Hello all!  Hope you had a great week.  This MMGM’s spotlight is on Thor’s Wedding Day by Bruce Coville.  And, in case that fails to pique your interest, take a look at this cover!

Yes, it’s a bit strange.  However, just as the cover promises, it IS good for a laugh!  An odd tale, in that it’s hard to know who the audience is, this one is all over the place with its interest-level and subject matter, so you might want to read it yourself before recommending it.  But, it is a super quick read and a lot of fun!

The story is told from the pov of Thialfi, the goatherd, and we hear from his two charges Gat and Grinder as well.  Yes, those are the goats, and though they can’t talk to Thor or be generally understood, they can talk to Thialfi and they’re savy and wise enough that it’s a good idea to listen to what they have to say.  Because, as the book begins, Thor’s hammer has been stolen and all of the Gods are in peril.  The only thing the giants will take in exchange is a beautiful goddess bride…and they may have a trick up their sleeve.  Accompanied by Thialfi, the goats, and the ever ‘helpful’ Loki, Thor goes under cover as the bride in a desperate attempt to recover the hammer and save them all.  Not surprising, the real saving is done by Thialfi and the goats…but Thor does submit to wearing a wedding dress and does a bit of smashing.  And that ought to count for something, yes?

The book is quick and easy, while staying true to the Norse Mythos and casting an illuminating light on the ways of the Gods.  It’s easy to miss, amidst all the entertainment, that the reader is soaking up lots of Norse Mythology while ripping through the book.  I could readily see it being picked up and enjoyed by kids who want to keep up with the Percy Jackson crowd, but maybe aren’t interested in a longer book.

Let’s check in with Apricot-kitty, and see what she thought of it:

“I’ve heard that humans don’t have quite the eye sight of cats, but I never knew they were blind.  Or, is it just the Gods who can’t see?  Because I don’t know how else any of those men–let alone the big thundering God Thor–could ever pass as girls.  And he was supposed to be a beautiful bride?  No…sorry, the story was amusing enough, but that I simply can’t see.”

Ahem, yes, and that’s not even getting into the discussion in the book of how exactly they’ll transform Thor into a girlish shape!  No, the book isn’t terribly realistic, but in that, I think it’s rather true to form.  What self-respecting myth is?  There’s really not much point in invoking Gods if you’re going to stick to the mundane and believable.

I love comments, so tell me what you think and what you’re reading!  And for more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday reviews, spotlights, interviews and giveaways, go to Shannon Messenger’s blog, where they’ve all been collected for you.  And happy reading!

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