The Goddess of Nothing At All

Unwritten Runes #1

by Cat Rector

2nd place Finalist in BBNYA 2022, this queer dark fantasy Norse myth retelling is perfect for fans of Circe, The Witch's Heart, and The Silence of the Girls.

Perhaps you know the myths.

Furious, benevolent Gods.
A tree that binds nine realms.
A hammer stronger than any weapon.
And someday, the end of everything.

But few have heard of me.

Looking back, it’s easy to know what choices I might have made differently. At least it feels that way. I might have given up on my title. Told my father he was useless, king of Gods or no, and left Asgard. Made a life somewhere else.

Maybe I would never have let Loki cross my path. Never have fallen in love.

But there’s no going back.

We were happy once.

And the price for that happiness was the end of everything.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Retellings, Romance, Queer, Adult, LGBT

430 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2021

About the author

About the Author

Cat Rector grew up in a small Nova Scotian town and could often be found simultaneously reading a book and fighting off muskrats while walking home from school. She devours stories in all their forms, loves messy, morally grey characters, and writes about the horrors that we inflict on each other. After spending nearly a decade living abroad, she returned to Canada to resume her war against the muskrats. When she’s not writing, you can find her playing video games, spending time with loved ones, or staring at her To Be Read pile like it's going to read itself.

Find her on social media or visit her website, CatRector.com

Reviews

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Sigyn, you must be a goddess, because I worship every inch of you. You’re the only thing I’m devoted to. You’re worth more to me than every sunrise, every sunset, every prayer. You’re kind, and you love me, and I don’t deserve any of it. You’re the guiding star I see by. And I need you more than I’ll ever need anything for the rest of my life. I’m here with you, and you’ll never be alone again.”

The Goddess of Nothing At All is an exquisitely rendered and emotionally gripping story narrated by Sigyn Odindottir, who in Norse Mythology is a lesser-goddess and the wife of the cunning trickster god, Loki.

Norse Mythology is heavily featured in this book however the story of Sigyn and Loki is lovingly and brilliantly crafted and Rector penned a unique original story that still remains faithful to its origins.

I would love to go into details about the many elements I loved about this book, but I would prefer readers to go into this book blind and I promise you even if you have little or no knowledge at all about Norse mythology, Sigyn does a good job at leading you into their world.

I would categorize it as a dark fantasy romance because the romance is integral to the plot, but the romance is one of the many facets to this story. It's not a conventional romance per se but it's nonetheless an epic love story.

And in classic myth fashion, expect a generous amount of tragedy and conniving gods and goddesses.

It's a rich tapestry of different stories and you'll be thoroughly entertained and devastated.

“The direction of your life depends solely on you, Sigyn,” Frigg said, her voice as smooth as glass. “Each choice you make weaves a stitch into your fate, and the Nornir watch you, as they watch us all. Choose wisely.”

Sigyn's story resonated deeply with me and Rector did brilliant job with her characterization. She was splendidly multi-dimensioned which left me torn between wanting to throttle her or hug her. Many of her actions are questionable yet most of the time you can't help but root for her. She is in a way a tragic figure and the way she reacted to certain situations or the actions she undertook felt realistic and I don't think many authors are brave enough to do that. Moments of her anguish stood out to me the most because it gutted me to see her so torn.

Despite the ominious setting and the inevitable coming of Ragnarok, the book still had wonderful moments of comic relief and many characters stole the spotlight, especially Loki who is delightfully wicked.

In a room full of gods, I was nothing at all.

What I appreciate the most is the inclusion of many important themes that deal with love, family, betrayal, identity, sexuality, morality, and grief. Loki is gender fluid and Sigyn is bisexual so there are quite a few conversations surrounding their sexuality and identity.

I must say that I expected to be, due to the dark nature of the book, extremely unsettled, but it's not as dark as I thought. I was still disoriented and gutted by many moments in this book.

Although some scenes felt dragged out but the unforgettable experience this book gifted me is what made it deserving of a 5-star rating from me.

Trigger Warnings: Vulgar language. Gratuitous violence and torture. Mental, emotional, and verbal abuse Unhappy situations for LGBTQA+ characters. Mentions of sexual coercion and rape. Death and violence towards animals. Discrimination and fantasy slurs. Death.

[Cat Rector · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update 25/11/23: I FINISHED REVIEWING THE AUDIOBOOK. I am a puddle of emotion. Emily Mount made me fall in love with my own characters all over again. I can't wait for you to hear it.

---

Obligatory Five Star Rating from the author because I put in 5 stars worth of effort, love, sweat, and tears.

It should be said from the start that this is a dark fantasy book that *does not* fall under the category of YA. A full list of trigger warnings are available on the website www.catrector.com/post/triggerwarning.... But suffice it to say that this book tackles dark subjects in deeply nuanced ways and is not for everyone.

This book is the result of exploration. Exploration of the world, of the Norse myths, of society and culture, right and wrong, and of my own inner workings. It’s at times light and dark, but more than anything, it’s grey and grey and grey. Perhaps the thing that’s most important to me is that this book is catharsis. Not for everyone, surely, but for me and for some of the readers who helped bring this book to life. Sometimes it was cathartic in ways I didn’t expect.

My hope for this book depends on the reader. I hope some will simply enjoy it and have a delicious time with it. I hope others will see themselves and feel seen in turn. I hope that some will feel all there is to feel and come out cursing me on the other end. I’m told that art makes you feel something, so that is the greatest hope that I have.

And as always, thank you from the bottom of my heart to my critique partner Erin, to the alpha and beta readers, and to the cheerleaders who have made this book what it is today. I love you all and I’ll never forget that you helped me achieve a dream that I never believed was for someone like me.

Thank you.

[Olivia (Stories For Coffee)]

I feel as though I stumbled upon a gem, a story that consumed me whole that not many people know about. The Goddess of Nothing at All is a sweeping mythological retelling of Sigyn and her relationship to Loki. It spans the course of their entire life as they come together, go on video game-esque side-quests, and are eventually thrust into a world of war and anguish they are destined to face head on all thanks to Loki’s reckless, infuriating behavior that one can’t help but expect from the God of Lies.

I didn’t know anything about Norse mythology before diving into this book, besides what I learned via the MCU, so this book took me on a JOURNEY. I grew attached to certain characters, I gasped in disbelief, and felt overwhelming anguish at the turns this story took. The author didn’t hold back in terms of highlighting the horrors of Loki’s life and the battles he wages along the way due to his arrogance and inability to let things go.

This fantasy was all-consuming, fascinating, and kept me on the edge of my seat. At first, the side-quests at the beginning of the novel felt repetitive, but once we were thrust into the heart of the story, I was immersed in Sigyn’s world full of unique characters, a fascinating plot true to Norse mythology, and extraordinary character development from Sigyn who grew into the role she was meant to play.

If you love mythology and a raw look at Gods and Goddesses who live and breathe drama, then you must read this dark fantasy, but be warned, it’s called “dark” for a reason.

(I would highly recommend looking up the TWs before diving into this story)

AT A GLANCE
• Adult dark fantasy retelling of Sigyn and Loki
• A novel full of side-quests
• A large cast of LGBTQIA characters
• A sweeping tale where you will journey alongside characters for decades of their lives

[Nikita Afsar]

ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEE??? THIS SOUNDS AND LOOKS AMAZING OMG. DID THIS JUST BECOME MY MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE OF 2021???

[Genevieve Gornichec · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. (Thank you to Cat Rector for providing content warnings at the beginning!)

First, let me get on my soapbox for a minute. As Rector mentions at the beginning of the novel, not much is known about Sigyn. All we know from the original source material is that she is mother to two sons with Loki and holds the bowl to catch the snake’s venom when he’s bound in torment. That’s it. That’s all we get. But was it her choice to stand by her husband, or was it a punishment? And if so, why? For that matter, what was she like as a person? The Eddas simply don't tell us.

Rector deals with these and many other difficult questions in her novel, because this lack of information is true for most, if not all, female figures in Norse mythology (and figures of other genders as well). Whether you're heathen, a writer, a fan of the myths, or all three, many of us have developed our own ideas, headcanons, and UPGs for these figures’ physical appearances, experiences, personalities, and overall storylines, filling in the gaps between what we know and what we don’t. Our takes on the myths may have some things in common with other peoples’ takes, but ultimately how we see the figures of Norse mythology is often very personal to us.

What I mean to say is that if you asked a thousand writers to tell Sigyn’s story, you’d get a thousand different stories. And I really enjoyed Rector’s.

For one thing, it’s delightfully queer, from Loki’s (very canon) shapeshifting and genderfluidity to more unexpected places. I was invested in so many of the friendships and relationships, especially between Sigyn and Idun. Although you won’t see things like books or archives in many Viking stories because the Viking didn’t have them, this served an important purpose in the narrative, and I got a kick out of Loki and Sigyn researching together and liking the same authors. Rector reimagined the two of them as total nerds and, speaking as a total nerd, I am so here for it.

Their sons, too, were so different and distinct from each other that I felt like I knew them. And because of who I am as a person, I also got super excited when Angrboda and her kiddos showed up—Hel was just the best and I really loved what Rector did with Hel’s specific kind of magic.

Whether or not you know what to expect from the mythology, though, it can be a hard read, because nobody has a good time in this book, and in that respect it's v true to the mythology. Because I was so invested, it was hard to watch terrible things happen to Loki and Sigyn and their family over and over and over again. A few times I did wonder why people were being just...so horrible to them all the time (for example Skadi is absolutely awful for reasons I couldn’t quite discern, but I admit that I am HEAVILY biased as a Skadi superfan/devotee and that’s not Rector’s fault by any stretch of the imagination).

I’m not saying that bad things shouldn’t happen in books because I am also very guilty of putting characters through the wringer, but this family could just never catch a break and I got emotionally exhausted on their behalf. I actually had to put it down for weeks at about the 75% mark because I knew from the myths just how awful things are going to get for Sigyn and her boys, and I had to mentally prepare myself. But Rector is fully aware of how dark her novel is, and that’s why she added the content warnings, which I really appreciated.

Finally, the Ragnarok scene is brutal by definition, but the book ultimately ends on a hopeful note and that’s what I hope you take away from my long-winded review. I absolutely loved what Rector did with the ending of this book. No spoilers, but post-Ragnarok, we are firmly out of the realm of what happens in the actual mythology, and now anything can happen. The possibilities are endless! I can only wonder what the survivors are going to do next and cannot wait for the next installment in this series.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4. I think this one absolutely deserves more hype. I got an arc of this unique book. Let's talk about it.

😍 Bisexual and genderfluid representation
👍 Mythology retelling
🆗 Adult themes
🆗 Fantasy romance
🆗 Set over the course of many years
🆗Norse mythology
😍 Loki vibes you deserve

The Goddess of Nothing at All is an indie pub that is 1/2 Circe, 1/2 Throne of Glass (more tone-based). From the marketing alone, I assumed a lot, and all of my assumptions were quite wrong. To start, this is a new adult book, NOT YA. It's got sexytime and tackles some dark subject matter.

The book is an incredibly easy read that runs close to SJM prose, but the tone of the book is significantly darker and follows one lesser-known "goddess" through her life much like Circe and Ariadne.

But there is also fantasy romance here. A good chunk of the book is committed to the relationship between Loki and Sigyn, while still following the myths and legends of Norse mythology quite accurately. All that said, if you are less interested in mythology and moreso want butterflies, this book will still be for you.

**Stuff I liked**

Loki in particular was excellently characterized- a perfect blend of mischief, arrogance, self-victimization, and sincerity. His backstory is fleshed out enough for you to root for him the entire time, while also finding yourself increasingly disappointed in him when he does...well..Loki things. The book deals a lot with his trauma as a result of being both Odin's plaything and also his scapegoat. His role isn't unlike Lucifer in Christian mythology, at least how it plays out here.

His gender fluidity is also covered here. Sigyn is bisexual and Loki will shift into a woman, with her pronouns being accurately used and her relationship to gender being explored well. Those scenes were very fun!

Sigyn and her growth was also really interesting to follow, but I do want to avoid spoilers when talking about her, but she was a likable lead from start to finish.

Cat Rector does a good job weaving together Norse mythos in a way that centralizes Sigyn and Loki, and makes the string of VERY weird Norse stories feel believable in a character's life story.

**Stuff that was not for me**

I've rated his book a 3.5 not because I felt it had major flaws, but some elements of the book that may work for others did not work for me.

The story of Sigyn and Loki as far as romance concludes very quickly, and most of the relationship is their domestic life. I was really emotionally engaged when they were not together, but I was less interested when he was doting on her. I understand a lot of this was to be in line with the mythology, but it wasn't for me. There's a specific turning point in the character's lives where I started losing interest in the pairing, BUT I am extremely biased towards slow burns and this is not an objective problem.

I would have also liked to see the other characters- particularly Freya and Thor fleshed out, as they were often only showing up to create conflict or fill a narrative quota in the story. I could have dealt with less romance and more world-building through other characters.

All that said, this book needs attention. ESPECIALLY from the queer community. I am so thrilled to see a book that does not shy away from genderfluid rep of an increasingly popular and well-loved character from mythology. Fans of the Marvel character will probably really love this.

The Goddess of Nothing At All is a fantastic blend of fantasy romance, and the coming of age of an already adult character who, through tragedy, learns her place in the world. Buy this book!

[Rebecca Crunden]

A couple of wolves were hardly going to stop me.



This hardback is absolutely gorgeous, oh my goodness! It feels nice in your hands. Is that a strange thing to say about a book? I don’t care, it’s true! This hardback has a soft cover and it’s so pretty and I was in love with the book before I even opened it. And you just know a book is going to be good when it opens with a quote from Libba Bray (a writing queen, tbh).

SPOILER WARNING

A Jotun. Tall and lean, his open palm full of wildfire. It was him. It had to be […] The Trickster’s gaze travelled to the bloodstain on my trousers and back to my eyes. “Let’s end this, shall we?” His voice was low and coy, a small smirk on his lips.



The Goddess of Nothing At All tells Sigyn and Loki’s story. BRING. IT. ON. Their first meeting is just *chef’s kiss*. Loki is such a fun character, right from the start. Watching him run circles of thievery around Sigyn had me giggling.

Their ‘family’ in Asgard really frustrated me, though. Not that they weren’t well written, they absolutely were, they were just such jerks. I say ‘family’, cos everyone from Odin to Sif were so endlessly dismissive, antagonistic and cruel to both Sigyn and Loki. I really appreciated Loki’s resistance to everyone’s scorn, but Sigyn’s longing to be needed and approved of by the others made me growl internally a few times. I understand why, like, it makes sense for her characterisation - she’s always been pushed aside and forgotten about and dismissed - and I’m glad she slowly stopped caring so much as the book went on and her confidence grew, but there were a lot of moments early on where I wanted to be like GURL WHY DO YOU CARE WHAT ODIN THINKS?? HE’S BEING SUCH AN ARSEHOLE JUST DO YOUR OWN THING!! And then Thor just flipping on a dime and turning against Loki also really bothered me cos I was hoping Thor was going to have Loki's back ;_;



I’m glad Loki couldn’t have given a toss about anyone’s derision, but I did feel so bad for him for basically all of it. JUSTICE FOR LOKI!!!

I was delighted when Sigyn finally lost her shit.

“I know that Sif said things to Loki that we’d have strung anyone else from the rafters for saying. If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have your hammer, or your spear, or your godsforsaken shiny boar. You talk about his morality, but the only person in this room with a clean conscience is Idunn. I know the lies of more than half of you, and each of you either smells like your secret lover or has blood under your nails.”



YAS GIRL GO

And it was really frustrating for Thor and the others to flipflop so often where it concerned Loki and Sigyn. I really struggled to like any of them because they were just so cruel and unforgiving.

The scenes with Sigyn and Loki caring for each other were lovely, though, and I’m glad the romance didn’t take forever between them to blossom. I like slow burn, but I am also an impatient shipper and start drawing heart eyes around the characters from the get-go with some couples, so my shipper heart squealed at their romance.

SUCH PRECIOUS MUFFINS \o/



It must also be said that the writing in this book is lush. Descriptive. Enthralling. It is certainly an exceptional debut novel.

Flowers blossom most thoroughly when given time, affection, and kindness. This is, I suspect, true for most things in life.

This book totally took me by surprise, I must say. I wasn’t anticipating the scope of the tale and so many of the twists, that’s for sure. I think I’m so used to first books in a series being just, like, the start of a romance, that I didn’t anticipate how much more of the story would come after Loki and Sigyn’s love story began, blossomed and became something so much more. The sheer breadth of the The Goddess of Nothing At All reminds me of earlier epic fantasy books (like, 1970s-1980s fantasy) - and I totally mean that as a compliment. This is a tale that span years, generations, parents, and their children and beyond.

Rector weaves a deeply intricate tale herein of family, love, loss, survival, endurance and so much else besides. There are *so many* unexpected wrenches thrown into the lovers’ paths to trip them up and tear that apart (I was *not* expecting Loki’s reveal to Sigyn after his long absence at one point ;_;). I amn’t as familiar with Norse mythology as I’d like, but seeing how intricately Rector incorporates all the legends, figures, descendants and locations just left me in awe. I honestly could not have guessed some of the reveals, so hats off to the author! It’s great when a novel can totally surprise you! I’m very curious to see how Epilogues for Lost Gods turns out!

Thank you to the author for a review copy.

