Told through the perspective of the different main characters, Freya a goddess of Asgard tells her story of receiving a special feather cloak from Odin that gives her the power of flight. After receiving a troubling warning, Freya decides to undertake finding and holding the Brisingamen, a powerful necklace that may be capable of changing the future. The necklace was created through the combined efforts of four dwarves and represents their greatest work so naturally, it comes at a high price.
Part of a family committed to worshipping the old gods, Fulla is a strong willed young lady just growing into womanhood at a turbulent time when Christianity is making deep inroads into traditional beliefs. The death of a neighboring clan leader leads to border disputes and old rivalries that keep Fulla and her family scrambling to maintain peaceable relations. Interspaced with the main characters are short Iceland geology snippets supplied by the Norns, better known as the Fates who serve as time’s witness and know Iceland is shortly due for catastrophic change. Gods and humans alike are aware of Hekla’s barely restrained power over the land and its occupants.
While an enjoyable read, Tobin’s latest work falls well short of being a sweeping Norse saga, it is more of an introduction to the complex regional mythologies. Given the time differences between Iceland’s introduction to Christianity and Hekla’s massive eruption, Tobin has taken considerable artistic license with recorded history. Perhaps the best part of this tale comes at the end when Freya comes to realize that “men are governed by their faith whatever form it may assume.”
Your Talkback on this Story