“It occurred to him that access to power often resided with unexpected, even unwelcome people.”
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All the Horses of Iceland is exactly the type of myth retellings that I like. Eyvind is a man scarred by a childhood illness, he has lost his hearing in one ear and is unable to father a child. He decides he to try to make his fortune by joining a successful merchant he has crossed paths with in the local market. David is a successful Jewish trader who traverses the Silk Road through central Asia, he is worldly in a way Icelander Eyvind is not. We follow the journey across the sea and the vast continent as they encounter the local peoples, some friendly and some not. Eyvind experiences different cultures, learning all sorts of new tactics and tools to bring back to his people.
Along the way he experiences some ghostly activity and learns about the magic within himself. He acquires horses which he thinks will revolutionize life in Iceland and he needs to navigate getting them successfully home. One of these horses is a majestic, and perhaps a little magical, white one that helps to guide him home.
The story is beautifully written and the pace is metered in a way that we can enjoy Eyvind’s wonder but does not stay in any one place too long. We see not only the journey but its impact on Eyvind’s life and the whole of Iceland. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for advanced access to this novella. All opinions above are my own.
What’s your favorite myth or mythological character?
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