Customer Reviews

The Downfall of the Gods (Modern Scandinavian Literature in Translation)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In Sorenson's retelling of the coming of Ragnarok, the author treats the Norse Gods in much the same manner as Homer treated the Greek Deities--less like divinities and more like a large, noisy, and oftentimes dysfunctional family.

Everyone in Asgard has a personality and a private agenda. Odin is very much the distant father who, at the same time, aches because his duties simply will not permit him to have a closer relationship with his family. Loki, while certainly a trickster character, does possess flashes of regret for things as they come to pass with Ragnarok. Balder is just trying to get others to be decent to one another. Thor, while portrayed as a bit of a "redneck", is one of the most interesting characters. You can't help but admire his tenacity, especially over the retelling of his fishing expedition against the Great Serpent.

Another plus with this book is the author's afterword about why he chose to end the book with Ragnarok, and not to write about the paradisical remaking of the world.

Definitely worth keeping!