Norse Mythology; Neil Gaiman

"Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman fashions primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds; delves into the exploits of the deities, dwarves, and giants; and culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and the rebirth of a new time and people. Gaiman stays true to the myths while vividly reincarnating Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki, the son of giants, a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator. From Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerges the gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to dupe others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again"

Title: Norse Mythology
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Published: February 7th, 2017
Rating: 4 out 5
Where to read: waiting in line to watch the new Ragnorok Movie

Hello Fellow Readers,

I listen to this audio book on a 13 hour drive from California to where I live now and I really enjoyed it. Voiced by Gaiman himself, this is the retelling (though Gaiman's words) of Norse mythology and the eventual coming of Ragnarok (no, I am not talking about the new Marvel movie). My husband and I liked the way he had paced his book, almost as if this was a history book, telling stories that have already happened. Gaiman's voice was soothing and calm while reading and I really liked it.

I will say that I am not an actual fan of Norse Mythology, My husband was driving and whoever drives picks what gets played. I find Odin, Thor and the gods brash and abrasive. They make bad decisions and I think ultimately with the choices they made Ragnarok is their fault. However despite my dislike of these 'gods', the book was very well written, it gave the characters life that I never bothered to notice. Gaiman's writing has a culture to it that makes reading (or in this case hearing) very easy and transitions each story in a  smooth way.

I actually wished there was more, 9 hours of audio did not seem like enough. 

Although I really liked the audiobook, I really wished I had read the book instead. That's just my preference though, not anything negative with the audiobook.