
Once you get to know the characters, they are engaging. Unfortunately though it takes quite a bit of time for the characters' personalities to show through because of the cumbersome writing style. I am not sure if the book was written as it is to convey primitive culture, but the writing style itself is primitive. All in all this made it hard to enjoy the book.
There were some good things about this book. It was interesting to read about the gods acting and living as normal people. Most of this book was about the characters going about their day to day lives; there wasn't a lot of build up to some spectacular climax. It was also interesting to learn how the volcano affected everyday life; although this wasn't included until the end of the book. The characters were somewhat interesting and engaging and I was rooting for them by the end of the story. The setting of the book was creative and interesting too.
Unfortunately the above mentioned positives were just enough to drag this book into an "it's okay" category from me. I definitely don't feel a need to check out any more of Tobin's books and mostly I am just happen I am done reading it.
Helpful Score: 1
This was not the best mythology-centric novel I've ever read, but it did have a unique voice of it's own. The shifting viewpoints and accounts in first and third person didn't bother me, but the muted tone of the story did. Because the author chose a distant way of writing the story, one never feels that engaged in the characters' plight. There isn't a lot of dialogue so Tobin will often explain a crucial scene in a few simple sentences. It can be frustrating because you want to know more detail, to have the story come truly to life, to become fully fleshed out. Instead, one is always completely aware that the story is shrouded by a veil of time. There is no closure to the story and even the characters are not always aware of their motives or assured of a happy or unhappy ending.
This made for an intriguing read in the beginning but by the last fifty or so pages, I really wanted all the threads to come together. I was expecting this since the chapters are broken up by verses from the Norns, the Norse version of the Fates, who are also responsible for one of the major catalysts for the story--Freya's journey to claim a necklace that will supposedly assure that the Asgard will survive the Christian invasion. I was expecting their presence to be a unifying theme. Instead, everything is still murky in the end and the purpose of the necklace seems to be hazy at best.
The story works well for scenes that require reflection or long expanses of time. The writing is reflective of the loneliness of the landscape and the people, but action scenes are particularly frustrating as they are so quick to start and end and seem more disjointed than poetic. The last fifty pages of the novel depict great upheaval and strife, by which the stilted, passive writing--perfect for depictions of long journeys and unrequited love--does not do justice.
Tobin drew her story from several ancient Norse traditions, the mythology of the old religion and the Sagas. I'm intrigued by how she merges the two traditions and how they interact and are shaped by the treacherous geography of Iceland. I can say I learned something from the story from a mythology standpoint, but from a literary standpoint I can't decide whether I find Tobin's mimicry of the muted mythology of the past, genius or aggravating. Usually, I prefer my fiction to flesh out mythology rather than mimic it so well that it seems like it could seamlessly become part of an ancient body of work.
I would recommend this novel for those who love mythology or like to experiment with writing styles. It is not a difficult read, nor is it an adrenaline fueled read in which you are driven to know what comes next. It is a steady, pleasant read for the most part.
This made for an intriguing read in the beginning but by the last fifty or so pages, I really wanted all the threads to come together. I was expecting this since the chapters are broken up by verses from the Norns, the Norse version of the Fates, who are also responsible for one of the major catalysts for the story--Freya's journey to claim a necklace that will supposedly assure that the Asgard will survive the Christian invasion. I was expecting their presence to be a unifying theme. Instead, everything is still murky in the end and the purpose of the necklace seems to be hazy at best.
The story works well for scenes that require reflection or long expanses of time. The writing is reflective of the loneliness of the landscape and the people, but action scenes are particularly frustrating as they are so quick to start and end and seem more disjointed than poetic. The last fifty pages of the novel depict great upheaval and strife, by which the stilted, passive writing--perfect for depictions of long journeys and unrequited love--does not do justice.
Tobin drew her story from several ancient Norse traditions, the mythology of the old religion and the Sagas. I'm intrigued by how she merges the two traditions and how they interact and are shaped by the treacherous geography of Iceland. I can say I learned something from the story from a mythology standpoint, but from a literary standpoint I can't decide whether I find Tobin's mimicry of the muted mythology of the past, genius or aggravating. Usually, I prefer my fiction to flesh out mythology rather than mimic it so well that it seems like it could seamlessly become part of an ancient body of work.
I would recommend this novel for those who love mythology or like to experiment with writing styles. It is not a difficult read, nor is it an adrenaline fueled read in which you are driven to know what comes next. It is a steady, pleasant read for the most part.
very good read.
Prior to reading this book, I knew virtually nothing of the mythology of Iceland. I briefly thought about doing some research about Norse mythology, but then decided against itmostly because I feel a book like this should act as a standalone and not require you to have prior knowledge of the topic.
I will admit it took a little bit for me to get into this book, as the introduction to the characters is somewhat slowly paced. I longed for the book to pull me in, to be one of those I couldnt put down, and it happily became that kind of book after the introduction chapters were finished. That being said, many of the characters were very engaging, and you could feel their beauty spilling off the pages.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=1242
I will admit it took a little bit for me to get into this book, as the introduction to the characters is somewhat slowly paced. I longed for the book to pull me in, to be one of those I couldnt put down, and it happily became that kind of book after the introduction chapters were finished. That being said, many of the characters were very engaging, and you could feel their beauty spilling off the pages.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=1242
