Book Review: Odd and the Frost Giants

For readers of this blog, it's pretty obvious that I'm a fan of Neil Gaiman - take a look over at my librarything page and you'll see that there are very few books of his I don't have. Usually I read his books almost as soon as they come out (within two months at the latest), but I've made an exception with this week's book, Odd and the Frost Giants.

I actually got this book for Christmas 2008, but as it is under 100 pages, I figured that I would save it for a special occasion. About a month ago, my oldest daughter got accepted into University, so I figured - that's pretty special, and here we are.

The story itself, which I would define as just this side of a Norse mythology/fairy tale, like something out of the Brothers Grimm but with a Young Adult focus, is a pretty basic tale. Odd is a crippled teen who feels ignored by his family (his father drowned and his mother remarried) and as the winter seems neverending, he leaves his home to try and make it on his own. Along the way he finds some new friends, some difficult challenges, and some terrifying giants.

The story involves the Norse Gods, Frost Giants, and a lot of adventure. Again, like the main character of a fairy tale, Odd is tested early in the book, by having to decide whether or not to help some trapped animals, and his life often depends on how quickly he can think his way through very dangerous situations.

The book is very fun, definitely a one-day read, and if you haven't checked it out yet, a new edition was just released - it would make a great Christmas present for a 9-13 year old, if you're looking.