Pagan, Shinto & Spiritual Book Reviews April 2017

Joanne M Harris, The Gospel of Loki

(Gollancz, 2014)
★★★ Read of the Month! ★★★

Gaiman isn’t the first author to jump on the current popularity of the Norse gods (thanks primarily to the recent Marvel movies). Before Norse Mythology, another collection of adapted tales from the the Edda was written in 2014 – and rather unexpectedly, from Chocolat author Joanne M. Harris.

But in this book, all the tales are told from the perspective of Loki, the trickster god. And as such, even though they are largely the same as those you’ll find in Norse Mythology, they have a very different slant. Viewed through Loki’s eyes, the Asgardians seem all the more impulsive, volatile and foolish; and all to really comic effect. Harris is at her strongest when dealing with the more humorous tales. Some of episodes, and the characters’ reactions to turns of events, are laugh-out-loud funny.

I also liked the ingenious way in which, by making Loki the focal point of the stories, Harris weaves all the various Norse tales into a continuous, flowing narrative – which really enhances the stories and stresses their epic nature. Rather than simply concluding, the ending of one story will lead directly to the beginning of another, and the actions of one character will prove to be an important motivation for another character’s actions later. This also allows for an effective shift of tone; we go from laughing during the heyday of the gods, to feeling genuinely sad when it all comes to an end.

The Gospel Of Loki isn’t without its faults. I found the depiction of Loki a little derivative and perhaps not as interesting as he could have been. Loki is an archetypal bad boy, using (occasionally jarring) modern American slang to demonstrate his rebel nature (he even uses the phrase Your Humble Narrator just like Alex in A Clockwork Orange). There’s nothing really new and original to his character – we’ve all seen this Loki before in the Thor movies. That’s not to say that Harris’ Loki has no appeal – you’ll end up liking him regardless – but I was hoping for something a little more original.

But despite this, I prefer The Gospel Of Loki over Gaiman’s Norse Mythology. While Norse Mythology is a fine read, The Gospel of Loki is bolder, more creative, and a lot funnier. Harris ingeniously balances being true to the source with adding her own, individual spin that makes these stories so appealing. And that’s why I think The Gospel Of Loki deserves to be Read Of The Month.