Scan barcode
liisp_cvr2cvr's review against another edition
@62%
Apparently, I read a completely different book to everyone else this far and have a highly unpopular opinion. I could see how the idea of it all being amazing, however for me, the execution lacked... something... and, mine and the book's sense of humor didn't match. So, totally a personal preference/experience here.
Apparently, I read a completely different book to everyone else this far and have a highly unpopular opinion. I could see how the idea of it all being amazing, however for me, the execution lacked... something... and, mine and the book's sense of humor didn't match. So, totally a personal preference/experience here.
dinipandareads's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book as part of The Storytellers on Tour blog tour. Special thanks to the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review! 4 stars
Check out my full review on my blog!
I have to admit that I’m not overly familiar with Norse mythology. I know the “basics” about the gods but I don’t really know their stories. I’ve been meaning to read more about them though, so when this book came up I jumped at the chance to read it. Let me tell you right now: this ended up being much more outside of my comfort zone than I initially expected! I love fantasy but admittedly don’t read much on the darker side of the genre and I would say this falls solidly in that category. Larssen does not shy away from the raw brutality of the nine worlds and I can’t stress that enough.
Some CW/TW (all or most off-page; some mentioned in detail but most not): dubious consent (possibly from a minor although age not 100% clear to me), rape, sexual and mental abuse, incest, addiction, substance abuse, toxic relationships, blood and gore.
TL;DR: An intensely dark story about the Norse gods from the perspective of two “minor” but important characters that shed light on the raw brutality of the human world and the gods they worship. Larssen’s writing is infused with a relieving humour that balanced the story’s darker elements. The world-building and characterisation were exceptionally done and you will come to deeply care for both protagonists. This definitely won’t be for everyone but if you have a strong stomach for dark fantasy and you’re interested in Norse mythology and experiencing a different perspective of the gods, you should definitely give this a try!
Check out my full review on my blog!
I have to admit that I’m not overly familiar with Norse mythology. I know the “basics” about the gods but I don’t really know their stories. I’ve been meaning to read more about them though, so when this book came up I jumped at the chance to read it. Let me tell you right now: this ended up being much more outside of my comfort zone than I initially expected! I love fantasy but admittedly don’t read much on the darker side of the genre and I would say this falls solidly in that category. Larssen does not shy away from the raw brutality of the nine worlds and I can’t stress that enough.
Some CW/TW (all or most off-page; some mentioned in detail but most not): dubious consent (possibly from a minor although age not 100% clear to me), rape, sexual and mental abuse, incest, addiction, substance abuse, toxic relationships, blood and gore.
TL;DR: An intensely dark story about the Norse gods from the perspective of two “minor” but important characters that shed light on the raw brutality of the human world and the gods they worship. Larssen’s writing is infused with a relieving humour that balanced the story’s darker elements. The world-building and characterisation were exceptionally done and you will come to deeply care for both protagonists. This definitely won’t be for everyone but if you have a strong stomach for dark fantasy and you’re interested in Norse mythology and experiencing a different perspective of the gods, you should definitely give this a try!
a_night_bird's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
When I picked up Children, I did so knowing the book might be too dark (grimdark) for me, but willing to take the chance since my taste is interesting and I sometimes enjoy books that are quite ‘grimdark’, even though I tend to avoid anything I find depressing, and since I’d been reading the author’s blog and interviews and I was entranced by his approach to story-telling and to writing characters (and not just writing characters, though I can’t see how writing characters can be fully separate from this, but to approaching some of the elements that can go into making a story grim-dark).
I can say it was grimdark. I found it depressing and dark, and while I don’t read horror, there were scenes that I think had a horror feel. On the character side of things, it absolutely did not disappoint. Bjørn did a spectacular job bringing the reader into the point of view of the characters, so much so that I shared in Magni’s emotions and responses, in his confusion and overload, to a very high degree. I think that might be uncomfortable for some readers, but I liked it. The story is written in first person, and whereas with many books written in first person I don’t really notice that it’s any different from one written in third person, in this case I absolutely did, and it was all good.
