Odd and the Frost Giants
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- ISBN13: 9780061671739
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
In this inventive, fleeting, yet perfectly formed novel inspired by traditional Norse mythology, Neil Gaiman takes readers on a wild and magical trip to the land of giants and gods and back.
In a village in very ancient Norway lives a boy named Odd, and he’s had some very terrible luck: His father corroded in a Viking expedition; a tree fell on and shattered his leg; the endless freezing winter is building villagers dangerously grumpy.
Out in the forest Odd encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle—three creatures with a weird tale to tell.
Now Odd is forced on a weirder journey than he had imagined—a journey to save Asgard, city of the gods, from the Frost Giants who have invaded it.
It’s going to take a very special kind of twelve-year-ancient boy to outwit the Frost Giants, restore peace to the city of gods, and end the long winter.
A name cheerful and infuriating and clever . . .
A name just like Odd .
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As an adult, I establish the book appealing as a new take of the tales of Norse mythology, until I realized that there was something not reasonably right about this tale.
I had the chance to watch the movie Up and read Odd and the Frost Giants on the same day. Up is an example of a excellent tale, based on a character that endured setbacks during the course of his life and had to suffer a few more lessons at the end to reach his lifelong goal. Odd is a weird boy with a weird smile that infuriates people. What’s to like about such a boy. He went to the woods with his father’s axe that was too huge and cut down a tree that was too huge and crushed his leg. How can you feel sorry for such a boy. He runs away from home. Huge deal. He meets some not so intelligent Norse gods in animal form. How did they get in animal form, because they were drunk and not so intelligent.
And as for Odd outsmarting the Frost Giant by simply talking to him about why he wanted to rule Asgard in the first place was simply a let down.
What’s a child supposed to take away from this tale…have an infuriating smile, wander out into the woods to crush your own leg, how to out reflect some not so intelligent gods/grownups?
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
I establish this to be a very excellent read, especially the parts featuring the 3 creatures, But parts of the book featuring Odd only became…. a bit dull and contrived. In addition, the book was over far too quick with a conclusion that seemed to negate any effect the book could possible have.
Again, this was a excellent read, something simple and simple to digest, but nothing to write home about.
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
This is a slim fantasy novelette, marketed to kids in the 9-12 range, consisting of slightly over 100 generously-formatted pages, with occasional illustrations. It tells the tale of Odd, a viking boy, and his adventures involving various supernatural entities from Norse legend that take him as far as Asgard, the home of the gods.
Despite seeming to have all the fundamentals of an effective and intriguing fantasy setup, the tale ultimately falls flat on its face. I see at least three major problems, all interrelated: An excessively narcissistic focus on the protagonist, a hugely anticlimactic resolution, and serious moral issues.
(1) Focus on Protagonist: When I read fantasy fiction, I want to feel that the fantasy fundamentals of the tale are real and dynamic, with a hero who is at least occasionally willing to assume the humble role of one who stares in awe at marvels. Here, sorry to say, the main character, Odd, is a smug small know-it-all before whom all obstacles seem to magically dissolve. None of the additional characters, be they humans, gods or giants, seem to have any real will of their own, nor any meaningful influence on the tale. Thus, any sense of marvel that Gaiman might make it in making is quickly ruined.
(2) Anti-Climax: Not much can be said about this lacking giving away SPOILERS, which I will save for the end of this review. I won’t say yet whether Odd ever meets the fearsome Frost Giants or not, but it is certainly not worth the erect-up.
(3) Moral Issues: Call me ancient-fashioned, but I judge that if one is going to suggest the theme of rape in a children’s book, one ought to make it reasonably clear that one stands firmly against it. This tale does the ex- lacking doing the latter. Sorry to say, it will not be possible to avoid SPOILERS while discussing this issue, so be warned.
The theme is first introduced in a discussion about Odd’s family tree background. We are told that when Odd’s mom was a young girl in Ireland tending her father’s sheep, Odd’s dad abducted her during a viking raid, and brought her back with him to Norway. In what seems an attempt to make the reader feel better about this outrage, the reader is assured that dad did not “touch” mom until she had gotten used to her new home and learned the local language. Since mom obviously did not hop into dad’s longboat on her own accord, “touch” is clearly a euphemism for sex. I suppose it’s nice that dad did not immediately and violently rape his traumatized captive, but there is no indication she had the option of returning home, so it still seems like rape to me. Despite this, the dad (who has died before the start of the tale) is described sympathetically, as a beloved spouse and father, sorely missed by his son and widow.
