Norse Myths

“[…] a masterly version, which is also a splendid object […] It is powerfully illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love […] It is spectacular and enjoyable, as well as essential cultural bedrock.” * The Sunday Times * “Kevin Crossley Holland’s and Jeffrey Alan Love’s rendition of Norse Myths is the best of many recent versions for children aged nine and above. With fiery, lyrical prose and shadowy, sinewy illustrations, this is a wintry marvel of doom, hope, cruelty and imagination. A serious gift, which will be reread many times over.” * New Statesman * “[…] this is an ideal book to share at bedtime or storytime, or to read very gradually. If your children loved the recent Marvel movies featuring Thor but haven’t heard the original Norse legends before, this compendium of new retellings by Kevin Crossley-Holland would be an excellent place to start. Jeffrey Alan Love’s lavish, atmospheric illustration is absolutely stunning and captures the darkness and magic of many of these stories, while remaining modern and full of impact. Fantastic.” * BookTrust * “This beautifully illustrated anthology of dramatic, enthralling and atmospheric tales […]” * Just Imagine Newsletter * “A sumptuous hardback […] bringing to life the nine Norse worlds” * Eastern Daily Press * “Dramatically re-told by Norse expert Crossley-Holland and stunningly illustrated with dark, brooding figures on every page, this is a book to be treasured for generations” * Daily Mail * “It’s very good” * Evening Standard * “His book with its dark, ominous monochromatic images by Jeffrey Alan Love, is a keeper – one for the coffee table, or pride of place on the book shelf A heroic creation.” * The Herald * “Stunning artwork and vivid, gory storytelling combine in this collection” – Wall Street Journal * Wall Street Journal * “adored!” * Of Beauty and Nothingness blog * “[…] magnificent anthology [...] a perfect Christmas present for little warriors everywhere […] It’s impossible not to be captivated by these extraordinary characters, aided by Jeffrey Alan Love’s tremendous pictures of gods and goddesses, dwarfs and giants. Crossley-Holland, who has translated Beowulf and is an expert in Norse mythology, is a natural storyteller who wears his learning lightly. He writes beautifully, dramatically and accessibly […] At the end of the book the three mysterious wise kings – High-One, Just-as-High and Third – speak: “Tell these stories yourself and for as long as our world last, people will retell them. Make what use of them you can.” If they were still around to give dust-jacket quotes, they would effuse about these revived versions. Instead, the writer must make do with a modern literary deity, Neil Gaiman (“Kevin Crossley-Holland is the master”). He’s not wrong.” * The Times, Children’s Book of the Week * “Norse Myths […] will delight both the newcomer and the Norse aficionado, instantly immersing its reader in the tragedy and treachery synonymous with the Scandinavian pantheon. Crossley-Holland’s well-forged words, which feel as right in the mind as a swords hilt in the hand, are the perfect medium for these bloody, compelling tales, with their rich poetry […]interleaved with Jeffrey Alan Love’s iron-dark, silhouetted images.” * The Guardian * “What a page-turner!” * Families Vale of York, and Families Warwickshire * “The combination of Kevin Crossley-Holland’s text and Jeffrey Alan Love’s art make this a real treasure of a book. It is an excellent rendering of the Norse myths, and one which will certainly draw in children’s interest […] truly an object for families to treasure.” * Bookwitty blog * “A master storyteller [...] Love’s craggy black silhouettes stamp a graphic power, mystery and dynamism on every page” * Amanda Craig, Times Literary Supplement *