Thor's Wedding Day (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Thor's Wedding Day April Spisak Coville, Bruce Thor's Wedding Day; illus. by Matthew Cogswell. Harcourt, 2005137p ISBN 0-15-201455-1$15.00 R Gr. 4-6 The ancient Norse poem "Thrymskvitha" may seem an odd choice for the elementary set, but with its jocularity and adventure, this 135-line poem actually lends itself well to a novel-length adaptation. Narrator Thialfi, introducing himself as one of Thor's servants and goat boy extraordinaire, opens the tale with the announcement that Thor's mighty hammer, Mjollnir, has been stolen. Thialfi soon becomes deeply involved in the scheme to retrieve the hammer from the hands of oafish Thrym, who has demanded the goddess Freya as ransom. Cross-dressing intrigue abounds as Thor, Loki (god of mischief), and Thialfi disguise themselves as bride and bridal party and venture out to retrieve Mjollnir. The black-and-white illustrations provide additional humor, often translating the entertaining narration into laugh-out-loud scenes. The staggering scope of Asgard (land of the gods) and Jotunheim (realm of the hideous, slobbering, brutal giants) is conveyed through drawings of the tiny human narrator, never more than waist high, cowering his way through various scenes. An author's note discusses some of the changes Coville made to the story, ending with well-chosen suggestions for further reading to satisfy the almost certain curiosity about Norse mythology this book will inspire. If a lesson is required, Thialfi does show personal growth as he frees his sister instead of himself and Odin, god of the gods, imparts wise messages to all; however, the gender-bending humor, thrilling pace, and quirky behaviors of the gods and giants are enough to recommend this loopy tale. Copyright © 2005 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois