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colorfulleo92's review against another edition
5.0
I've always been fascinated with the Nordic mythology and the gods and what not. We're shockingly easy to read, must be because of the (I'm guessing, great) translation. Very interesting read
sonotnic's review
4.0
The Elder Edda: A Book of Viking Lore, translated with an introduction and notes by Andy Orchard, was interesting to have on hand during our study of Norse mythology, but neither I nor the 10-year-old found it to be all that readable, although we do still frequently ask each other "Do you know yet, or what?" and then giggle hysterically. We did read the brief but entertaining Þrymskviða (Thrymskvida) in full just to get a sense of the original Poetic Edda, but we most often used it to settle discrepancies between retellings, such as, "Was it Loki's or Heimdallr's idea to dress Thor as the bride Freyja? (It was Heimdallr.)
punk_r0ck_dyk3's review against another edition
4.0
This was awesome, it was everything it needed to be and really helpful. I would say if your new to Norse mythology to start with something else because is does not include background information.
velociranga's review against another edition
4.0
I slowly worked my way through the historic Norse poems here, finishing my little adventure into this ancient culture (after reading [b:The Prose Edda|24658|The Prose Edda|Snorri Sturluson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1411896509l/24658._SY75_.jpg|1198450] earlier in the year). It was such an interesting insight into the culture of the time, the storytelling traditions it established, and the many, many modern works it has inspired/provided materials for/been copied by (especially Lord of the Rings and the Ring cycle).
I think I generally preferred the Prose Edda more, as it told longer and more detailed tales. I felt like I got more information and perspective on the world, compared to these shorter tales. The Prose Edda I read also showed more of the "kennings", word-play titles that require unpacking metaphors and historical/literary references. I really enjoyed hearing about the layers of references that built these, but the translation of the Poetic Edda I read (by Jackson Crawford) gave only the final product. This made reading the poems easier and gave the meanings clearly, but did remove some of the linguistic and literary fun I had with the Prose Edda.
But overall, I loved reading these! Another review here mentioned how often people look up references to classic texts via other summaries or analysis, when the original text is more direct and interesting. Especially when these translations are so clear, and the stories so interesting still. It makes me want to return to these in the future when those situations arise, journeying back into the past to rediscover these epic tales.
I think I generally preferred the Prose Edda more, as it told longer and more detailed tales. I felt like I got more information and perspective on the world, compared to these shorter tales. The Prose Edda I read also showed more of the "kennings", word-play titles that require unpacking metaphors and historical/literary references. I really enjoyed hearing about the layers of references that built these, but the translation of the Poetic Edda I read (by Jackson Crawford) gave only the final product. This made reading the poems easier and gave the meanings clearly, but did remove some of the linguistic and literary fun I had with the Prose Edda.
But overall, I loved reading these! Another review here mentioned how often people look up references to classic texts via other summaries or analysis, when the original text is more direct and interesting. Especially when these translations are so clear, and the stories so interesting still. It makes me want to return to these in the future when those situations arise, journeying back into the past to rediscover these epic tales.
cazxxx's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
twistedreader93's review against another edition
I can’t really give this a rating because I’m just starting on my journey of Norse paganism and I’m just trying to learn as much as I can
henry_michael03's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
cheesiest_doodle's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
eisneun's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the great works of Western European literature -- which is not to say that it is perfect. The sagas were passed down orally for centuries, and only written down about 1000 years ago, though no one knows for sure. It gives a glimpse into the culture of Northern Europe, but what's really interesting to me is how human a lot of the stories are. Although "Viking culture" is obviously present throughout these stories, and there is no small amount of bloodshed, the characters are in many ways like us. I have both the softcover and the audiobook because, although I prefer reading, in this case it's nice to hear it because that's the way it was presented in the past. I also like the modern cowboy rendering of the Havamal at the end of the book, showing how relevant and applicable (more or less) the Havamal is to modern life.