I have read few books that perform immersion to the same degree that this one did. When Thor caused havoc in the palace-halls of Jotunheim, it was as if I saw through Magni’s eyes and through Magni’s mind. I wondered Magni’s thoughts, was certain of what Magni was certain of, was as confused as Magni. That was the scene where I found this experience most notable and obvious, but it was present throughout the book, and in both characters. The characters themselves are genuine and feeling – they have to be to allow for this much immersion, in my opinion. Magni’s thoughts and world-view is that of a good child. There’s a quality of innocence – I don’t mean sexually, though he does strike one as very much unready for anything of that nature; that aside, I’ve never understood what innocence/purity has to do with sexuality or lack thereof – to Magni’s thoughts and intentions, even when he’s been forced to acknowledge and experience far too much horror. But even at the beginning of the book, Magni is quite aware of evil and disaster, of people being hurt and killed, of people abandoning others and not caring or attacking people they shouldn’t. There’s not much more relateable than his thoughts about how humans don’t say what they mean, and what do they mean, and how does one understand these people.
Magni just wants to do good, and help people, and be nice. He knows there’s evil and cruelty, but he never understands why. Or even really what. I truly liked this. I like seeing characters who are simple; honest and true at least to themselves and at least more or less (though Magni isn’t much of a deceiver at all). It’s not necessary for characters to have “subtext,” mixed or hidden motivations, to be real and compelling, and I really enjoyed Magni. But, perhaps precisely because Magni is so lovable and loving, the book is so dark and depressing. The sweet man-child who would never hurt anything ends up killing and hurting and stealing from other people as desperate – or nearly as desperate – as himself; and at least they will be after he hurts or kills or steals from them (I think this isn’t a spoiler, since the book is, admittedly, Grimdark, and if anyone wants to read a review at all, I think this isn’t too much; if I’m wrong, you can know that Raina-who-reads-books-backwards tries, but has no actual intuition for what is or isn’t a spoiler). That was more hurtful in this book than it could have been in almost any other. More hurtful to happen to this character than it could have to almost any other. Yet Magni doesn’t become someone completely evil or callous. In the last acts of the book one sees it as strongly as ever: Magni’s great, controlling desire is protect his people, the jötunn (also called ice giants) of Jotunheim, forever, at whatever personal cost to himself. And he can’t hate anybody, even people who are utter assholes and how can one possibly be as callous an asshole as that? I haven’t read a lot of Grimdark, so I can’t say for sure, but I think Children differs from a lot of that genre in the character of Magni.
Don’t take my lack of much to say about Maya as indicative that she is at all bland or boring. She’s not. However, she stood out to me less than Magni did, and I found Magni’s story to arouse a lot more in the way of emotions and thoughts than Maya’s. There’s actually a lot to say about her, and I really enjoyed her friendship with Magni. There are sometimes that she second-guesses it (later in the book, and you’ll find out why), but I get the feeling that Magni has made a very big impact on her, and they’re very much friend-friends. Her loyalty to him goes deep, and she helps him out in some very big ways, even when she doesn’t know what he’s planning. I’d say their relationship is fairly wholesome. Maya is an awesome character, and I would have enjoyed the character side of the book if it was just her (well, perhaps not really, since how would the book even exist without Magni?), but what I’m saying is that Maya isn’t a deficient character in any way. I’m just not in a mood to speak to her after Magni, who speaks to me a lot more.
I’d say what makes the book most depressing is nearly stated in the blurb: a universe built on cruelty. This is the world of Children. Not a world where there is a lot of cruelty, but a world fundamentally built on it. A world where cruelty seems ultimate. What’s beautiful is Magni’s determination to make a better world that rises like a pheonix from the ashes. His kind, caring heart that never completely dies for good. But the book is really sad and depressing, and Magni’s beauty only makes it more depressing – in what happens to him, in the ways he is broken, in what he does.
This review appeared first on Enthralled By Love (Paths of Fantasy).
This review appeared first on Enthralled By Love (Paths of Fantasy).
jessie85's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
inkslinger's review against another edition
3.0
ARC provided by Bjørn Larssen via Storytellers On Tour. All opinions are mine and freely given.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | BookBub
10-09: 'Children (The Ten Worlds Book 1)' by Bjørn Larssen is a retelling of the Norse myths, centered around Magni and Maya.
Magni is the son of the God of Thunder himself.. Thor.. but it's his mother he grew up close to. Thor represents everything the young god despises.. murderous and alcoholic. A being who was never really part of his life.. and whose name only brings up feelings of resentment and memories of a cold, distant man.
