I also thought gameplay was too stretched out, and could have been reined in a bit to make for a tighter narrative and writing. With lots of journeying and forays into caves and tunnels, Hel and the Netherworld, it felt Tolkien-esque, which did not appeal to me. I did think descriptions were far too long and meandering, and the book read like high fantasy. The major players, including Odin, Thor, Hel, and others are brought in and woven together, each with complex relationships with the other characters (though most everyone has issues with Loki, the Trickster). Runemark was a decent book, especially if you’re interested in Norse mythology. But everything she does from that point on has an effect – does Chaos reign and the end of the world happen, or can she quell the rising power of destruction and bring and keep Order to the land. When tides turn and a villager overhears One-Eye telling Maddy about a treasure to be found and about her magical powers, Maddy goes on the run. Her visits her every year, teaching her more about her magic, telling her stories out the old days and the gods and goddesses, and raising her in his own way for the few weeks he’s around. When she is much younger, Maddy comes across an old man, nicknamed One-Eye. Malbry, the village she lives in, hasn’t “Cleansed” (executed) her, but instead has shunned her, while still using her powers when needed, usually goblins are getting into the ale storages. Maddy, a 14-year-old girl was born with a ruinmark, or runemark, which marked her as tainted by the Old Days and has cast her as a witch. Magic is outlawed, and a new religion – the Order – has taken its place. The old Norse gods are no longer revered. It’s been five hundred years since the end of the world and society has rebuilt itself anew. An entertaining – if not meandering – foray into the Norse pantheon.

Joanne harris runemarks series