Review of The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris

The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Writing 5/5
Imagination 5/5
Plot 5/5
Setting 5/5
Characters 5/5

My Overall Enjoyment 5/5

Goodreads description-

... 

Loki, that’s me.Loki, the Light-Bringer, the misunderstood, the elusive, the handsome and modest hero of this particular tissue of lies. Take it with a pinch of salt, but it’s at least as true as the official version, and, dare I say it, more entertaining.
Now it’s my turn to take the stage.
With his notorious reputation for trickery and deception, and an ability to cause as many problems as he solves, Loki is a Norse god like no other. Demon-born, he is viewed with deepest suspicion by his fellow gods who will never accept him as one of their own and for this he vows to take his revenge.
From his recruitment by Odin from the realm of Chaos, through his years as the go-to man of Asgard, to his fall from grace in the build-up to Ragnarok, this is the unofficial history of the world’s ultimate trickster.
From his recruitment by Odin from the realm of Chaos, through his years as the go-to man of Asgard, to his fall from grace in the build-up to Ragnarok, this is the unofficial history of the world’s ultimate trickster. 

So far, history, such as it is, has cast me in a rather unflattering role.

Stellar writing and storytelling! A true literary masterpiece. One of the best books of 2014. This was so light and fluid to read it was a non-stop joy. There were so many beautiful turns of phrase that it took much longer to read this than it normally would because I kept going back rereading paragraphs and sentences. Immediately upon finishing, I planned to read this again; something pretty rare for me. This author is new to me and to fantasy writing but I really hope she writes another fantasy book.

I am not overly familiar with Norse Mythology, but the new reader need not worry. This book includes a "who's who" upfront and jumps into Loki's tale. It's in modern voice which is a neat juxtaposition with the ancient story it tells. The narrator, Loki, absolutely comes alive in this book with such a true and unique voice. Laugh-out-loud funny then twisted and dark the next page, Loki seems so real, with the inconsistencies and contradictions that make up every individual.

Highly recommended for EVERYONE! This book was perfect by every measure available. I really can't imagine anyone could find it less than delightful. There are themes for everyone and this is a story of human history and the human condition; jealousy, love, hatred, evil, revenge, the search for knowledge and wisdom, power, greed, sorrow, fear, and on and on. I feel more enlightened about the world after reading this book; it put a smile on my face. I want more.

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