Norse Mythology
by Neil Gaiman
★ Top 25 book of 2017 · #12 on Best Books of 2017
Neil Gaiman retells the great northern myths, following Odin, Thor, and trickster Loki from the creation of the nine worlds through Ragnarok. His witty prose shapes the old tales into a novelistic arc of competitive, easily fooled gods.
Best for: Myth lovers and Gaiman fans who enjoy witty, accessible retellings of ancient stories
Norse Mythology is #12 on BookWard's Best Books of 2017, out of 73 2017 books that cleared our data bar.
What Norse Mythology is about
Neil Gaiman retells the old Norse myths as a connected story, beginning with the creation of the nine worlds and moving toward the twilight of the gods and the birth of a new age. Along the way we meet Odin, wise, daring and cunning; his son Thor, enormously strong but not the sharpest of the gods; and Loki, a giant's son, Odin's blood brother and a born trickster. There are comic episodes, such as Thor having to disguise himself as a woman to get his stolen hammer back, and stranger ones, like the blood of Kvasir becoming a mead that gives drinkers the gift of poetry.
In his introduction, Gaiman explains where his fondness for these tales comes from. The book received positive reviews from critics. Its tone is witty and earthy, and it suits anyone who wants a lively way into the myths without needing any background in them.
Norse Mythology on the Best Books of 2017
Norse Mythology came out in 2017. Of the 73 books first published in 2017 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #12 on our Best Books of 2017 list.
Why it made the list: 504 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.4 out of 5 (37 ratings); 25 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 2017 list
- Dog Man and Cat Kid Dav Pilkey, #10
- Nightfall Shannon Messenger, #11
- Refugee Alan Gratz, #13
- Oathbringer Brandon Sanderson, #14
See all Best Books of 2017 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2016 Best Books of 2018.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 420 want to read it, 25 are reading it now and 59 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.4 out of 5 from 37 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 78 | 55% |
| Reader love | 84 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 79 | 20% |
Questions about Norse Mythology
When was Norse Mythology published?
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman was first published in 2017.
Was Norse Mythology one of the best books of 2017?
Norse Mythology is #12 on BookWard's Best Books of 2017, out of 73 2017 books that cleared our data bar. 504 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.4 out of 5 (37 ratings); 25 are reading it right now.
Why is Norse Mythology on the Best Books of 2017 list?
504 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.4 out of 5 (37 ratings); 25 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 2017
- The Hate U Give Angie Thomas, #1
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Taylor Jenkins Reid, #2
- A Court of Wings and Ruin Sarah J. Maas, #3
- One of Us Is Lying Karen M. McManus, #4
- The Dark Prophecy Rick Riordan, #5
- Why We Sleep Matthew P. Walker, #6
See the full Best Books of 2017, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
Find your own best books
Add what you have read, rate it, and BookWard will recommend what to read next.
Free while in beta. No credit card needed.