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The Seed of Yggdrasill: Deciphering the Hidden Messages in Old Norse Myths
1643 AD: The bishop of Iceland, Brynjolv Sveinsson, received an ancient leather manuscript already 500 years old. It had been hidden away for hundreds of years, from the Church authorities. Brynjolv realized that a long lost ancestral treasure had been recovered. Ancient legends and myths speak out from the leathery pages through the almost forgotten language of poetical metaphors.
Snorri Sturluson (1225 AD) sometimes referred and quoted from them in his Prose Edda and today the body of mythical and legendary poems found in the hidden manuscript are known as the "Elder, Poetic Edda".
Why was the manuscript hidden? What were the real messages behind Old Norse poetry? Are the Norse myths truly just funny stories about gods, trolls and giants, or do they hide some deeper insights?
In The Seed of Yggdrasil, Kvilhaug explores the allegories, metaphors and parables of Old Norse myths, revealing how spiritual mysteries and metaphysical speculation - speculation that sometimes borders on the scientific - were at the heart and core of Old Norse Paganism.
...At három þúl hleþu aldregi
opt er gott þat er gamlir qveþa;
opt or scarpom belg
scilin orð coma,
þeim er hangir meþ hám
oc skollir meþ scrám
Never laugh at the ancient Sage:
Often it is good what the old ones say;
Often from the wizened old body
wise speech issues:
They that hang among leathers
and hide between hides
- (Hávamál - The Speech of the High One, st. 134, Poetic Edda)
Snorri Sturluson (1225 AD) sometimes referred and quoted from them in his Prose Edda and today the body of mythical and legendary poems found in the hidden manuscript are known as the "Elder, Poetic Edda".
Why was the manuscript hidden? What were the real messages behind Old Norse poetry? Are the Norse myths truly just funny stories about gods, trolls and giants, or do they hide some deeper insights?
In The Seed of Yggdrasil, Kvilhaug explores the allegories, metaphors and parables of Old Norse myths, revealing how spiritual mysteries and metaphysical speculation - speculation that sometimes borders on the scientific - were at the heart and core of Old Norse Paganism.
...At három þúl hleþu aldregi
opt er gott þat er gamlir qveþa;
opt or scarpom belg
scilin orð coma,
þeim er hangir meþ hám
oc skollir meþ scrám
Never laugh at the ancient Sage:
Often it is good what the old ones say;
Often from the wizened old body
wise speech issues:
They that hang among leathers
and hide between hides
- (Hávamál - The Speech of the High One, st. 134, Poetic Edda)
710 pages, Hardcover
First published June 21, 2013
38 people are currently reading
455 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 1, 2014
Maria Kvillhaug may not be a name that many people are aware of unless you have frequented YouTube or found her site: http://freya.theladyofthelabyrinth.com/. I found it when I was doing research on ‘initiation’ rituals and was almost giddy when I discovered her numerous YouTube videos discussing her views on various aspects of Norse Mythology. Heathens might know her from her thesis paper The Maiden with the Mead-a Goddess of Initiation Rituals in Old Norse Myths, and if not, they should go grab a free copy of this paper. It was one of the first few thesis papers I read when I began to doubt the overwhelming references to the Edda. I found her paper eye-opening and frankly wondered why this paper had not made it into the list of readings for heathens.
After the course of watching several videos, I began to find what Maria said not only intriguing but down right conflicting with modern heathenry’s ideas of our myths. I found this view refreshing, as it was not a repeat of what we already ‘assumed’ but was a completely different view of myths. While I don’t always agree with her interpretation of things, her research is flawless. She obviously knows what she is talking about. She is also approachable, untainted by pre conceived notions. In heathenry today, we often tend to only look to the Edda as a place to understand everything, but this understanding seems to be taken in many ways out of context. What we know about the myths comes from various periods of research and seems to have been accepted as ‘fact’ instead of being constantly updated with new ideas.
I don’t blame anyone for this! It is difficult keeping up with the academic world, and thus heathen sources have remained constant for a long time! It’s only recently when the options for ‘alternatives’ have been more acceptable. Knowing that Maria was working on a book, I monitored its progress carefully, waiting to get a copy of it to read. I wanted to find out more about some of the topics she discussed on YouTube and reading from just the transcripts was not enough! Thankfully, her publisher provided me a copy to read, and boy I cannot say enough about this book!