When Thor destroys everything Magni holds dear, he becomes determined to put a stop to his distant father's violence. His dream is peace and prosperity for the Nine Worlds and a quiet life with the man he loves, but escaping the shadow of his father is difficult because they look so similar that he's frequently mistaken for Thor.
Maya is a sorceress who was spirited away from her human family by Freya and Freyr.. the God of Sex and Goddess of Love.. but she has no interest in the greatest of pleasures.
Having been sent back amongst humans to serve a thick-skulled brute of a King with no promise of when or if she'll ever return home, Maya's yearning for freedom has only grown. A skilled magic wielder, her rage at the games they've played is more powerful than even she realizes, but escape seems to elude her as well.
Though this book wasn't what I was expecting.. which is to say something bold and a bit lyrical.. it was well written. It's far more than bold.. and too raw to be lyrical.. but that isn't a bd thing.
The prose actually takes on more of the brutish traits of the world the reader is thrust into.. the language often simplistic. I found the dialogue to be on the weak side, but in truth.. that's the most difficult thing for most writers to get right, in my opinion.
While the journey is certainly a struggle and natural story investment builds within the telling, I wasn't particularly attached to any of the characters.. which surprised me. I just didn't find them all that likeable.. but that's a very personal thing and has no reflection on the author.
What's really cool about the story, is the unorthodox approach Larssen took to the retellings. His perspectives feel unique while still containing enough core mythos to keep the reader's path forward clear.
Told through a shifting narrative between Magni and Maya, each voice is distinctive.. which is really important to me with multiple-pov perspectives. I like that I know who I'm reading by their tone and even their language.. that I don't have to check and see whose name is present in the chapter.
As for trigger warnings.. if you're uncomfortable with depictions of sexual, physical, and emotional violence.. you may want to skip this one. However, if those don't bother you and you're looking for a story told in interesting and unfamiliar ways.. this might be it.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY | KOBO
whistberry's review against another edition
5.0
This well-written and ambitious novel was an intense read to say the least. Following two of the children of the gods, the story casts a damning light on the more well-known Norse deities from Thor to Odin to Freya and of course, the ever villainous Loki, through the eyes of those that have suffered at their cruel or simply thoughtless whims. Maya is a sorceress with seemingly minor powers who has been manipulated and lied to throughout her life by her foster mother, Freya. Magni is the son of Thor but desires nothing more than the simple life of a blacksmith, an ambition constantly thwarted in the cruelest of ways by his resemblance to his father and his rather simple-minded approach to life that makes it too easy for people to take advantage of him. The narrative shifts back and forth between the point of view of these two lost children, each caught up in events so far outside of their control that they seem powerless victims for much of the story. Be warned there is emotional, physical, sexual and substance abuse threaded throughout their journeys but it is never gratuitous or for mere shock value. The world they live in is harsh and unforgiving and the real heart of this story is the ways in which our two protagonists try to cope with and make sense of their abuse. The chapters with Maya's thoughts are the easiest to follow as she has the better grasp not only of the larger picture of what is happening with the gods but has the intellectual bandwidth to process it, not that that necessarily makes it easier for her to accept. Magni's chapters are much more chaotic as we are given a window into a mind that is literally fracturing for want of being able to understand or endure the torture he experiences. The author does not pander to the reader. Not everything is spelled out explicitly. This is a book that requires some work to keep up with what is happening and all of the connections between characters and events, so not the kind of light beach read some readers may be looking for. For me, it was worth the effort and time because it was such a unique take on very familiar myths and an incredibly insightful look into the effect abuse of all kinds has on its victims. Recommend for fans of well-thought out fantasy world-building, myth and folklore, and brutally realistic storytelling. No sugar coating here but a very rewarding and surprisingly relatable tale.
rorymichaelson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What an incredible book.
Lovingly crafted, raw, brutal, funny, and beautiful. Children takes a deep dive into Norse mythology for a darkly entertaining and sometimes shocking grimdark retelling. The characters are wonderfully realised, and I the writing feels bold, confident, clever, and inspired. I usually struggle with long chapters, but the powerful storytelling made putting this book down incredibly hard even when horrible things were happening. Truly a fascinating and memorable read, and definite must for fans of mythological fantasy.
CONTENT: The author of this book includes a content warning for sexual, physical, and emotional violence which may not be suitable for all readers . They provide a full list with further information on their website if required.
rowena_m_andrews's review against another edition
5.0
Well, what a way to kick off #Norsevember. Children is a stunning book inside and out – I mean just look at that cover! I had seen this one mentioned here and there, and it was the cover that immediately caught my attention because it is beautiful, and as it turns out a perfect cover for this book.
As beautiful as the cover is though, the writing is even more so, across all aspects – setting, characterisation and especially dialogue, and can and will wring every emotion of you at one point or another. A masterclass in writing, with a narrative to match, and I was pulled in from the start and so immersed in the world and the characters, that it felt like waking from a vivid dream whenever I was able to put the book down which was always a fight.
This isn’t a book where you are given everything about the world and characters from the beginning, but the more you delve into Children, the more you discover, and the payoff is a narrative that refuses to be forgotten. It must be mentioned that in keeping with the Norse Mythology that inspires it, Children is a brutal book, and it doesn’t shy away from the darker elements, but that element is never overwhelming, and you feel the good just as vividly as the back, and it makes for a beautiful, emotionally powerful narrative that hits home on all levels.
Children were presented primarily through the POV of two descendants Maya and Magni who are living in the shadow of their legendary predecessors, and this was such a fascinating approach to Norse Mythology that immediately set this book apart. I was loosely familiar with the mythology behind this retelling, and Children took that and made it into something new and different in all the best ways. I love retellings, but it’s retellings like this, which takes what we think we know and strips that away, breathing fresh life into an old story. Magni and Maya were both beautifully written, and we got to experience so much of their world and personal stories, and it was written in such a way that everything was laid bare – good and bad – and you can’t help but be utterly riveted by their experiences and development, and it has been a while since I felt so invested in characters. And that extended to the secondary characters, even those that only had a brief, passing appearance, because they were all an essential part of the book.
I was blown away by Children, and it was one of those books that lingers in your mind and calls you back to it because of the sheer impact it has. I can’t recommend this book highly enough, especially for anyone with an interest in Norse Mythology, and who want to lose themselves into a book that will grab hold of you and refuse to let go even after you’ve read that last page. Now, I am off to grab a copy of Storytellers – Larssen’s previous standalone book, and I will be keeping my eye out for future books both in this series and in general because Children has elevated Bjorn Larssen to an auto-read for me.
https://beneathathousandskies.com/2020/10/07/blog-tour-book-review-children-the-ten-worlds-1-bjorn-larssen/
As beautiful as the cover is though, the writing is even more so, across all aspects – setting, characterisation and especially dialogue, and can and will wring every emotion of you at one point or another. A masterclass in writing, with a narrative to match, and I was pulled in from the start and so immersed in the world and the characters, that it felt like waking from a vivid dream whenever I was able to put the book down which was always a fight.
This isn’t a book where you are given everything about the world and characters from the beginning, but the more you delve into Children, the more you discover, and the payoff is a narrative that refuses to be forgotten. It must be mentioned that in keeping with the Norse Mythology that inspires it, Children is a brutal book, and it doesn’t shy away from the darker elements, but that element is never overwhelming, and you feel the good just as vividly as the back, and it makes for a beautiful, emotionally powerful narrative that hits home on all levels.
Children were presented primarily through the POV of two descendants Maya and Magni who are living in the shadow of their legendary predecessors, and this was such a fascinating approach to Norse Mythology that immediately set this book apart. I was loosely familiar with the mythology behind this retelling, and Children took that and made it into something new and different in all the best ways. I love retellings, but it’s retellings like this, which takes what we think we know and strips that away, breathing fresh life into an old story. Magni and Maya were both beautifully written, and we got to experience so much of their world and personal stories, and it was written in such a way that everything was laid bare – good and bad – and you can’t help but be utterly riveted by their experiences and development, and it has been a while since I felt so invested in characters. And that extended to the secondary characters, even those that only had a brief, passing appearance, because they were all an essential part of the book.