☆ My Book Reviews | Indie Book Spotlight on Bluesky | Indie Book Spotlight on Twitter ☆

[Yeg · Rating 5 out of 5]

~4.5 stars~

I’ve been on a Norse mythology mood recently and learned a bit more about it this year but there’s still a lot that I don’t know. then I stumbled upon this book (which I'm assuming It's a doulogy) and I can for sure say that It did took me by surprise how much I enjoyed it. I can definitely say so far it's the best mythology inspired book I read. I also found myself liking the way the important gods are villinized here and there, because I dunno, it just serves them right. Zeus better watch out, Odin’s coming for the Worst Dad and King God crown!!

‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

Though the story is well-paced it is a slow burn as we essentially follow the ‘everyday life’ of Sigyn and Loki over years and countless decades as fate plays out. It was completely immersive and I felt like I was there experiencing their relationship alongside them, watching it grow from devoted friendship to burning love, and then watching as it crumbled beneath the weight of selfish deeds and betrayal. Sigyn and Loki are wonderfully complex, morally grey, and so very queer and there are no words for how much I loved them!

“He doesn’t have to have that power over you, Sigyn. He thinks he controls everything, but he doesn’t. When I stopped letting him manipulate me, he had me exiled, but that didn’t change anything. I was still me. What happens between us isn’t about him. It’s about us.” 

In the core of this book, Is Sigyn herself. She is mistreated, underestimated, and ultimately discarded by all but she’s full of burning determination and refuses to give up what she wants. Oh, the things that she suffers in this book… It’s a lot and I wanted to rage for her so often, but she gets back up every single time and continues to fight for the people she loves, and eventually for herself. If I could, I would give this character a big hug, what I absolutely never do in real life!

Then we have Loki, the catalyst of everything. He’s a trickster, a mischief-maker, and a liar but we also see a more tender side to him in this story. You see his addiction to trouble, but also the way he’s SET UP to fail. To be punished. To be blamed. Part of him has this dark wicked streak, but part of him just wanted a soft and happy life with Sigyn too. A big clap for the author to write his character as I want to both kill him and like him at the same time!! Jesus, this guy?? The audacity. I honestly could never understand Loki's motive, but in other hand, can't really get why he is always the villain in every story?? I guess perspectives always does what it want to do.

‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

The chemistry between Loki and Sigyn was also incredible. It was worth to mention that this book had queer rep. Loki was genderfluid and Sigyn was bisexual. I really enjoyed their exchange of banters and sarcasm. As their relationship started fun and loving, they also came across bumps because of some bad choices made. Not only that, the plot also delved into their family.

If you're familiar with Norse mythology, then you'll recognize many of the escapades that occur over the course of the novel. Loki is hardly innocent of the crimes he's accused of, but there is another side of the story to explain his actions. Their culture is very rigid and stilted with gender roles and sexuality, so Loki's fluidity troubles them and fuels part of their particularly hateful taunts. Sigyn, on the other hand, accepts Loki in whatever gender presented; she had a serious relationship with a Valkyrie girlfriend that Odin had forcibly ended decades before the book opens.

my only complaint about this book is that, I couldn’t work out the worldbuilding – couldn’t work out the difference between the gods and the people who live alongside them in the same realm. They’re referred to as human, but are they mortals? What’s the difference between mortals and the gods? Usually I want my non-human characters to feel non-human, but I was okay with the Norse gods not feeling alien – like the Greek gods, maybe even more so, the Norse gods have always been very human. But I got no sense of the gods having their own culture, viewing the world in a unique way, nothing.

‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

“Váli, you listen to me. There is nothing wrong with you. The people here, they fear what they can’t understand, and they always have. It doesn’t matter. Let them be afraid; you don’t need them.” 

I don’t know exactly how to put in words how this book made me feel. There was joy, happiness but filled with such sadness and heartbreak and yet it made me fulfilled. The book made me happy and broke me at the same time. And I have to say it’s one the best Norse myths retellings I’ve ever read. So if you love Norse myths, do yourself a favor and pick the book.

[cyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying THIS BOOK IS DARK. Like DARK dark. I thought I was ready to live through this but no. Don’t let the cute start fool you as it fooled me. I thought sewing someone’s mouth shut was the worst torture I would see… Again, nope. I’m honestly traumatized and I’m planning to read a stupid cheesy romance book where the characters shit rainbows to feel some kind of happy again. WOWZA. (Do check out the TWs listed.)

I loved the writing style and how the author was loyal to the original material rather than throwing it out of the window like most retellings do these days. The pace was not slow but not so fast, as someone likes action-packed books, I surprisingly enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

The characters! First of all Sigyn, the MC, is bisexual and Loki is a genderfluid pansexual. THE POWER THEY HOLD! It’s honestly always a joy to see representation especially when the author writes it perfectly. She didn’t shy away from the hard parts of being LGBT+ either.

But secondly… I’m having mixed feelings about them. Sigyn started off as a strong woman lead but ended up being trash. Let me explain. In the beginning, she was a woman who had ideals, dreams, and goals she wanted to reach and she was not afraid to go after what she wanted. All that changed when she started dating Loki. She just stopped trying. She accepted her faith and became a housewife. Literally. If you know about Norse mythology this part shouldn’t be a spoiler for you. That girl's only ideal after that point was to raise her kids. It would’ve been fine if she still held that strong attitude and became a mama-bear but no. She just kept quiet to 'keep her children safe', never stood up for herself, and just ran in general. When something bad would happen she’d just go ‘Please, no…’ and cry about it. GIRL AT LEAST MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU’RE TRYING. Loki was an ass but he was a better mother than Sigyn. The author making Sigyn a little bitch is the very reason why I gave this a 4-star rating instead of 5.

Loki was a manipulative dipshit. My man tried to gaslight the whole nine realms. He wasn’t just morally gray, he was EVIL. He was horrible. Imagine the most toxic man you’ve ever met, Loki could put him to shame. He was horrible to Sigyn. Messed with her memories, lied to her, hid VERY important stuff from her, and still managed to make Sigyn stay with him. Sigyn says it’s because of “love” but no, this isn’t love. No way close to it. All gods are dicks but Loki was just dangerous honestly. Towards the end, Loki gets caught cheating. With a mistress and three children. Sigyn, rightfully so, gets mad and Loki says, “We had a life, and you couldn’t forgive me. What was I supposed to do?” THE AUDACITY! MAN GO TO HEL FOR REAL. And Sigyn being the royal stupid wife she is, agrees. I can’t with this- He was selfish and always tried to make things his way or the easier way. Instead of being a decent person he always chose to be selfish. Starting off this book, I was rooting for him but now… No. I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU, WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU! HOW DARE YOU?

Have you ever thought about killing a literal god? Because I’m about to take my chances.
— Cyra, Losing her shit about Loki on her GR updates

[Nora (NoraLeest) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew next to nothing about Norse Mythology except for the existence of Loki, Thor, Odin and Frigg. That did not stop me, however, from enjoying every. Single. Word. Of this book. I am completely blown away.

This is the story of Sigyn, Loki’s wife. For decades she has begged her father, Odin, for a title, but he refuses every single time and tells her she needs to do better and try harder. In a desperate attempt to receive her title she finds the exiled Loki and brings him back so that he can teach her. What follows is literally the most beautifully written and most heart breaking book I have read in a LONG time. Never in my life have I ever highlighted this many parts of a book, simply because the writing is so beautiful.

I went into this book not knowing what it was about, only that one of my friends (hi Fem!) LOVESSSS this book and that’s all I needed to know.

10/10 would recommend!

[Piya]

Norse Mythology.
Revolving around Tom Hiddleston.. Ahem Loki

[Fem loonieslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 18/01/24

Because of the release of the audiobook, I decided to reread TGONAA and I’m so happy to say that it’s still one of my favourite books ever.

The narrator is truly fantastic. The emotion in Emily Mount’s voice managed to rip my heart out (iykyk) yet again.

Time to finally read the sequel!

og review 26/01/22

4.5/5
My jaw hurts from it dropping every two seconds while reading this book.

Before going into this, I barely knew anything about Norse Mythology. Sure, I picked up some knowledge about the characters and stories through my numerous Marvel movie nights or other pieces of media, but I didn’t know enough to be able to predict nearly anything happening in this book. It’s filled with plot twists, drama, and gore as you can expect from any sort of book based on any mythology. But Cat Rector also manages to add hilarious and flirty banter and loveable yet complex and morally grey characters, while making the mythology very understandable for the reader.

Sigyn is such a wonderful main character. She is powerful, while still remaining feminine. I loved how she wasn’t just a “good girl” trying to change Loki’s trickster ways. Now Loki…God(s). I just can’t help but love him despite him being the most aggravating person ever. I can’t blame Sigyn for falling in love. I also love how nearly all the side characters are three-dimensional as well and not just there for the plot.

It follows the stories in Norse Mythology very closely (now we just see it happening through the eyes of Sigyn) so the shock factor lasts throughout the whole book basically. Don’t expect it to follow the classic structure of a story. I absolutely loved how different it was from any book I had ever read before, but it may throw you off your pace from time to time.

HOWEVER, I would like to thank the author for making the chapters this short. Longer chapters may have become a bit overwhelming considering the heavy themes and frequent twists, but the short chapters were a great way to either keep me going in the book or provide me with a little break.