Granted, I have had to speed read through it, as I am on a deadline with many of my reviews…but I could not get enough! I was so excited to see the Edda exposed in vivid detail. Maria shows you the original translations and gives you extensive notes on each. She delves into these myths in such a way that you’re left with only one thought, wow! It is an eye opening thing to be faced with the possibility that these myths, these poems are not just poems but hidden knowledge from the ancestors.
I will say, that I have a feeling some heathens will not like the fact that she does say that the gods may be just ‘expressions’ and not real but that’s her opinion. They also may not like the fact that she shows the giants should not be demonized. Although, I disagree with her on the first point, I totally agree with her on the giants! What she says is true! It is backed up by countless other research that seems to be hidden in some forbidden section of heathen libraries, but the fact is that it is clearly obvious that we have assumed they were ‘evil’, however Maria provides numerous examples which tell us something different!
The other big ‘yeah’ for me was the section on gender! Thank goodness someone wrote about this! Finally women are highlighted with importance, and shown that historical records are way off in the view of women. These were not housewives, but important parts of society and I was so glad she wrote about this aspect, as well as the aspect of transgender acceptance!! Not every heathen will agree with that either, but frankly I don’t get where they think there was any passages that condemn any of this. This term of ‘ergi’ seems to be constantly used, without any real concrete proof that it meant something ‘bad’. I was happy to see an author express her views on these things so well and without any leanings for or against these concepts!
On page 46-47 Maria says: “We are often presented with a very macho version of Viking Age society, and it is of course easy to be swayed by the intense warrior ideology that was obviously a crucial part of this Iron Age to Medieval culture. It is easy to assume that women were just as invisible in that warrior culture as they were in warrior cultures dominated by one of the three monotheistic religions, with their exceedingly condescending and even hateful attitudes towards women. However, to the Pagan, women were no less holy and important than men, just as goddesses were no less holy and powerful than gods.” It makes previous statements I have made about authors who seem to think there was gender inequality seem downright wrong. To that I am grateful to Maria for including the comment!
Although I get annoyed at authors who assert witchcraft into Norse Society, at least Maria provided context for it without ‘church’ notions of what a witch is. Finally it is clear, that it is not like what we think of as a ‘witch’ today but more that these people were considered ‘magical’, not that they ran around with wands yelling incantations. These were Norse Witches, both feared and revered. I see them as connected to the same things as Maria suggests, these were women who had a line to the underworld, not people you messed with or bothered. They were women who worked with the Norns and Hel so closely that likely they were what we moderns would see as ‘dark’, ‘fringe’. They held the world by a ‘thread’ literally, and I am very thrilled that Maria presented them as such!
The Seed of Yggradsill provides a wealth of information, examining what we ‘think’ we know with detailed interpretations of each section of the Edda. At a whopping 710 pages, this is not a light read! But, well worth every page! The art in the book ads just the right touch, proving you with further ‘documented’ proof of Maria’s suggestions. I also loved the chart on page 225! That was the most detailed chart of lineage of the gods that I have ever seen and it was so interesting to see the lines go back to the giants and include Loki’s children as well.
Although, Maria uses the word pagan, it is unclear what she means by that? When you read her blog she states she is not religious but spiritual, so I think this term is more ‘generic’ than stating any personal ‘belief’ or alignment. Her spirituality does not taint her academic work which to me is very important! We often let our spiritual voice override our academic work and it ‘can’ taint an author to one specific view. But, in Maria’s case, she seems to be able to separate the two, which is rare and much appreciated by many of us who feel research needs to be done outside of spiritual expression. I find Maria’s work fresh, informative and easy to read. She is not condescending and in fact provides you with details on the language used, what methods of research she used. She puts it all out there and does not hide her opinions! I respect that greatly!
I am sure someone in this universe is going to nitpick something she said but this is the unfortunate nature of writing, not everyone is going to appreciate your opinion, for me these critiques can research for themselves like I did, and perhaps find grains of truth in what the author provides. I give this book at sterling 5/5 it is excellent, well written, presented well and all around a worthwhile read! I recommend that heathens especially grab a copy and go check out Maria’s videos as most of the book is the tome used throughout these…it is truly educational and enlightening!
P.S. I have also learned from Maria’s publishers that her dissertation The Maiden with the Mead will also be available and reprinted as a book and coming soon J
After the course of watching several videos, I began to find what Maria said not only intriguing but down right conflicting with modern heathenry’s ideas of our myths. I found this view refreshing, as it was not a repeat of what we already ‘assumed’ but was a completely different view of myths. While I don’t always agree with her interpretation of things, her research is flawless. She obviously knows what she is talking about. She is also approachable, untainted by pre conceived notions. In heathenry today, we often tend to only look to the Edda as a place to understand everything, but this understanding seems to be taken in many ways out of context. What we know about the myths comes from various periods of research and seems to have been accepted as ‘fact’ instead of being constantly updated with new ideas.