I was blown away by Children, and it was one of those books that lingers in your mind and calls you back to it because of the sheer impact it has. I can’t recommend this book highly enough, especially for anyone with an interest in Norse Mythology, and who want to lose themselves into a book that will grab hold of you and refuse to let go even after you’ve read that last page. Now, I am off to grab a copy of Storytellers – Larssen’s previous standalone book, and I will be keeping my eye out for future books both in this series and in general because Children has elevated Bjorn Larssen to an auto-read for me.
https://beneathathousandskies.com/2020/10/07/blog-tour-book-review-children-the-ten-worlds-1-bjorn-larssen/
nick_borrelli's review against another edition
5.0
The first thing that you notice about Bjorn Larssen's CHILDREN is the stunningly gorgeous cover. I mean, this is some dazzling work and it draws you in immediately to want to find out more about it. Then as you begin reading the book you realize that as gorgeous as the cover is, the prose is just as gorgeous, if not more so. I was immediately struck by both the depth of the characters and the flawless dialogue that made me laugh most of the time, and yes I admit, shed a tear on a few occasions as well. It's really difficult to get me to buy in that much to make me emotional while reading a story, since I'm a bit of a cynic by nature. But damn if Bjorn Larssen didn't make me care about every single character in this book, even the ones that only make a passing appearance.
But let's get to the heart of this book, which is the incredibly well-told story that makes you want to keep turning the pages, and turning, and turning. If you love Norse mythology and also historical fantasy, then you will love CHILDREN as this is one of the very best books I've ever read that deals with the Norse gods and legends. What makes this book a cut above the others is that it also turns the conventional wisdom of how we view these gods on its head quite a bit. Truly the best retellings do this in my opinion, take a well known tale but twist it in such a way that you could almost say they reinvent the same tired old story.
By relaying the story of CHILDREN through the eyes of two very different descendants Magni and Maya, Larssen has gifted the reader with a fresh take on the Norse mythology that we have come to know up to this point. Both living in the shadows of their legendary predecessors, and both extremely worse for the wear, we get to see through alternating chapter POVs how each deals with their own personal abuses and neglect. Be warned that none of it is sugarcoated in the least, and in a way this is another thing that makes this book great, its willingness to lay bare both the good and the bad and have us experience every thought and action right along with the characters on a personal level.
This book is about as raw and brutal a read as you can come by but it is also incredibly moving and never makes you feel like there's not something worth salvaging in the end. I was really blown away by CHILDREN and am here to say that if you don't read this book, you are seriously missing out on a rare talent right now by the name of Bjorn Larssen. He will not hold your hand and tell you everything that you need to know explicitly, but he will ask you to work a little for what is a phenomenal payoff if you just invest a little time and attention. The true testament to how this book moved me is that I couldn't get it out of my head for the entire day after finishing it. In fact I even went back and read the final chapter again because I wanted to experience it fully just one more time. I don't have much more to say other than get this book and read it if you appreciate a story that is told in such a way that you feel like you live it with every word, sentence, and page.
But let's get to the heart of this book, which is the incredibly well-told story that makes you want to keep turning the pages, and turning, and turning. If you love Norse mythology and also historical fantasy, then you will love CHILDREN as this is one of the very best books I've ever read that deals with the Norse gods and legends. What makes this book a cut above the others is that it also turns the conventional wisdom of how we view these gods on its head quite a bit. Truly the best retellings do this in my opinion, take a well known tale but twist it in such a way that you could almost say they reinvent the same tired old story.
By relaying the story of CHILDREN through the eyes of two very different descendants Magni and Maya, Larssen has gifted the reader with a fresh take on the Norse mythology that we have come to know up to this point. Both living in the shadows of their legendary predecessors, and both extremely worse for the wear, we get to see through alternating chapter POVs how each deals with their own personal abuses and neglect. Be warned that none of it is sugarcoated in the least, and in a way this is another thing that makes this book great, its willingness to lay bare both the good and the bad and have us experience every thought and action right along with the characters on a personal level.
This book is about as raw and brutal a read as you can come by but it is also incredibly moving and never makes you feel like there's not something worth salvaging in the end. I was really blown away by CHILDREN and am here to say that if you don't read this book, you are seriously missing out on a rare talent right now by the name of Bjorn Larssen. He will not hold your hand and tell you everything that you need to know explicitly, but he will ask you to work a little for what is a phenomenal payoff if you just invest a little time and attention. The true testament to how this book moved me is that I couldn't get it out of my head for the entire day after finishing it. In fact I even went back and read the final chapter again because I wanted to experience it fully just one more time. I don't have much more to say other than get this book and read it if you appreciate a story that is told in such a way that you feel like you live it with every word, sentence, and page.
More...