Book Review: Frigg's Journey to Anasgar

Title: Frigg's Journey to Anasgar 

Author: Deb Cushman

Date: 2022

Publisher: Deb Cushman

ISBN: 979-8-9864924-0-7

Length: 260 pages

Quote: "Nobody ever attacks Nadavir, and if they did, the Council wouldn’t allow girls to fight,"

So of course, a page later, a troll army threaten to attack Nadavir, the enchanted caverns where Frigg and her dwarf tribe live. The dwarfs are peace-loving magical creatures, though conscious of the need to be prepared for battle, and share their caverns with many other magical creatures, but they bar trolls and humans in the interests of peace. 

Frigg is not just any dwarfling. She's the daughter of Dvalin, the chief of the tribe, and Namis, whose tragic disappearance has created a situation of gender inequality in Nadavir. Females have laid aside the magic amulets that facilitate their power of shapeshifting, no longer leave the caverns (even "traditionally" disguised as males), and don't even have a school for their girls any more, although Frigg has learned to read somewhere. Dvalin was sure Namis shapeshifted, while out picking berries, and was prevented from shifting back.

So the men of the tribe organize an expedition to Anasgar, another dwarf cavern, to confer about the problem of trolls seeking entrance to dwarf caves as the trolls are being crowded out of their own territory by humans. Before their expedition can start, however, the trolls storm the cave and lock them up. The grown-up women who agreed to the emergency order when Namis was lost are afraid to travel. Frigg and three other young magical creatures, Ping the faery, Tip the elf, and Cricall the unicorn, set out for Anasgar. 

The adventures they have along the way, and the difficulty they have gaining an audience in super-xenophobic Anasgar, are meant to appeal most to middle grade readers but should hold older readers' attention through at least one reading. You know Frigg will succeed but it's amusing to read how she'll do it, with a little help from her friends. 

One aspect of this otherwise traditional fantasy may delight some readers and break others' suspension of disbelief: Cushman's dwarfs don't kill anybody, even in battle. They beat people up. Cushman's trolls have enough sense to stop fighting before they are badly hurt, but some humans (who deserve worse) may suffer concussions. 

Another possibly divisive aspect of the story is the dwarfs' religion. The dwarfs are devout, and they pray to Old Norse deities (as well as name some of their children after them).for help in casting runes for guidance. Real runes are an alternative alphabet designed to be easily carved into wood or stone; slightly different "futharks" (rune alphabets) have been preserved, and the front pages of this book contain an illustration of one. How or how often they were cast for fortunetelling purposes is subject to debate by serious historians.

Adults who can keep a straight face while reading about medieval battles where no one is badly hurt, and don't mind reading prayers to Freya and Odin, could enjoy sharing the many short chapters of this book with beginning readers. Adults who enjoy whimsy and gentle fantasy can enjoy reading Frigg's Journey to Anasgar all by ourselves.