I don’t blame anyone for this! It is difficult keeping up with the academic world, and thus heathen sources have remained constant for a long time! It’s only recently when the options for ‘alternatives’ have been more acceptable. Knowing that Maria was working on a book, I monitored its progress carefully, waiting to get a copy of it to read. I wanted to find out more about some of the topics she discussed on YouTube and reading from just the transcripts was not enough! Thankfully, her publisher provided me a copy to read, and boy I cannot say enough about this book!
Granted, I have had to speed read through it, as I am on a deadline with many of my reviews…but I could not get enough! I was so excited to see the Edda exposed in vivid detail. Maria shows you the original translations and gives you extensive notes on each. She delves into these myths in such a way that you’re left with only one thought, wow! It is an eye opening thing to be faced with the possibility that these myths, these poems are not just poems but hidden knowledge from the ancestors.
I will say, that I have a feeling some heathens will not like the fact that she does say that the gods may be just ‘expressions’ and not real but that’s her opinion. They also may not like the fact that she shows the giants should not be demonized. Although, I disagree with her on the first point, I totally agree with her on the giants! What she says is true! It is backed up by countless other research that seems to be hidden in some forbidden section of heathen libraries, but the fact is that it is clearly obvious that we have assumed they were ‘evil’, however Maria provides numerous examples which tell us something different!
The other big ‘yeah’ for me was the section on gender! Thank goodness someone wrote about this! Finally women are highlighted with importance, and shown that historical records are way off in the view of women. These were not housewives, but important parts of society and I was so glad she wrote about this aspect, as well as the aspect of transgender acceptance!! Not every heathen will agree with that either, but frankly I don’t get where they think there was any passages that condemn any of this. This term of ‘ergi’ seems to be constantly used, without any real concrete proof that it meant something ‘bad’. I was happy to see an author express her views on these things so well and without any leanings for or against these concepts!
On page 46-47 Maria says: “We are often presented with a very macho version of Viking Age society, and it is of course easy to be swayed by the intense warrior ideology that was obviously a crucial part of this Iron Age to Medieval culture. It is easy to assume that women were just as invisible in that warrior culture as they were in warrior cultures dominated by one of the three monotheistic religions, with their exceedingly condescending and even hateful attitudes towards women. However, to the Pagan, women were no less holy and important than men, just as goddesses were no less holy and powerful than gods.” It makes previous statements I have made about authors who seem to think there was gender inequality seem downright wrong. To that I am grateful to Maria for including the comment!
Although I get annoyed at authors who assert witchcraft into Norse Society, at least Maria provided context for it without ‘church’ notions of what a witch is. Finally it is clear, that it is not like what we think of as a ‘witch’ today but more that these people were considered ‘magical’, not that they ran around with wands yelling incantations. These were Norse Witches, both feared and revered. I see them as connected to the same things as Maria suggests, these were women who had a line to the underworld, not people you messed with or bothered. They were women who worked with the Norns and Hel so closely that likely they were what we moderns would see as ‘dark’, ‘fringe’. They held the world by a ‘thread’ literally, and I am very thrilled that Maria presented them as such!
The Seed of Yggradsill provides a wealth of information, examining what we ‘think’ we know with detailed interpretations of each section of the Edda. At a whopping 710 pages, this is not a light read! But, well worth every page! The art in the book ads just the right touch, proving you with further ‘documented’ proof of Maria’s suggestions. I also loved the chart on page 225! That was the most detailed chart of lineage of the gods that I have ever seen and it was so interesting to see the lines go back to the giants and include Loki’s children as well.
Although, Maria uses the word pagan, it is unclear what she means by that? When you read her blog she states she is not religious but spiritual, so I think this term is more ‘generic’ than stating any personal ‘belief’ or alignment. Her spirituality does not taint her academic work which to me is very important! We often let our spiritual voice override our academic work and it ‘can’ taint an author to one specific view. But, in Maria’s case, she seems to be able to separate the two, which is rare and much appreciated by many of us who feel research needs to be done outside of spiritual expression. I find Maria’s work fresh, informative and easy to read. She is not condescending and in fact provides you with details on the language used, what methods of research she used. She puts it all out there and does not hide her opinions! I respect that greatly!
