Norse Mythology

I have quite mixed feelings about this book. It was very funny and easy to read, which I think are great qualities. Neil Gaiman retells Nordic myths with contemporary humour, and it was very enjoyable. However, at some point it did occur to me that the way the book was written made me feel that the names of the characters were less important than the comedy. What I mean is, the book felt more like a collection of jokes than a selection of ancient myths.

  What was worse, there was too much expectation built upon Ragnarok only for it to be disappointingly mundane. The story of Ragnarok did not add much to what was previously mentioned about it in the other stories, and it was written in the most trivial of proses.

  Given that the only thing I knew about Odin, Thor and Loki before reading the book was what I had seen in Marvel movies, I greatly enjoyed learning more about these characters. Perhaps this was a good introduction, and if you are genuinely interested in Norse mythology then look for a more serious anthology.

The Man in the Brown Suit

This book is hilarious! I am actually not sure if this is primarily detective fiction or a comedy. Maybe it is meant to be both. It definitely reminded me of a telenovela where the most absurd things always happen and every bit of mystery is carefully explained in the end, which I quite enjoy. I have decided that Sir Eustace Pedler is my favourite character. He is so charming and funny, and always has the best remarks. Although some of them are quite inappropriate and maybe it would be best if he kept those to himself, lest he end up in an article of The New York Times involved in the #MeToo movement.

  Now that I think about it, there are several remarks or descriptions that are either sexist, racist, or otherwise inappropriate. The book is amazing and kept me constantly laughing but I do wonder whether it could have benefitted from more strict editing.

  Also, the prologue is written in such a different style from the rest of the novel. Almost as if the prologue was actual detective fiction. It makes me really want to read something that is as well written.

  All in all, I highly recommend this book. You are bound to have a fun time reading it.