Reviews: (by author)

(2 Reviews)

Lunge-Larsen, Lise. The Adventures of Thor, The Thunder God. Illus. Jim Madsen. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. ISBN 0-618-47301-7.

Truly a gorgeously, notably-illustrated book in which Madsen uses rich color, dynamic movement, eye-catching perspective, vivid close-ups of faces and vast horizons of mountain peaks and ice, and touches of both humor and grandeur. The endpapers alone are stunning. Madsen’s Viking pantheon of Thor, Freya, Loki, giants and trolls accompanies Lunge-Larsen’s skillful, lively retelling of the ancient stories. Eight stories are included, as well as reference material and a glossary.

A. Allison, June 2007

Lunge-Larsen, Lise. The Troll With No Heart In His Body. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999. $18.00 ISBN 0-395-91371-3

The Troll With No Heart In His Body is a wonderful collection of Norwegian folktales gathered from various sources including Samlede Eventyr by Christian Asbjornsen and Jorgen Moe, as well as the author's own girlhood remembrances of these tales told to her by her father. The book contains a nice note from the author explaining the importance of folktales in teaching children important life lessons, as well as shaping a mythology to help children understand the world around them. She explains in her note that "trolls are shaped by ancient Norse mythology and by the towering Scandinavian landscape." She recounts an amusing story of her childhood walks in the woods with her parents who encouraged her to believe in trolls, even pointing out the dead trolls which had returned to the landscape in the form of uprooted trees (a long root for its nose, a knotted piece of wood for its eye), rock formations and even the very mountains that gave character to the terrain of Norway. The book is illustrated throughout with wood block printed by Betsy Bowen based on the earlier artwork of Theodore Kittelsen who drew trolls in the early1900s. The book is also illustrated with border designs from old stave churches, reiterating the culture and tradition that these tales are based on.

I found this book very amusing to read. The tales are told quite simply but still come across as wonderfully engaging in content. The trolls are stupid, lumbering oafs, with horrible dispositions, especially toward mankind. Ultimately, mankind triumphs through clever wits and help from their friends and family--which drives home the importance of community in our lives.

It is also interesting to see how these myths are based on nature. The trolls can live in mountains and wade through oceans. One troll, Gunnar, wades all the way from Norway to Greenland and takes up residence in a mountain, surrounded by his enormous wealth. The trolls in this collection of stories are covetous and it is this character flaw, as well as their ugly dispositions and slow mindedness, which bring about their downfalls.

These engaging parables entertain as they teach. The imagery is vivid and compelling, for example: A troll keeps his heart inside an egg, which is inside a duck, which is inside a well, in a church on a secluded island or a female troll carries her head beneath her arm and stirs porridge with her long pointy nose. It is easy to see why they have been handed down for generations and generations.

The wood block print illustrations add flavor to the overall book. Stylistically, they capture a rustic feel with their simplicity. However, the colors had a washed out hue and did not seem to reflect the vivacity of the stories themselves. However, I was only slightly disappointed with the choice of hues, and overall would highly recommend the book as a highly imaginative, cultural, and educational resource for children everywhere.

John Fox, October 2003

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