I am sure someone in this universe is going to nitpick something she said but this is the unfortunate nature of writing, not everyone is going to appreciate your opinion, for me these critiques can research for themselves like I did, and perhaps find grains of truth in what the author provides. I give this book at sterling 5/5 it is excellent, well written, presented well and all around a worthwhile read! I recommend that heathens especially grab a copy and go check out Maria’s videos as most of the book is the tome used throughout these…it is truly educational and enlightening!
P.S. I have also learned from Maria’s publishers that her dissertation The Maiden with the Mead will also be available and reprinted as a book and coming soon J
November 28, 2013
This review pertains to the Second Edition.
The information deserves 5 full stars. This particular edition of the book however, only gets 3 stars, in part because there are simply things I expect out of a $50 book--and one of them is crisp, clear text. Instead, there are many places where he text is faded, like a bad photo copy and difficult to read. Rather than solid lines, the letters are made up of cross-hatching, a lot like the old dot matrix printers. Likewise, many of the illustrations look more like faded photo copies than the kind of illustrations one would expect to find a recently published (and rather expensive) book.
So far, the binding seems solid at least, but it's only just arrived; only time will tell if it's solid or not.
Again, the material is excellent, well presented, well organized, and very readable, yet thoroughly researched. But if I had it to do over again, I would buy the less expensive edition because this *isn't* worth he money as presented. Frankly, the publisher should be ashamed of themselves for turning out such a sub-standard product.
The information deserves 5 full stars. This particular edition of the book however, only gets 3 stars, in part because there are simply things I expect out of a $50 book--and one of them is crisp, clear text. Instead, there are many places where he text is faded, like a bad photo copy and difficult to read. Rather than solid lines, the letters are made up of cross-hatching, a lot like the old dot matrix printers. Likewise, many of the illustrations look more like faded photo copies than the kind of illustrations one would expect to find a recently published (and rather expensive) book.
So far, the binding seems solid at least, but it's only just arrived; only time will tell if it's solid or not.
Again, the material is excellent, well presented, well organized, and very readable, yet thoroughly researched. But if I had it to do over again, I would buy the less expensive edition because this *isn't* worth he money as presented. Frankly, the publisher should be ashamed of themselves for turning out such a sub-standard product.
June 15, 2016
The Seed of Yggdrasil: Deciphering hidden messages in the Old Norse Myths by Maria Kvilhaug is an exploration of the parables in Nordic mythology which she argues reveal spiritual mysteries and a kind of metaphysical speculation at the very heart of Old Norse Paganism.
Maria Kvilhaug’s book was published this summer by Whyte Tracks and the second edition was made available on 13th September. An expert on Nordic mythology, Maria had already accumulated a huge fan base and reputation through her YouTube channel, The Lady of the Labyrinth. Her book was not only greatly anticipated by academics and historians interested in the subject but also by neo-pagans who have long believed that the Norse myths offer a more complex and sophisticated world view than is sometimes believed.
The book elaborates on the subjects previously covered in Maria’s YouTube videos and in her first dissertation, ‘The Lady with the Mead’, in which she explored the fundamental thematic structure of several Edda poems rendering what could only be explained as a Pagan initiation ritual. The heavy emphasis on semiotics, philology and pantheistic theology as a way of understanding symbolic metaphors in Nordic myth present a fresh and original perspective on the subject.
She argues that there is a ritual structure in the myths and that these myths reveal parallels with the experience of religious rituals, therefore demonstrating that the myths written down by Christian Icelanders in the 13th century are in fact accurate reflections of pagan religious practices. This is a controversial perspective that contradicts academic orthodoxy on the subject which holds that the myths are degenerated versions of the pagan originals with a great deal of Christian embellishment.
“1643 AD: The bishop of Iceland, Brynjolv Sveinsson, has received into his hands an ancient leather manuscript dating back almost 500 years. The manuscript has been hidden – perhaps away from the Church authorities – for nearly 400 years. As Brynjolv slowly turns the pages made of hide, he realizes that a long lost ancestral treasure has been recovered. Ancient legends and myths speak out from the leathery pages through the almost forgotten language of poetical metaphors.”
The poems and stories were passed down through generations orally and written down by Snorri Sturluson in 1225AD. The body of mythical and legendary poems found in the hidden manuscript are now referred to as the Elder Poetic Edda. Even if you have never read the Eddas and don’t know anything about Nordic mythology and gods like Thor and Odin, this book is still very interesting. It explains the myths and the symbolic, hidden meanings that Kvilhaug has identified in them. She presents a Nordic mythology that is less macho and warlike than previously believed and is instead more focused on subtle symbolism and the sacred feminine. Those who are fascinated by all things Norse should of course read the book, although they may find themselves confronted with opinions and theories that go against a great deal of what previous scholarship has taken for granted.
