Book review:
ODIN'S
CHILD (2013) by Siri Pettersen
(Book 1 of the RAVEN RINGS trilogy)
My book circle has made me read several American and British
fantasy novels – some I enjoyed, some not – but at last we picked
this Norwegian book, and I read the original Norwegian edition.
Speaking as someone who rarely reads modern fantasy, I think
ODIN'S CHILD is very, very good. The novel succeeds stylistically; as
good storytelling; as ”world building”; as an original work with
a personal vision; in its portrayal of characters - and in the way it
grabs and holds the reader emotionally.
Pettersen's style is
both terse and expressive. Where many mediocre contemporary fantasy
authors struggle with too many sentences to capture mood or meaning,
Pettersen can nail it with a few telling details, a brief line – or
just a few
words.
There
is very little ”excess fat” on her prose, yet it can say a lot. I
find that level of skill admirable.
Her storytelling is unlike
those brick-sized American fantasy novels I've tried to slog through,
where the authors are incapable of ”cutting to the chase.” They
tend to drag the reader through every single second of a scene, or
flail about trying to find a way to end a scene, and I get
bored.
Pettersen knows when to slow down a scene and when to
cut to the next; when to get into small details and when to skip
unnecessary details; making sure the reader doesn't get bored. Her
narrative pacing is brisk but not hurried. That skill I admire
also.
When it comes to world building, ODIN'S CHILD uses
Scandinavian cultural roots and landscapes, mixed with
Japanese-inspired elements - and the mix works.
I
particularly appreciated that Pettersen can make the subject of magic
– the prime element in all fantasy – mysterious and exciting.
(Let's not name the bestselling American fantasy writers who are
experts at making magic seem dull and mechanical.)
The
protagonist Hirka is an unusual heroine in modern fantasy; she is
neither ”the chosen one” nor does she have superhuman powers.
From the very beginning she is an outcast in the world where she
grows up.
Hirka has to make her own destiny in an often
hostile world, and does so like a person who is forced to grow up too
soon. Her personality is complex and mature for her age, and yet she
is capable of youthful feeling.
The other characters are, in
general, well written; none of them are without flaws. Only the
heroic character Rime comes close to being a bit too spotless, and
even he doesn't come off entirely uncompromised in the end.
The
plot is different in depth from ”generic” fantasy; there is a
complexity to the imagined world and its workings that colors
characters and events in shades of gray. Fantasy may often be
regarded as Young Adult material, but the psychological maturity of
ODIN'S CHILD should appeal strongly to adult readers.
Finally,
there is the emotional core of the story: the love story between the
two main characters. This is the kind of romantic stuff that creates
loyal readers and passionate fandoms.
The
novel has an open ending that points to the next part of the RAVEN
RINGS trilogy. I may have to read the other two books to see how the
story ends (which is a highly unusual choice for me!).
ODIN'S
CHILD is an outstanding novel - warmly recommended to teenage and
adult readers
alike.
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