Odd and the Frost Giants

A big guy, a little guy, and a bird

Gaiman, Neil. Odd and the Frost Giants. New York : Harper, 2009.

Plot: Odd, a strong-willed but crippled boy, always finds joy in the spring. As the winter lingers to obscene lengths, he runs away to his father's old hut, only to discover a strangely determined fox. The vulpine interloper introduces him to a bear and eagle. The three are the Norse gods Loki, Thor, and Odin. Odd must break their curse to summon spring, but he may find more than a change in weather during his quest.

Genre: Fantasy, Coming of Age

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Loki's Wolves, Book of Three, The Raiders

Personal Thoughts: A light story by Neil Gaiman. The story focuses mostly on Odd, rather than his larger-than-life companions, but it also shows him his mother's fairly tragic past. Much like mythology in general, his story is an attempt to explain the unexplainable situations guiding his past, present, and future.

However, the title does not have quite the impact of some of Gaiman's other works, such as Coraline, which seems strange. Both heroes find themselves in strange situations. Both must accomplish seemingly impossible goals to save themselves and others. Both learn to appreciate their parents, especially their mothers, through their adventures. Coraline, ultimately, seems bettered developed, perhaps due to the presence of unsympathetic faults, such as stubbornness and selfishness.  The many unknowns surrounding her antagonist makes the heroine more intriguing as well. Unfamiliarity, after all, requires the readers to invest themselves in an attempt to understand the text. Ultimately, Odd is an interesting character, but not as interesting as some others popular heroes.

Side Note: I wonder how new readers will view the story in a post-Avengers movie society.