Tab Article

ratings: (4.8/5)
Genre: Classic Literature, Norse Mythology, Medieval Literature, Poetry, Mythology

Book Review:
Snorri Sturluson's 'Edda' is the indispensable source for our knowledge of Norse mythology. Without this book, written in Iceland in the 1220s, we would know almost nothing of the stories of Odin, Thor, Loki, and the other gods and giants of the Viking world. It is the Viking equivalent of the works of Homer or Ovid—a foundational text of a whole mythology. But the 'Edda' is more than just a collection of myths. It is also a textbook for poets, explaining the complex meters and kennings (poetic metaphors) of Old Norse verse. Snorri was a Christian writing about a pagan past, and his attitude is fascinating—scholarly, often ironic, but also deeply sympathetic. He presents these ancient stories with a dry wit and a storyteller's flair. This translation by Anthony Faulkes is the standard English version, and for good reason. It is accurate, readable, and preserves the distinctive flavor of Snorri's prose. The Everyman Classics edition is beautifully produced, with helpful aids including an introduction, summaries, indexes, and a chronology. Whether you are interested in the source material for Wagner's operas, Tolkien's Middle-earth, or the Marvel movies, or whether you simply want to read some of the strangest and most powerful myths ever told, the 'Edda' is essential reading. It is a window into a lost world of gods and monsters, heroes and giants, and a testament to the power of storytelling. As the text says, ''But the king's heart swells, bulging with courage in battle, where heroes sink down...''—and reading this book, one feels that same swelling of the heart.