The theme of abduction as a method of gaining a bride is again touched on in the main tale, where Odd’s task is to somehow foil the Frost Giant who has conquered Asgard. The Giant has many reasons for wanting to conquer Asgard, but first among them is his desire for the gorgeous goddess Freya. So far, this is not a problem. The Giants are regularly traditionally described as villainous adversaries of the gods, and desire for the lovely Freya is one of their traditional motivations (as in the tale of the marriage of Freya to the frost giant Thrym)
I now provide a second SPOILER warning. I am about to chat about the ending.
Sadly, this tale does not end like the “marriage of Freya” with the wicked giants being deservedly smashed by Thor’s hammer. As a replacement for we get the dreaded anti-climax. Odd just walks up the chief Giant, gives him a silly smile, and has a dumb conversation with him. When the dumb conversation is over, the Giant realizes he does not REALLY want the gorgeous Freya after all. He does not REALLY want any of the things he conquered Asgard for. He REALLY just wants to place Asgard, and go back to Jotunheim (giant-land), where it is nice and cold, and as for wanting Freya, it decides he will be just as pleased with a carved wooden statuette of Odd’s pretty mom.
Real “magic”, we are told, means “letting things be what they want to be”. There is no need for traditional notions of excellent versus evil, since enlightened self-indulgence is the essential answer to all problems. This is essentially the same message as in “Excellent Omens”, a previous Gaiman work.
The message that I got was that it was incorrect of the Giant to try to gain Freya for his bride by force because, and only because, he did not REALLY want her. By contrast, the abduction of Odd’s mom rumor has it that must have been OK because, by all indications, Odd’s dad really DID want her. What do you reflect of that?
But, if you do not care about morality, perhaps you might care about boredom. Here, all the colorful myths about wars between gods and monsters are permitted to dissolve in a puff of smoke. Poor Thor (who makes an appearance) does not even get to wave his hammer in a Giant’s all-purpose direction. I cannot wait for the sequel, where young Odd will no doubt avert Ragnarok by convincing Fenrir that what he REALLY wants to do is spend eternity chasing his own tail.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
This is a wonderful, quick read, by one of my favorite authors Neil Gaiman.
The tale is about a lonely boy named Odd, who lost his Viking father and his mother who was “stolen” by his father from her native Scotland. Odd tries to make it on his own by living up to his father’s mythical image only to be crippled in an manufacturing accident which forces his mother to get re-married.
Needless to say Odd’s stature in the new house is not very high.
Odd runs away to his ancient house, only to encounter Norse gods in the form of a bear (Thor), an eagle (Odin) and a fox (Loki). Turns out they were outsmarted by the frost giants and thrown out of Asgad. On his quest to help the gods and save his people from essential starvation in the endless winter Odd learns about himself, his family tree and how to handle the curve ball thrown at all of us during our lifetime.
A excellent point to take away from this tale
The book is written amusing and simply so a pre-teen child can know it (the recommended age of 9 -12 is perfect), the tale telling is masterful, the pace is perfect, and the read is entertaining to young and ancient alike.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
The legends of the Norse gods Odin, Thor, and Loki are timeless. Now Neil Gaiman has added to these tales with his tale, Odd And The Frost Giants.
Odd is a Viking boy lacking much luck. With an uncaring stepfather, a bum leg, and few prospects, Odd takes off to find his chance, or die trying.
As a replacement for, he runs into Odin, Thor, and Loki, who, coincidentally, are also down on their luck, thanks to a Frost Giant who tricked them out of house and home.
Can Odd help by just being… Odd?
This pleasant tale has the complexity of J.K. Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard but the tale extends through all 117 pages. If you’ve been place off by Gaiman’s previous “darker” tales, you’ll be more than pleased with this one. The illustrations by Brett Helquist compliment the text, and the tale should be of interest to both young readers (3-6th grade) and persons being read to (K-2nd).
It is okay to be Odd.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5