Cat handled the queerness of all the characters (especially Loki being genderfluid) in such a careful and heart-warming way. The MC is bisexual, Loki is pansexual and regularly shifts into different bodies, and many other characters are queer as well. I would have loved to see Loki in her female-presenting body a bit more during the emotional moments as well as she is just as much a part of their identity as Loki’s male-presenting body.

But if it’s still not clear by now, I absolutely loved this book. The ending had me sobbing so much, I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my skull, but it also left me incredibly intrigued for the sequel. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Sigyn, although considering the first book, I don’t think we can expect book 2 to just be Sigyn on a nice and calm vacation through the nine realms (although she really deserves one!).

Thank you so much to Cat for sending me an arc of this wonderful book. I had such a wonderful time reading it together with everyone who participated in my buddy read.

TWs, tropes, and list of all the rep in GoNaa: https://www.catrector.com/blog/catego...

SPOILERS DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK YET

I absolutely loved the character of Idunn but I was sad that she completely disappeared during the second half. Of course, I knew why, but it would have been nice to read a bit more about her life after what happened to her.

Lastly, I want to mention that I’m the official captain of the Hreidulfr protection squad. Don’t you dare touch him, Cat. I won’t hesitate to take a plane to Canada. Yes, that is a threat.

[Erin Kinsella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to be the critique partner for this book and watch it's evolution over a couple of years. It's beautiful and deep and sometimes absolutely soul crushing. This book delves into the beauty and messiness of relationships - families, friends, lovers - and tears it all open. There is no black and white. There are only swirls of grey. Sigyn's story is, in a word, incredible. It's so gratifying to watch a heroine who struggles, who leans on her friends, who conflicts with her family, and still builds a solid life for herself. She is brave and beautiful and I will think about her and her story for years to come.
Cat brings to life a forgotten figure of mythology and gives Sigyn a voice. Nothing makes my heart happier than when authors bring the forgotten to the forefront.
The book is, I think, true to life in many ways, despite being about mythical beings. We make mistakes, we make bad choices for good reasons and try our best. We're not perfect. Neither are the gods in this story. While many are not given grace by society to grow and learn, there are a few - Sigyn, Loki, Idunn - who give grace and space to one another.
Fair warning, this book WILL make you cry. Please be sure to hydrate once you hit a certain point. You'll know when that point is, trust me. Prepare yourself emotionally to have your heart snatched and danced upon. There's also lots of queer characters in this including bisexual Sigyn and genderfluid Loki. It's just so good y'all. I love this book and this author with my whole entire heart and I cannot wait for the rest of the world to experience this story.

[Rowan Liddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the most incredible retellings I've had the pleasure of reading. I can't recommend it enough. As someone who has long been fond of Norse mythology, I went in already familiar with the stories being retold. That didn't stop me from absolutely screaming, sobbing, clutching my chest, and wishing for death as I went through this fantastic debut novel. Please get it! You will regret reading it in the BEST way possible.

[Pulek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Chyba najbardziej wstrząsający i pełen dramatycznych wydarzeń retelling jaki czytałam. Mity nordyckie są tutaj przedstawione wprost wspaniale i obrazowo, tylko część z nich znałam z Gaimana i gry GOW , poza tym były dla mnie zaskakujące. Rozdzierająca historia tragicznej miłości jak i walki o przetrwanie rodziny we wrogim świecie, a w tle masa ważkich wydarzeń z rzeczonych mitów. Bardzo się zaangażowałam w losy bohaterki, choć głównym minusem jest dla mnie początkowy etap tej historii miłosnej, który był dla mnie drogą przez cringowa mękę. Na szczęście to w zasadzie jedyny minus dla mnie. Poza tym styl autorki mnie bardzo angażował, udało jej się też przedstawić świat i bogów nordyckich w przekonujący sposób, gdzie wybrzmiewa długowieczność i arogancja bogów , którzy używają dosadnego jak i barwnego języka. Na pewno będę kontynuować! ❤️

[monica ✨ romantasyreader]

I’m sorrrryyyyy I just can’t. It’s too character driven for me. I am bored.

Dnf @ 21%

[Eve Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You’ll never fade, never die, you’ll simply suffer.”

Wow. Wow. Wow. Where do I even begin??

If you love Norse mythology, pick this up right now. This is adult fantasy at its finest.

The author has kindly composed a list of potential triggers. They are available here.

Rating based on my enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐
Rating based on the book’s quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cat Rector sets out to create a narrative worthy of the lesser-known Goddess Sigyn, and she does so spectacularly. It is wonderfully written and completely immerses you in the Norse tale. Even if you don’t know anything about the original story, you can still read this. It just makes the twists and turns all the more shocking! Artistic licence has definitely been taken, but frankly, I'd be disappointed if it wasn't.

The little snippets at the beginning of each chapter are so clever. It gives life to the whole community while exposing the twisted narrative of the Gods.

The only contrary thing I’ll say is that I found this much slower to read than my usual books. I struggled with the pacing A LOT. But to be fair, the story literally covers lifespans.

Sigyn is a Goddess by birth, but not by name. In one final, desperate attempt to claim a place of honour, Sigyn seeks the help of the infamous Loki.

“I was looking for you.”

“For me? Well, isn’t that interesting.” He laughed, though I wasn’t quite sure what was funny. “I wonder if that makes you very brave or very stupid.”

Returning with Loki to Asgard sets the wheels of fate into motion. Where Loki goes, trouble follows. But so do many other things.

“That girl is my world, so test me, darling. Please do.”

Don’t let the start of the book fool you. I swore I wouldn’t fall for it but despite myself, I found myself getting caught up in the couple’s happiness – which made it all the more devastating when that happiness was ripped away. In its place, there is only heartbreak.

I personally didn’t feel triggered by the content, and I tend to be sensitive, but it’s still worth checking out the list of trigger warnings (there is definitely strong violence). I did, however, find myself cursing like a sailor with my jaw on the ground and crying more than once.

Sometimes I thought Loki was the greatest victim of all, other times I wanted to wring his neck.

There was one particular scene… involving a horse… that was too much for me. I found myself trying to splutter an explanation to my mother as to why I was so shook. (I wish I hadn’t told her, now she thinks I read very, very weird things).

It's hard to believe that this is Cat Rector’s debut novel. I’m expecting amazing things from her in the future. And my fingers are crossed that there is going to be a sequel because I have no idea where we go from here.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My overall impression is below ⬇️

[Sophie's Reading Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Loki and Norse Mythology, this is a book you definitely need to pick up!! It has magic with runes, dwarves, prophecies, betrayal and action ! I loved the fact that this book describes characters and events that take place in Norse mythology, our favorite Trickster God & his connection with Ragnarok aka the end of the world! 😨 Of course I loved our heroine and I felt her emotions as she was trying to prove herself to her family and get her title! And later on all the things she had to face! I strongly recommend this book 😍❤️

[Lyra Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are retellings of Norse mythology, and then there is experiencing the myths.

The Goddess of Nothing at All gives that experience.

What sets this book apart from the rest is how it’s told from the point of view of Sigyn, a goddess we know hardly anything about. This speaks to Cat Rector’s brilliance, as she has taken bits and scraps and pieced them together to create a real woman with real hopes and dreams and goals.

This isn’t the meek Sigyn you often find in other Norse fantasy novels, this is a Sigyn who is strong and capable, and will not stand to be walked over. This is the Sigyn I’ve been waiting to meet.

Cat Rector has created a vibrant world with all our favorite players, and a magic system that is entirely intriguing, and only adds to the characters. In fact, the magic is what brings Sigyn to the door of the trickster god, Loki, and sets up a story that is as beautiful as it is heart wrenching.

What I loved most about The Goddess of Nothing at All is Cat Rector’s bravery in writing an honest book. The relationships she explores, especially between Sigyn and Loki, are true. There is no sugar coating. They are people who make bad choices and face the consequences of those choices.

When do you walk away? When do you keep going?

On the lighter side, the Loki banter is fantastic and I couldn’t help but laugh at his sarcastic quips and snark.

You get to explore an entire relationship through this book, and if you enjoy your heart being ripped out and ground into the pavement, this is the book for you. The suffering is pristine!

Another aspect of this book I adored was it wasn’t only an exploration of Sigyn and Loki’s relationship, but also an exploration of family. Sigyn is a woman who will go to whatever lengths to protect her children, and provide love and constancy and fidelity. I truly felt connected to this little family, and just wanted them to be happy.

I also appreciated that not only do we finally get a voice for Sigyn, but we also get to meet other lesser known gods and goddesses. This is truly where Cat Rector excels in The Goddess of Nothing at All: Bringing a voice to the voiceless.

The Goddess of Nothing at All is a deeply gorgeous and lush book, with an honest depiction of love, its challenges, its stings, and its endurance.

I am a major fan of Norse myth retellings, and especially Loki, and this is one of my favorite retellings yet. I cannot wait for the sequel!

[Mal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ten years ago, I probably would have loved this book.

But I read it now, so (unfortunately) I didn’t.

You know that bit of cognitive dissonance when you read a YA novel and all the characters who are described to be teenagers (clearly just for reliability factor) act, talk, and think like adults? (Looking at you, Leigh Bardugo.) This book is the opposite: we know that the characters are tens or even hundreds of years old (they are, after all, gods), but the way they‘re portrayed (for about two-thirds of the book, at least) just makes me imagine a bunch of 17-22 year olds. Now, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if the author’s aiming for a slightly younger fanbase. But…

I’m going to preface the rest of this review by saying that I don’t think this is a bad book; it’s not. Objectively speaking, it’s not terribly written or anything. (Not the best, but also not the worst, and nothing that can’t be made better with practice.) This rating reflects my personal enjoyment of it. More than once I considered putting it back on the shelf; I powered through because writing a review of a book I hadn’t finished reading would have felt unfair. Plus, halfway through I went back to Goodreads to skim over the other reviews - and I kept asking myself, what am I missing? Maybe the other half will be as phenomenal as the reviews make it out to be?

A tl;dr from me: sure, give The Goddess of Nothing At All a try (clearly, there are plenty of people who liked it well enough), but check your expectations first. For me, there were two things that drew me in: the fact that this is based on mythology (not that I’m an expert on these topics, but I do love Loki) and the promise of LGBT+ themes. I mean, queer people AND myths? Count me in! RIght? Well… Yeah, here’s where the rest of my expectations come in.

What I wanted: a riveting story full of complex, multi-faceted characters. Depth and moral dilemmas. Witty banter. Some truly epic storylines to make the Ragnarok plot both tragic and fascinating. Queerness, and because of that queer label, some nice, non-heteronormative character dynamics.

What I got: sadly, none of the above, or little enough of it that it feels like none. Most of the characters come off very… flat; I think this is always a danger when you choose to go with first-person narration where the entire thing is written from the same character’s perspective. It can be done well, I suppose - when an author truly follows the show, don’t tell principle, we don’t necessarily need to know the other characters’ every thought to see the depth in them. Unfortunately, the gods shown through Sigyn’s eyes feel rather one dimensional. We’ve got Freya, the typical beautiful mean girl; Odin, the annoying (and also mean) dad who never explains anything; Sif, another beautiful mean girl; Thor, whom I can only describe as a frat boy whose masculinity is so ridiculously fragile that putting on a dress for the purpose of retrieving his beloved Mjolnir makes him revert to the mindset of a six year old boy from a conservative family who’s still in his “girls have cooties” phase. If you noticed that I used “mean” to describe three different characters, that was intentional: nearly every character who isn’t Sigyn or Loki is your average high school bully. For a huge part of the book, there’s no nuance to it, just people saying mean things, often pointlessly, including (of course) being openly queerphobic. Then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s Idunn - Sigyn and Loki’s #1 fangirl* (seriously, I’m pretty sure she was described as “squealing” at them at least once), who doesn’t show up that often, but when she does, she braids Loki’s hair and calls him “adorable”. (* Well - it is like this until it isn’t, but… spoilers.)

The romance… honestly, the premise was good. The God of Lies and the woman who stole their heart, an ominous prophecy, the looming threat of the End of Times, and a lie or two borne out of selfishness (or “love”)? Yet, many of those tropes fell flat to me; not to mention that the romance itself felt - yes - so very straight, even though one of the characters is technically genderfluid/not cis. (It’s mentioned two or three times in the book, and I definitely feel like it could have been more incorporated into the story; instead, it felt slightly token-y.) It starts off with Loki saving Sigyn from a (bit of a dumb) death, which then becomes (to some degree) a recurring theme throughout the book - that is, when she’s not patching him up. They really are that couple from a typical romcom, the “good girl falls for a bad boy and it turns out he’s just misunderstood and has a heart of gold and a tragic past” kind. That is, until things go awry, as they are bound to do. Loki and Sigyn separate (sort of), and quite frankly I’m still not sure if the way their relationship was described at that point was supposed to read as still-can’t-keep-our-hands-to-ourselves, true-love romantic, or if it was purposefully described as kinda toxic. I’m definitely leaning toward the latter. All in all, this entire relationship has a very… true love lasts forever, no matter what happens theme - a concept that can certainly be appealing, but also one I kind of grew out of. I can’t count the number of times I wanted to scream at Sigyn and be like: girl, this really isn’t worth it. Just move on.

That witty banter I was hoping for is just… for the lack of better word: immature, even juvenile at times (but, again, might very well be someone else’s cup of tea). An example:

“And yet that’s exactly what the prophecy says will happen at Ragnarok. Or are you feeling biased towards your kin?” Odin glared at Loki, who only flipped him an obscene gesture in return.
I sighed. “What’s your solution then?”
“I don’t have one. That’s why I summoned your irritating shadow.” He flicked a hand toward Loki, as dismissive as could be.

And then, about two thirds into the book, I figured out the second reason why I simply wasn’t vibing with it: it might as well be taking place in the modern world. No, hear me out. See, if you take away the magic and the fact that there’s no electricity and such, the characters could be put in modern day NYC or any other city and still act more or less the same (okay, maybe without the excessive torture). The same toxic masculinity, the same dilemmas of being gay in a queerphobic society… Váli’s coming out scene is probably happening in someone’s actual kitchen right now. And maybe that’s good. Maybe it’s relatable; maybe this is exactly what some readers want: to read about what they know, about their own experiences dressed up in generic fantasy. Once again, my reception of it comes down to my personal expectations. I mean, you have an entire mythical world to explore; all these mystical, sometimes even magic-wielding characters who have been alive for tens or hundreds of years, and you just… project modern society on them? Instead of, say, exploring how gender and sexuality could possibly exist differently in that setting? I would have been much more excited to read about the latter.

Last but not least, the ending. Frankly, I found the last 50-60 pages of the book more tolerable; it was a bit more action heavy, plus Loki got less direct “screen time”, so many of the themes that irritated me just weren’t present. The ending also opens up a possibility of a sequel, which is nice, and the setup could make for an interesting follow-up book - I know there is a second book, so perhaps… I’m a little curious how that went, though I won’t be checking out the sequel at this point.

To sum it up: yes, this is all obviously very subjective. Even re-reading what I wrote here, I realize that my biggest gripe with The Goddess of Nothing At All is that it’s just not “mature” enough for me (in terms of complexity and language, not themes), which, frankly, is a preference, not some objective measure of value. The tropes have the potential to make a great story; personally, I simply found the execution to be lacking.

[T.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Before I dive into this review, a moment of appreciation for that gorgeous cover art. Seriously, how amazing is that?

Okay, now onto the review. This is an excellent debut novel by a clearly talented writer that explores some heavy and deeply emotional themes in a thoughtful way. None of the characters in this story are heroes, though there are a few you'll be rooting for more than others. Instead, these are all very deeply flawed people, and it's often their darkest side that comes out when they're pushed to their breaking point. And boy, does this story push its characters (and the reader) to their breaking point. What starts off as a sweet and heartfelt story about two people falling in love despite the forces trying to tear them apart quickly becomes a gut-wrenching tale of loss, heartbreak, and brutality that completely wrecks the characters involved. And possibly the reader in the process. There were several times where some terrible thing would happen and I would think, "Surely things can only get better from here." But no, it turns out that in fact, they can get much, much worse. Reading the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book is very much advised.

If you're already familiar with Norse mythology, you can probably piece together where the story is headed as you're reading. If, like me, you have very little prior knowledge of that mythology going into this book, the author does an excellent job of weaving everything together in a way that's easy to follow and understand. I did some quick research on Norse mythology after reading this and was impressed with how close the author stayed to those stories while also making it her own and really breathing life into these characters. It's clear that a lot of thought and research has gone into this book.

Sigyn and Loki are our main characters here, and both are portrayed in a way that makes them very easy to connect to early on. Sigyn is struggling to earn a title from her father Odin when we first meet her, and though she seems to be doing everything right, he's constantly pushing her to the outside and refuses to give her what she seeks. Loki has been similarly ostracized by the other gods and goddesses, and he and Sigyn form a bond that we see evolve and change over the course of the story, sometimes for the better, and sometimes not so much. That relationship is really at the core of this book, and it's so well-written in all of it's nuances and challenges. The loving, happy moments will tug at your heartstrings, only to make the later betrayals and conflicts all the more devastating. Which is exactly the kind of emotional impact we want in our stories, right?

I also want to note that I really appreciated the pacing of this book. We're covering a huge span of time here (we're dealing with immortal beings after all), and the author does a good job of skipping over months and even years when necessary without making you feel like you've missed anything important. The end of the book is a perfect culmination of everything that has come before, with the main conflict centering around the fulfillment of a certain prophecy you can probably guess is coming if you're familiar with Norse mythology. By the end, I was left wondering if that prophecy was always going to come true no matter what, or if Odin, Loki, and the rest fulfilled that prophecy purely because of their fear of it and all the choices they made trying to escape that fate. How different might things have been if they'd made different, better choices? If they hadn't been so cruel?

Despite the tragic nature of this story and the brutality of the trials our characters endure, I still really enjoyed this book. If you like Norse mythology, I'd highly recommend this one, and even if you're not familiar with Norse mythology and just want a story that will make you feel things, this is worth picking up.

[Rita Rubin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would just like to start off by saying thank you to Cat Rector for providing me with an ARC for this book.

The Goddess of Nothing At All is an exciting, brutal yet beautiful, Norse myth retelling. Admittedly, I'm not really familiar with Norse mythology, but that certainly didn't take away from any of the enjoyment I had while reading this. If you're a Norse fan, or just someone looking for a good fantasy with a strong female lead to get lost in, then here's the book for you.

[A.J. Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Goddess of Nothing at All is a Adult Dark Fantasy novel book 1.
I received an eARC for an honest review.

Book Cover: 5* - Oh my goodness, this cover is beautiful, yet dark or grim, especially if you happen to know anything about Norse Mythology. A woman stands alone under the night sky holding a bowl of something with two hands. It was wonderfully done, and after reading this story, holds a very somber reason as to what this cover, and this story, entails.

Summary/Tagline: 5* - Gods! I beta read this story, and after reading the summary for the first time, brought all those feelings rushing right back. You figured that although this is Norse Mythology, the tales are seen as so silly and weird, but as you read this, this story is anything but that. There is love and loss. There is pride and there is also regret. Opportunities in reach, but never grabbed because you had something that you thought was all you needed, until it ended up costing you everything, even without meaning... So this story destroyed me HAHA!*cries violently on the inside*

Characters: 5* - Oh man, I will try my best not to spoil and cry and scream while explaining. So here I go. This book only has one protagonist, Sigyn. If you happen to know Norse Mythology, she is only brought up in one thing and one thing only, holding a bowl over Loki, stopping a snake's poison from falling on her husband's face. Now you're wondering, ok, who is she? What else has she done? That's the thing, that's what THIS book will tell you. You will learn about her struggles of wanting to be seen, not just by her family, but to be seen as an equal besides the gods, her father, brothers, and friends, but no matter what, is almost always brushed away as a nuisance or someone not worth the time of day, no matter how hard she tries to show otherwise. She had few friends to no friends. She gained love that made her happy, frustrated, loved, abandonment, anger, gain, and loss. Yet still, after everything that's happened, she still tries to keep going, if not for herself, than those she has left, until eventually they are gone too... Damn I'm about to cry here HAHA!*takes a deep breath* SIDE CHARACTERS! There's lots lol, but I'm sure some of you are desperately wondering, how's Loki in this book? Well, without spoiling, I both love him... and violently want to shake him and scream why? Why would you do that? Trust me, you're going to love his snark, but you're going to get frustrated by his actions. Love his romance, and feel for his pain. Your feelings might be all over the place when it comes to Loki, how you'll be by the end will entirely depend on you. Are there other characters? Of course. There's Odin, he's a s***** father. Idunn, the ride or die best friend. Thor, he's a moron of a brother. Freya, a terrible and not at all for you friend that will more than happily laugh at your pains and struggles right to your face, and so so so many others that I highly suggest you just experience them for yourself. Trust me.

World Building: 5* - Oh wow I just love how grounded the nine realms of Norse Mythology are in this book, to the point that what you and I might call weird, is just a normal occurrence in this world. A rainbow bridge that connects from Asgard to Midgard. Dwarves that live comfortably underground and where both male and female dwarves can have beards. Elves have the best clothes and stories. While the magic can be both finicky and precise. These worlds are alive with detailed cultures and bountiful and varied rune magic. The magic especially is just so amazing that its almost like they have a spell for almost anything, it just also depends on if any person is willing and wanting to perform them. However, although heavily inspired by Nordic viking culture, this world is not without a few prejudices from how genders are viewed and how they should act. Will some of this frustrate you, probably, but should you be surprised? No not really, because I so wasn't. I just had a feeling society was probably like this back then anyway, but liberties were taken I'm sure, but like with the character section, I'd like you to experience the world in this story for yourself as well.

Story: 5* - Ok ok, here I go. As some of you may know, this is a Norse Mythology Retelling, especially as it follows a character that rarely showed up in the original mythology. This is the story of Sigyn, who she is, was, and how her life came to be upon meeting Loki, all the way to the end time that is known as Ragnarok. Now, although there are some familiar tales from Norse Mythology, that does not mean you need to have prelearned knowledge of them to understand this story, these are only the ones that involved Loki while a few others mostly get mentions. This story may be a hard one to read as it pertains to not only love, but loss. Honesty and lies. Loyalty and betrayal. Despair, but also hope. Happiness is something so desperately sought after by Sigyn while she clings so hard to keep it, but when the men in her life learn of the end times and how, Sigyn ends up being swept away by lies and manipulations that goes well beyond any control she never had. Some may find this story hard to swallow, but its not without its charm and witty quips that would either warm my heart and/or put a smile on my face, just know that the joy won't last, because for every happiness Sigyn makes, there was always something there to sweep the rug from right out from under her. Trust me when I say that you may be laughing AND crying alongside Sigyn, all the way to when Ragnarok eventually comes and plunge the nine worlds in fire.

Audiobook: 5* - Emily Mount was the narrator for this book and they were aaaaamaaaaazing! OMG, the narrator voicing all the characters, especially Loki just . . . Speechless. I'm speechless. The usual moments that got me the first time still did 3 or 4 reads later, especially that ending. I seriously can't WAIT for book 2 to be narrated next.

Over All: 5* - Wow. Yup, this story pulled my heart out, punched it, stabbed it, stomped on it a few times, then grabbed Mjolnir and pounded away at my heart until it was broken into so many pieces, it left me in a blubbering mess on the floor, and I loved every second of it. These characters made me smile, laugh, root for them, scream, rage, and cry. There are characters I love and characters I hated, there were even characters that, although I understood their situation, I couldn't help but feel so disappointed in them too. This story put me in one Hel of a ride, TWICE! And what's great, there's going to be second story that may finally end Sigyn's story in a way that I think she just deserves... Gods I hope so, I don't think I can handle another heartbreak this one gave me lol. Anyway, Sigyn is a woman who has experienced so much and been made to be forgotten, and by the end, to me, is a woman worth following to hopefully a better world, and one I hope to see.

[Evelin · Rating 5 out of 5]

First when I read the synopsis I knew I have to read this book by Cat Rector. It really calls my name and screamed to my face READ ME! I have no regrets, because it was quite a journey, my obsession with Loki has grown and I just adored him so much. The Goddess of Nothing At All is a great, full of action, loveable Norse Mythology book with LGBTGIA+ characters and moments. Marvel Loki would be so impressed! The writing style is so well-written and it clearly show us that the author put her soul in it. The characters, the world, the chapters and basicly everything is *chefs kiss*. I'm literally obsessed with this novel. It gave me so much and I really enjoyed the reading process. Loki shows himself as the well-known arrogant, mischief lover god who has always something in his pocket. It's impossible to not love the whole story. There are some trigger warnings, but so worth to read it. Do you love Loki, Norse Mythology and want to know more about what CR created? This book is for you. Now I'm not just obsessed with Loki, because my new obsession is Sigyn as well. I wanna live in Asgard amongs the gods and my fav trickster!

[Ash (inkwordsandash)]

*gasping for breath & slamming this book on the desk in front of you* THIS IS A NORSE MYTHOLOGY RETELLING WITH AN ALL QUEER CAST. if it's not your cup of tea then idk what even is.

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[S. Bavey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book on my kindle, thank you very much to Justine, Timy and Cat Rector for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tread carefully – this book WILL destroy you emotionally! However, I mean that in a really good way – sometimes we humans need to be forced to feel emotions just to jolt us out of our complacency and make us think – and this book certainly made me think. It left me with a book hangover for days after I finished it, and no amount of Bloody Marys or Hair of the Dog can cure a book hangover.

The Goddess of Nothing At All is a Norse dark fantasy told entirely in first person, from the perspective of a little known goddess named Sigyn. Sigyn is Odin the Alfather’s daughter, yet he fails to acknowledge her status as a goddess and grant her a title. She longs for his recognition and goes to Loki, the God of Lies and Chaos for help on the advice of their mutual friend, the goddess Idunn. Poor Idunn is such an innocent, loving friend to them both and really has no idea what she is setting in motion by suggesting these two characters get to know one another!

Loki saves Sigyn’s life and shows her his kind and generous side but he is still a trickster, someone to be cautious of, the kind of person you should really run a mile from before you start to care for them… They discover they have much in common as both have been treated unfairly by Odin and soon Loki and Sigyn are falling head over heels in love, despite warnings from pretty much everyone else in Asgard and unfortunately her fate and heartbreakingly, that of her children, is sealed.

Sigyn slowly comes to realize that however hard she studies or trains as a fighter, capricious Odin will never give her the title she so desperately craves:

"Odin leaned forward in the chair, glaring down with that one eye, a scowl under his grey-streaked beard. His pet ravens rustled and squawked from the back of the throne. “I’m waiting for you to show me something worth rewarding, and I haven’t seen it yet, not in the least. Give up on this maddening chase; I’ll tell you when you’re ready.”"

A great number of the well-known Norse myths are intertwined with the main story of this book, such as Loki cutting off Sif’s hair; how Thor got his hammer; the theft of Thor’s hammer; Loki using Freya’s falcon cloak; Thor as a bride; Loki having his lips sewn shut by dwarves; Loki and the goat (!), Sleipnir’s origin story and many more. I enjoyed coming upon each of these and recognising them, and was impressed by how the author was able to fit them into her story so seamlessly. You do not need prior knowledge of these myths in order to enjoy the book, but if you do know them it is fun to find them interspersed through the main story of Sigyn and Loki’s tumultuous lives.

It’s hard to believe this is Cat Rector’s debut novel – it’s so well written. An impressive amount of research has clearly gone into it and the characterisation is very deeply portrayed and utterly believable.

We see Loki the Trickster as a victim, since he tells Sigyn things about his life that he would never tell anyone else. He is a devastatingly tragic character who sees rebellion and chaos as his only defences – and they lead to more pain and destruction for both his enemies and loved ones than he can possibly imagine.

I knew the story of Sleipnir, the eight legged horse’s conception – but the way it is retold here and it’s timing in terms of Sigyn’s pregnancy with their firstborn son is heartbreaking and almost brings an end to their relationship. Their love is strong, however and Sigyn forgives him. She is happy for her shapeshifting beloved to be male or female – whatever Loki desires as long as he/she is able to stick around the next time they have a baby.

Sigyn has been written as an amazingly loyal, brave and feisty woman – she has a fantastic depth and strength of character and seems to always know exactly the right words to say to Loki and her sons in the many emotionally charged situations they share. She swallows her pride/horror and buckles down to whatever is needed to protect and preserve her little family, whether that means standing up to her father, the fearsome Odin, or nursing and healing Loki when the dwarves have been allowed to sew his mouth shut. Loki puts her through so much turmoil and still she keeps going for the sake of the children. She is an absolute Mama Bear who will do whatever it takes to protect her children and help them survive without question.

Loki’s wit and emotional range are on full display as well. We see him tormented, elated, frustrated and worshipful of his beloved Sigyn. He bounces back from every horror thrown his way, yet remembers them, storing them up and holding them against the other gods. Who can blame him when he occasionally tries to get his own back a little. More often than not his vengeance attempts are foiled and he finds himself punished even more by these cruel, unyielding gods.

Loki is put in a position where he makes a terrible choice and Idunn pays the price. This has unbearable consequences which are finally too much for Sigyn to put up with:

“How the fuck could I? I’m here, day in and day out, sticking up for you. Protecting you. And you’re keeping secrets I can’t pry out of you. How could I ever understand? You won’t let me. I’m just your moronic wife, too simple to understand complicated, tortured Loki.”

They are tethered to one another but Sigyn is unable to forgive Loki and life turns nightmarish for her. Deep down she still loves him but thinks she can never forgive him for what happened to her best friend Idunn.

To the Norse gods manliness and strength as a warrior are everything and they do not tolerate effeminate men. This kind of intolerance is clearly an unacceptable way of thinking to both the author and her main characters. When her son, Vali admits to Sigyn he is gay she is immediately accepting, opening her house to his boyfriend, but is equally sympathetic to his concerns about coming out in such a toxic environment:

“You and I both know what people in this city think. The worst thing you can be is a man who doesn’t act like one. The things they say about Loki! That he’s argr, that he sleeps with beasts and lets men use him. They used to tell me that every single day, made sure I knew it, until I beat one of them so badly, he didn’t wake up until resurrections the next day.”

One of the author’s strengths is dialogue. The conversations between Loki and Sigyn are so well-written and believable. You can imagine how frustrating and devastating it must be being married to the God of Lies, second guessing everything he has to say. The author also gives Sigyn a wonderful, poetic turn of phrase:

"There’s a silent knowing to mourning. A sadness that falls into place like a mist, and it’s so thick that the only way to see through it is to sit close and stay together."

There were quotations at the beginning of each chapter, setting the scene for what was to come, which I really liked, and a glossary of Norse terms at the back of the book. I think the glossary of Norse terms could have been better placed at the beginning of the book, as I was unaware of its existence until about halfway through reading the book.

In conclusion, this story is both devastating and unputdownable, at times heart-warming and at others it will make you want to scream. An emotional ride to say the least! I really can’t wait to read the sequel – but not before I have had some recovery time, please!!

[Dini - dinipandareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by Storytellers on Tour and I'm so thankful that it got put on my radar because this is one of my favourite reads of 2021. Special thanks to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 5 realm-ending stars!

As prepared by the author on their website:
List of trigger/content warnings
List of representation

OKAY SO... Help. This book took my fragile heart and stomped all over it? I literally just finished it and all I want to do is sit on the floor in a puddle of all the tears this book made me cry, but I feel like if I don't try writing some kind of review now I won't be able to later cos I'll be lost! I'm seriously hopped up on all the feels, friends.



If you love Norse mythology, unapologetically queer characters, characters who refuse to give up or back down no matter how many times they're discarded or beaten down, heart-achingly sweet romance and heart-breakingly painful betrayals, complex and morally grey characters that you want to protect forever and rage against, then I would 100% recommend that you read this book because it gives you all that and more. So much more! It's a raw story about people (albeit deities), the wonderful and horrible decisions they make, and the consequences of those actions. It's about trust and betrayal, love and loss, honesty and lies. It's well-written, engaging and so full of heart and emotion. I honestly can't believe this is Cat Rector's debut because it's one helluva forking debut and it deserves all the love and attention!

What Rector says at the beginning is true: don't be fooled by the love and happiness at the beginning because it really doesn't last. If you're at all familiar with Norse mythology or even the concept of Ragnarok then you'll know exactly where the story leads but that doesn't make it any less painful to watch the lives and realm crumble because, of course, these characters are going to grow on you and you're going to care about them and it's really going to suck ... Or was I the only one that went through that? 😭

I've learned a bit more about Norse mythology this year but there's still a lot that I don't know. However, I think this would be a good read for those who are both familiar and unfamiliar with the stories, as The Goddess of Nothing At All is told from the perspective of a lesser-known deity, Sigyn Odindottir. I actually had no idea who Loki's wife was or that they had children but this story familiarised me with their relationship, their family and the triumphs and countless struggles they endured—both as a result of their own actions but also because all these gods are epic shit bags and dillweeds of the highest order! Yes, gods are harsh in many stories but holy mother, I never wanted to smack down someone as badly as I wanted to smack down Odin! The gods and goddesses of Asgard were monstrous and I hated how they thrived on being so casually and intentionally cruel. I can't even tell you how many times I raged at my Kindle as I was reading (don't worry, no Kindles were abused in this reading journey)! Loki definitely wasn't blameless and Sigyn played her role too but they didn't deserve the treatment they got. Plus, when you set someone up to be the bad guy time and again, what choice do they have but to be what you make them?

Though the story is well-paced it is a slow burn as we essentially follow the 'everyday life' of Sigyn and Loki over the years and countless decades as fate plays out. It was completely immersive and I felt like I was there experiencing their relationship alongside them, watching it grow from devoted friendship to burning love, and then watching as it crumbled beneath the weight of selfish deeds and betrayal. Sigyn and Loki are wonderfully complex, morally grey, and so very queer and there are no words for how much I loved them! Sigyn is bisexual, Loki is pansexual/genderfluid, and a host of other side characters were also queer, but I absolutely the discussions about gender, sexuality and masculinity were woven into the story and the characters themselves.

Sigyn was truly amazing! She is mistreated, underestimated, and ultimately discarded by all but she's full of burning determination and refuses to give up what she wants. Oh, the things that she suffers in this book... It's a lot and I wanted to rage for her so often, but she gets back up every single time and continues to fight for the people she loves, and eventually for herself. There were times that I wanted to rage at her too because she deserved so much more, but I greatly admired her quiet strength and devotion. Then we have Loki, the catalyst of everything. He's a trickster, a mischief-maker, and a liar but we also see a more tender side to him in this story. He is so loving and devoted to Sigyn and the softer moments with her were full of sweet swoony happiness, but he is also addicted to mischief and attention and that's where everything falls apart. As much as trouble is pulled to him, he also throws himself head-first into situations with little thought for consequence especially for the people around him, and Sigyn and their family suffer the most for it. My heart broke repeatedly for Loki but I also wanted to give him a good shake and scream at him asking WHY?! Why throw everything good away and FOR WHAT?! Argh. LOKI! I really loved and hated him in equal measure. 🥲 Despite everything though they create a beautiful family together and their sons Vali and Narvi were great characters in their own right ... but if I talk about them right now I might cry! There's also a heartwarming found family element to the story that simultaneously tore out my heart but like everything else in this story, it was so well done. Rector had me sympathising and connecting with even the most 'minor' characters because each personality was so distinct and they were full of life.

There is so much happiness and sorrow in this story. It is full of roiling emotions that demands to be felt and you have no choice but to let them! As the fate of the nine realms comes to pass there's even more gut-wrenching loss and profound grief but the story ends on a surprisingly more hopeful note, and I was so thankful for it. I found myself sobbing in relief by the time we reached the end and my heart slowly got put back together again as Sigyn receives a sign that there's hope for a better world in the future. I know I rambled a lot in this review but long story short: this story really put me through it in the best and worst ways, but it was an engrossing journey with incredible characters and I'm so happy I read it! I can't wait to read more by this author.

[Chris Durston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm trying to work out whether you're better off going into this knowing what to expect or not knowing what to expect.

I've been excited for this book for a while because the author's been doing a pretty sterling job on the old social media marketing, talking about her book and about related interesting things. From that, I think I was probably expecting something with a strong female lead, a will-they-won't-they between her and Loki, and then everything to go wrong.

That kind of is what I got, but definitely not at the pace or in the structure I was imagining.

Whether this was deliberate or not I've no idea, but the structure of this book is less like a novel and more, I think, like a long-running TV series. That's not a criticism, by the way - it's no bad thing to be different if it works, and I think for the most part it does. We get a lot of episodes that get something like internal resolution while also feeding into the overall storyline of the whole thing, and that overall storyline is strong. I think I wish it had been split into maybe two or even three books, actually, at least partly because of this structure: that might have helped give some of the shorter episodes more room to breathe and to develop their characters, and the ending of this book honestly feels like the kind of ending that a whole season of a TV show could be building towards. My understanding is there'll be more books following the events of this one, and I'm intrigued to see what happens there given how big of an ending this first book has. It'll be hard for future installments to top, for sure!

I really like Sigyn as she's done here, and I like the interpretations of the Norse gods who show up here. We don't get to spend a lot of time with many of them - it's mostly Sigyn, Loki, a bit of Odin, and some family members who pop up later on - but they're recognisable if you're familiar with Norse mythology and understandable if you're not. Loki is, I think it's fair to say, the deuteragonist and other main character, and I also like this version of them a lot. They're tricksy and funny in the way modern audiences expect because of the Marvel version, but they're also tragic, repeatedly subjected to some truly terrible things either because of their own flaws or because of how the world sees them.

Things really pick up in the last 20-25% or so, and I sort of want to encourage anyone who might not be finding it quite as they expected to stick with it. The book and the author promise that you're going to get to see things go horribly wrong, and you do, but it takes longer than you might think from how much that part of things is stressed in the marketing. I think it works, taking time to set up all the dominoes and establish how much there is to lose so it's more effective when it does all come crashing down. That said, I still somehow wish we'd had more time to get to know several of the players who turn out to be important in the endgame; I still had a sense that I could've felt even more strongly about everyone's fates if I'd spent a bit more time with them and known them a bit better, especially given how, er, final the ending turns out to be for quite a lot of them.

I feel like this is coming out more critical than I intend, and that's probably just a mark that actually I think the book overall is strong enough to stand up to a close, critical review. I enjoyed the whole thing a lot, often continuing to read well after trying to get through 'just one more chapter' before going back to work or whatever else I needed to do. It's a good enough book that it's worth paying close attention to things and nitpicking a bit, I reckon.

Oh, but do make sure you check the content warnings. It is, er, pretty intense in parts. If you can stomach the many topics it broaches, though, I think you'll find it very readable, often gripping, and something in which you can get thoroughly invested.

[EkaFricai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know if reading this book during my exams was the best or worst idea i ever had but it definitely... distracted me from the stress.

Ever since i could remember, I loved mythology. Ever since i could remember, I was slightly disappointed by the tellings of it. Either they are told in a detached way, enunciating fact after fact without question, or they are romanticised and stripped from their story.
Norse mythology is where we see it the most : there was never much written information about it but the little we knew was betrayed by movies like Marvel.

Cat Rector had the immense talent of taking these crumbles, respecting them and giving meaning to them. She breathed life and depth and complexity into characters that were only a name, a mask, a role. And for that, I must say thank you.

Norse mythology isn’t exactly funny. I only remembered Sigyn’s myth halfway through the middle of the book and it made me dread for the end. It also made me enjoy every passing page.
Cat Rector didn’t give in to the pure cruelty and darkness that Norse mythology can be. In fact, the crumble was so subtle that even through everything that went wrong we didn’t see the dark coming until we were plunged in it. She managed to cultivate hope until the very end, even if its light progressively dimmed : from a bright sun to faraway stars.
Even as I closed it a few minutes ago i wasn’t left in utter despair, despite all the tears, all the pain. And for that, I must say thank you.


I did think that the middle of the book was a bit long, a bit too casual, detached and biography-ish, the characters losing their edge. (Though now I root for those early moments : the beginning of this book was like every daydream I ever had concerning Loki and I’m planning to reread them again and again). Otherwise, the book had a great rhythm, the chapters aren’t too long, and the endings always keep us craving for more.
One gets really easily into it : from the first page we know who Sigyn is and what she wants. The structure and the twists are absolutely amazing : even in a world of profecies where you KNOW what is coming, Cat Rector manages to give a new meaning to each moment. Every one of the characters has their individuality, their complexity, their utter logic that makes us understand them and what they do.

And that is exactly what we needed, it’s exactly the point of the book, the one that leaves us with a bitter taste of unfairness. People fear what they don’t understand, and fear of what someone might do manages to legitimate hate. But it is that hate, that exclusion that brings to life what we most feared in the beginning. We need to make the effort of understanding the people who are different from us. Otherwise, we birth our own ennemies.
And for that, I must say thank you.

[Helyna Clove · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I wrote a review of this right after I finished it, but alas, I was not in the headspace. So, I really need to somehow do justice to this now. :)

First of all, I've read a lot of good books recently, but this was the first time after a long time when I honest to gods did not want to go to sleep and was impatiently waiting for the morning and every little snippet of time during the day when I could finally return to reading this book. It was sort of addicting; I just needed to know. Even though sometimes it felt like watching a trainwreck in slow-mo.

I'm not an expert on Norse mythology, and at this point most of my knowledge of Norse gods comes from Marvel movies, but I have a lot of vague memories of reading some bonkers myths in middle school and loving them. I loved the way the author collects some of those original myths and binds them, presents them in a new way. And you know, it shouldn't work. Like, some of those things are just so. weird. and tonally all over the place and like what even are they trying to tell me, that they shouldn't come together into a cohesive story. But they do. It works. Of course, the structure of the novel is a bit different from what we might be used to, but the emotional and character arcs barely feel it in a negative way...and there's a lot of weird "myth-logic" in these stories! The gods are sometimes laughable, sometimes fight like children...they are very, very human in that. Other times, I just couldn't believe how one could even try to fight against them.
But the romance works, the humor works, the betrayal, the lies, the dark stuff, they all worked for me.

I know I had a lot of incoherent thoughts about predestination, self-fulfilling prophecies, and the cycle of prejudice and hate while I was reading the book. How one can be so vulnerable and powerless against intolerance and the will of the many, and gossip, and just a truly, truly despicable authority figure. Yes, I hate Odin and I'm not afraid to say it. He was the cause of all our suffering and he should be cancelled.

But also, wasn't he also just a victim on some level? I mean, no, obviously, he's the worst and not a victim at all, but you know, he read the prophecy, it was all there for him from the beginning. He believed in it, and by believing it, basically brought it forth himself. He pushed away Sigyn every. step. of the way, he treated Loki horribly HOORRRIIIBBLY, and he made all the wrong decisions even with a wife who frickin'...sees the future! And he paid for it, hell yeah, but we paid for it too, we who were rooting for Sigyn. It's like...all of them became victims of the stories they told themselves...or let others tell them. If judgment is written on your forehead from the start, is it surprising you will bring ruin? If everyone tells you you're a monster, what does it take to not become one?

Well, apparently it takes to be Sigyn. It felt like she was the only one trying and succeeding to break out of these molds, these toxic cages all of them put around themselves. And...she did it. It cost her almost everything, but she didn't give up. Ever. She wanted to become a goddess so bad, but by having it denied from her over and over and over again, she became something more.

See? I have so many thoughts! And I cried so much on this freakin' book, okay? It's so sad, the whole thing is so sad, but apparently I love to torture myself, because I loved it. And honestly, congrats to the author for making Loki so...aggravating, and awful, and just all around ldskjdlkjgldhg...and I still couldn't help but to feel for him, and like him.

I'm so happy I found this book and it is one of the most memorable reads of my last few years for sure.