From Niflheim to Ragnarok

Neil Gaiman's book retells the stories with relish and a sense of awe

Norse Mythology 

Neil Gaiman

Bloomsbury

279 pages; Rs 499

The story of the universe is a simple one. It has a beginning and an end and the journey in between is a fascinating romp through with gods and demons and creatures of all kinds that fight, love, trick and plot against each other. Broadly, no matter what civilisation or culture you travel to, this is how mythologies hold forth. 

The Norse world is a similar one. Life begins when the universe is born in the void between Niflheim (a place colder than the coldest winter) and Muspell (the edge of the eternal