Maria is an expert in Old Norse language and skilfully translates the names of dwarves, gods, elves and giants to interpret the hidden meanings of their roles within the myths. Her interpretations of the myths are often very original and controversial from an academic perspective, which makes for interesting reading.
Even if the theories presented are sometimes outlandish, the book is a great read and reveals the beauty and poetry of the Nordic pre-Christian religion. The insightful observations are explained from the perspective of an intelligent woman who has devoted her academic life to studying the ways of shamanic and polytheistic pagan practices in Northern Europe.
Maria Kvilhaug’s book was published this summer by Whyte Tracks and the second edition was made available on 13th September. An expert on Nordic mythology, Maria had already accumulated a huge fan base and reputation through her YouTube channel, The Lady of the Labyrinth. Her book was not only greatly anticipated by academics and historians interested in the subject but also by neo-pagans who have long believed that the Norse myths offer a more complex and sophisticated world view than is sometimes believed.
The book elaborates on the subjects previously covered in Maria’s YouTube videos and in her first dissertation, ‘The Lady with the Mead’, in which she explored the fundamental thematic structure of several Edda poems rendering what could only be explained as a Pagan initiation ritual. The heavy emphasis on semiotics, philology and pantheistic theology as a way of understanding symbolic metaphors in Nordic myth present a fresh and original perspective on the subject.
She argues that there is a ritual structure in the myths and that these myths reveal parallels with the experience of religious rituals, therefore demonstrating that the myths written down by Christian Icelanders in the 13th century are in fact accurate reflections of pagan religious practices. This is a controversial perspective that contradicts academic orthodoxy on the subject which holds that the myths are degenerated versions of the pagan originals with a great deal of Christian embellishment.
“1643 AD: The bishop of Iceland, Brynjolv Sveinsson, has received into his hands an ancient leather manuscript dating back almost 500 years. The manuscript has been hidden – perhaps away from the Church authorities – for nearly 400 years. As Brynjolv slowly turns the pages made of hide, he realizes that a long lost ancestral treasure has been recovered. Ancient legends and myths speak out from the leathery pages through the almost forgotten language of poetical metaphors.”
The poems and stories were passed down through generations orally and written down by Snorri Sturluson in 1225AD. The body of mythical and legendary poems found in the hidden manuscript are now referred to as the Elder Poetic Edda. Even if you have never read the Eddas and don’t know anything about Nordic mythology and gods like Thor and Odin, this book is still very interesting. It explains the myths and the symbolic, hidden meanings that Kvilhaug has identified in them. She presents a Nordic mythology that is less macho and warlike than previously believed and is instead more focused on subtle symbolism and the sacred feminine. Those who are fascinated by all things Norse should of course read the book, although they may find themselves confronted with opinions and theories that go against a great deal of what previous scholarship has taken for granted.
Maria is an expert in Old Norse language and skilfully translates the names of dwarves, gods, elves and giants to interpret the hidden meanings of their roles within the myths. Her interpretations of the myths are often very original and controversial from an academic perspective, which makes for interesting reading.
Even if the theories presented are sometimes outlandish, the book is a great read and reveals the beauty and poetry of the Nordic pre-Christian religion. The insightful observations are explained from the perspective of an intelligent woman who has devoted her academic life to studying the ways of shamanic and polytheistic pagan practices in Northern Europe.
February 27, 2017
PRO
So much information about Norse Mythology. Information about Odin and his origin, about the number nine and the number three. Information about Freya, wife of Odin and all the other famous gods.
So much information about history. Because mythologies of different countries are compared you get a view good history lessons too.
The difficult poetry of Edda is made so much more understandable by Maria. Even if you do not agree with her interpretation, you are going to learn so much about mythology and its place in the current world.
If you like witches this book will have some intriguing chapters about “The Witch Before Time” and “The Way of the Wand Witch”. Women were important in the Viking age, even though they were not supposed to be warriors.
The female/Goddess is honoured in this book. You will find out much about
CON
The contents page is not right, at least not in my print of 2013. From paragraph 2.2 pages have started to shift. This means that paragraphs or chapters you are looking for are one or even two pages further in the book. This is a sloppy mistake which is uncalled for in such a marvellous book.
