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Odd and the Frost Giants

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by Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins, 2009. 117 pgs. Juvenile Fiction.
Odd has a lucky name (meaning the tip of a blade) but not a lucky life. His father died at sea and when Odd tries to take over his woodcutter business, he drops a tree on his own leg, shattering the bones and crippling himself. Odd's stepfather has no use for the boy so Odd leaves home to live in his father's cabin in the woods. One morning Odd hears a noise outside the house and discovers a fox who leads him into the woods to where a bear is trapped in the hollow of an old tree. Odd rescues the bear and the fox, the bear, and an eagle follow him home where they reveal themselves to be Norse gods, transformed and turned out of Asgard by the Frost Giants. How Odd drives the Frost Giant out of Asgard with scarcely more ammunition than his dazzling smile is the burden of this delightful, mythical tale. An accessible book for reluctant readers, Odd and the Frost Giants is distinguished as well by Neil Gaiman's memorable, visual prose.

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Nycole said…
I enjoyed Odd and the Frost Giants. A quick read with enough Norse mythology to make it fantasy and a very solid human character, Odd, to make it appealing and real. I like fOdd. I hope Gaiman gives him some adventures.
NSL
May 13, 2010 at 11:41 AM
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