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This is basically a collection of stories that Neil Gaiman, a lifelong admirer of Norse Mythology, curated that tell some of the most characteristic (and frankly some that I never heard of) stories that he has come across in his study of the The Prose Edda and I believe other texts. Norse Mythology is so delightfully odd. The oddness is highlighted in an appealing way by Neil Gaiman's narration. He treats the stories with respect, and he really is an excellent narrator. I love that he narrates the audio for many if not all of his own books. One of the things I really appreciate about Neil Gaiman is that he's very much a geek and a booknerd like me. While he's such an incredibly talented, and credentialed writer, he seems very down to earth in the way that he communicates his love of narrative and storytelling.

I had forgotten about Ragnarok and how devastating it is. It's really distinct feeling how the gods face their fates in the Norse myths. I am not saying that I know all the world myths, but in my study of them, I feel that the Norse myths have such a concrete ending and that stands out to me. It's a bit of a downer, if I'm honest.

Reading the legends, myths and lore of a people tells you a lot about their values and their history. For that reason, it's not just an enjoyable exercise, it's a very educational one as well. For those who have an interest into exploring Norse mythology (perhaps their interest has been piqued by the movies and television shows that highlight some of the Norse myths and legends), this book is a nice and relatively short diving board into that rich content.

Side note: I'm reading Rick Riordan's Magnus Chase series (about a young man whose father is the Norse god Freyr), and I really appreciate how some of these stories give context to the ongoing story arcs and characters in that series. If one is looking for a more kid-friendly way to introduce Norse mythology to their children, I wouldn't recommend this book. It's quite adult. Magnus Chase would probably be better, although it does have some bits that might be too much for kids under 12 or 13.