The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland

Lydbury's headpieces are as detailed and varied as her larger woodcuts, incorporating Norse motifs such as wildlife and nautical knots, armour and landscape. No question but that I'll revisit these, and the edition is a fine one in both design and illustrations. This was an ideal return to the stories, my appetite for the myths themselves whetted by Davidson's survey. Crossley-Holland conveys his enthusiasm as well as his admiration for the myths here, as well as for those who told them. Anglo-Saxon words, he notes, are preferred to others of Greek or Latinate origin. The introduction is meatier than expected, the notes detailed as to sources as well as Crossley-Holland's decisions regarding what to keep, what to change, how best to adapt contradictory or mutually exclusive versions. ( )Īll parts are eminently useful: Crossley-Holland's retellings adopt a pleasing tone, his selection never neglecting the big three (Odin, Loki, Thor) but attentive to less popular characters so as to serve up a rounded portrait of the myths. with their main function/responsibility/meaning.Īnd of course, there's, at the end, a list of books the author consulted (at least, he wrote that not all the books in this list were used), divided into different categories. The glossary holds a list of names of the gods, giants, dwarfs, realms, etc. Which leads to the question: why bother fighting/quarrelling about it, even waging war for it? Likewise when comparing religions and its figures/characters, when there are similar figures/gods in other religions.

comparisons with other nations' myths (India, Iran, etc.) and how sometimes the similarities can't be a coincidence. how each myth compares to other versions (being either more complete or even shorter)

where he found it (sources: sagas and other books) *cough*įor each myth, Kevin wrote an extensive note on: There are also several stories about theft, love, murder, death.

And you can read about Loki's mischiefs, his deceiving of the other gods, how Thor and Odin aren't exactly all that peaceful, how others are. Then comes the selection of 32 myths, which are placed in a chronological order: '(.) this collection which forms a complete cycle, beginning with the creation and ending with the destruction of the nine worlds, (.)'. In the large introduction he gives a detailed explanation of the Norse pantheon, the cosmology, the nine worlds, and so on. Kevin Crossley-Holland made a selection of myths, basing himself on various sagas and books written by various authors. the by ), I thought it would be fun reading again about the myths and what not of this era. Having read a few books on the subject (incl. I bought this collection of myths to expand my (small) collection of books about the Vikings.

The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland