Ragnarok by A.S. Byatt (thoughts)

Regular readers already know of my deep and abiding love for A.S. Byatt. So you can imagine my squealing when I got my hands on a copy of Ragnarok, her contribution to the Canongate Myths Series, via Netgalley. I began it right away and was entranced from the first page to the last. That being said, this is in no way a ‘traditional’ novel, and I’d hesitate to recommend it to those read primarily for plot or characters. No, this is the kind of richly wrought novel that rewards readers who love language and writer’s style, as well as those who read for ideas and intellectual stimulation. For those, it will be a veritable feast. Based on my past experience with Canongate Myth titles, I can’t say this surprised me: many of the participants seem to take the goal of retelling myths as a license to play with form and language. Byatt’s retelling is far more straightforward than, say, Baba Yaga Lived an Egg: most of the novel is taken up with envision Ragnarok, which is essentially the Norse apocalypse. Byatt captures the fearsome strength of the various gods and their offspring and brings their roiling world to startling life. I was completely convinced as I read all of these parts; the writing almost put me in a trance-like state. It was delicious. Framing the book is the story of a girl evacuated to the countryside in wartime England, who is reading these tales for the first time; Byatt uses this to sketch a few parallels between how the environment has fared in modern society and the Norse visions of destruction. But really, this is a book devoted to the myth itself; it could almost be a nonfiction re-telling, except it’s far more vivid than anything you’d find Edith Hamilton writing. If my ramblings have in any way intrigued you, definitely pick it up. But if you’re new to Byatt and prefer more traditional fiction, it’d probably be better to start elsewhere.

Suggested Companion Reads

• American Gods by Neil Gaiman (You can’t talk about Norse mythology and end-of-the-world plotlines without mentioning this epic, modern-classic novel! And now there’s a recently released ‘ten year anniversary’ edition just begging for a reread.)
• The Hurricane Party by Klas Östergren (I haven’t read this one-yet-but it’s another Canongate offering that focuses on Norse mythology. Also, it’s translated by one of my favourite translators, Tiina Nunnally! So I have now put in an interlibrary loan request…with any luck, it’ll appear in a library loot vlog soon.)
• The Long Ships by Frans Bengtsson (I cannot resist the opportunity to mention one of my favourite reads of last year that features a hero steeped in traditional Viking mythology! It’s far more cheerful and upbeat, so it might be a good one to have waiting in the wings. ;) )