The font used is extremely small, which makes it less attractive to read.
It is a huge book that contains 677 pages. You will have to take your time to read it.
The price is for some people a bit high: $77.99. But if you are infatuated with Norse Mythology it is definitely worth your while.
There is a biography but not a subject index at the end of the book. Being a book-addict I know which book contains what information but I refuse to bother my brain with the memory of page numbers. So I am a big fan of subject indexes to easily look up things in the multitude of books that have gathered in my house.
Mindfunda verdict:
8/10
Link to full review: http://mindfunda.com/yggdrasil/
So much information about Norse Mythology. Information about Odin and his origin, about the number nine and the number three. Information about Freya, wife of Odin and all the other famous gods.
So much information about history. Because mythologies of different countries are compared you get a view good history lessons too.
The difficult poetry of Edda is made so much more understandable by Maria. Even if you do not agree with her interpretation, you are going to learn so much about mythology and its place in the current world.
If you like witches this book will have some intriguing chapters about “The Witch Before Time” and “The Way of the Wand Witch”. Women were important in the Viking age, even though they were not supposed to be warriors.
The female/Goddess is honoured in this book. You will find out much about
CON
The contents page is not right, at least not in my print of 2013. From paragraph 2.2 pages have started to shift. This means that paragraphs or chapters you are looking for are one or even two pages further in the book. This is a sloppy mistake which is uncalled for in such a marvellous book.
The font used is extremely small, which makes it less attractive to read.
It is a huge book that contains 677 pages. You will have to take your time to read it.
The price is for some people a bit high: $77.99. But if you are infatuated with Norse Mythology it is definitely worth your while.
There is a biography but not a subject index at the end of the book. Being a book-addict I know which book contains what information but I refuse to bother my brain with the memory of page numbers. So I am a big fan of subject indexes to easily look up things in the multitude of books that have gathered in my house.
Mindfunda verdict:
8/10
Link to full review: http://mindfunda.com/yggdrasil/
July 3, 2015
The information in this book is top notch. Much of what is "known" about this culture is pieced together from scraps of archaeology and various interpretations of the little still-present written word, much of what was documented long past the time when the societies actually thrived (and even there, mostly by those not of the same religious practice.) That said, this is one of the most interesting re-telling of the stories from the people paired with intelligent and intriguing theories of their potential deeper meanings. The book itself deserves an easy 5 stars, however, the physical book itself does not do the content justice. The binding was not strong, some pages immediately threatening to loose themselves from their glue and escape the bind and many pages were printed so faintly as to make the words themselves a struggle to read in weak light. But still, for those interested in Old Norse myths and their potential relevance to the people of the time (and even deeper lessons we can still utilize today!) this is a must read! I highly recommend it, only wish the price of the book itself matched the quality of the print-job. Still, you are supporting a pioneering jaunt into Old Norse history and not simply some large publisher so there may be some small solace in that fact. :)
January 3, 2015
Pretty much my new Bible :-)
Underpinned by the author's life-long historical & spiritual interest, and academic studies, this book offers new insight into the mindset of 'heathen' northern Europe.
The author explains her ideas, and the mindset, patiently and makes many valid points.
The work is comprehensive & coherent, unlike any other book about the Edda's/Voluspa/Havamal I've ever read (and I have read many...) Hence my Bible reference :-)
If you are at all interested in gaining understanding, and having your views challenged in a constructive way, you should really read this book.
Underpinned by the author's life-long historical & spiritual interest, and academic studies, this book offers new insight into the mindset of 'heathen' northern Europe.
The author explains her ideas, and the mindset, patiently and makes many valid points.
The work is comprehensive & coherent, unlike any other book about the Edda's/Voluspa/Havamal I've ever read (and I have read many...) Hence my Bible reference :-)
If you are at all interested in gaining understanding, and having your views challenged in a constructive way, you should really read this book.
November 21, 2025
Took me a full year, as the book is really big and the text has little spacing, so it's probably over 1,000 pages of material crammed into the ~600 advertised.
No complains! The most different approach to the mythology that I've seen, with plenty of very interesting insights, even if you don't really buy some of them.
No complains! The most different approach to the mythology that I've seen, with plenty of very interesting insights, even if you don't really buy some of them.
April 30, 2020
By far one of the best resources for understanding the background of the myths in the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda.
May 11, 2020
One of the absolute best books ever written on the subject. I remain in awe of Maria's knowledge and her brilliance in her conclusions. I couldn't recommend this book any higher.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews