Enjoyment (6/10):
While the stories where quite short and obviously translated from non-English grammar, they were able to flow nicely and create some vivid images of certain scenes. I very much liked how they would use interactions between two characters as a narrative device to describe the Nordic lore, such as in Alvissmal where Thor and a dwarf have a trivia contest of sorts. Other high notes include the various forms Odin may take to simply pester the subject of the story. Finally, the story of Sigurth was actually a great plot that includes complex actions by various characters that reminded me quite a bit of Shakespeare style plots.
Learning (3/10):
I disappointingly give this a 3/10, even-though I so dearly hoped it be higher. Potentially this rating is biased by how much depth I thought there would be to Nordic lore but I feel as I merely learned only anecdotes of god figures such as Loki, Thor, and Odin, and to a much lesser extent how Valhalla and other realms operate.
Broadening (3/10):
Unfortunately I do rate this low as I feel like many of the stories did not really spark my imagination or really forced me to view the world in a different way. I would say that the story of Sigurth made me appreciate that by even being the best and always doing the right thing, you may still meet an undesirable demise.
Closing Remarks:
When choosing this book I was hoping to be flooded with epic stories of Thor concurring enemies and about the intricate plots Loki devised or learning more about the lesser Gods. However, I was naive in my expectations which hurt my overall expectations of this book, which seems to have quite high praise with regards to other reviews online. I still enjoyed reading the “true/original” stories and did enjoy the story of Sigurth. However, my desire for more detailed stories and more background and clarity about the Norse world left me wanting more.