Summary
Last Updated on June 19, 2019, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 168
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Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman is a book that collects several myths from the old Norse tradition and reworks them into a more readable translation for most readers. Gaiman does not translate old tales, but he does rewrite them in a way which makes them easier for the average reader to follow and enjoy.
Gaiman's prior interest in Norse mythology led him to read the two Edda's which are collections of stories that were likely transmitted orally in Iceland. These collections include the legends of the beginning of the world and the legend of Ragnarok, among many other tales involving the Norse gods. Gaiman selected several of these legends, including the legend of Thiazi, the legend of the creation of Mjollnir, the legend of Thor's marriage, etc. and wrote them in a style reminiscent of fairy tales. They are rather sparse in style but convey the central information perfectly. Gaiman's collections appears to lock the stories into a timeline, though he does not state this as a goal.
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