more Norseness, from Neil Gaiman

On Monday’s blog I reviewed a number of trollish tales that anyone leaning Scandinavian won’t want to miss.

Today I’ve got a new edition of one of Neil Gaiman’s fantastic stories, as laden with Norseness as a bowl of rice pudding.

Odd and the Frost Giants, written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell
published in 2016 by Harper
120 pages

This is the epic story of Odd, a young boy in medieval Norway who is fairly down on his luck. With his father drowned during a Viking raid, his leg lamed via a logging accident, his mom remarried to a lazy lout, and a long sluggish winter ahead cooped up with cranky villagers, Odd determines to hike into the forest and live independently in his father’s old hunting lodge.

Sooner than you can say Thor’s Hammer, though, Odd encounters a curious threesome — a fox, an eagle, and a bear. These three are definitely more than meets the eye. In fact, they’re Norse gods, transformed and deposed by some cunning, evil, Frost Giants.

Journey with Odd and his companions to Asgard to right the wrongs in this heroic tale brimming with cups of mead and tricksters tricked, frozen landscapes, a rainbow bridge, and the relentless pursuit of Beauty. Neil Gaiman is a storyteller for the ages, and he spins this one magnificently. It would make a wonderful read-aloud for ages 7 and up.

This edition, illustrated by Chris Riddell, was released last year. Riddell’s masterful ink drawings cast an enchanted, mythical sense. Burly bears, hook-beaked eagles,and tremendous, shaggy, frost giants leap off the pages. The black-and-white images are perfect for the icy setting. Some of the drawings are set on metallic silver paper — a sumptuous, Viking-esque touch. I adore this meeting of text and art.

In 2009, when the book was first published, Brett Helquist did the illustrations. His are extraordinary as well. Here’s a little glimpse of his work:

Whichever volume is accessible to you, then, do yourself a favor and dive into this extraordinary adventure.