Review of The Nykkjen

[Oyedeji Okikioluwa]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Nykkjen" by Shelby Perez.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Have you ever wondered if mythologies were true tales? What would be your reaction if you bumped into a deadly mythological character in your folklore? In The Nykkjen by Shelby Renée Perez, we follow the story of a Scandinavian mystical creature and his encounter with a peculiar prisoner.

The nykkjen (as written in the book) wasn't always an enchanting murderer. He usually stayed in the swampy depths of the cold Sand Pond with his brother—the nykur (water horse)—and only killed when enemies challenged him. But everything changed one day when he began playing a death call on his violin under cover of darkness, enchanting trespassers to their cold graves. This melodic tune draws our protagonist from his cabin and into the clutches of the dreadful nykkjen. Their encounter, however, takes an unexpected turn when the nykkjen begins to spill his guts to his supposed prey. We are then left to wonder if this is a ruse to delay a cruel and painful death or if our protagonist would stand a chance to live again. Grab a copy to find out what happens next.

Shelby Renée Perez skillfully used all literary tools in this short story to transform it into a delectable piece of intrigue. The plot is beautifully fleshed out and dictates an effortless read. Shelby is also very imaginative with her descriptions and gives enough word hints for readers to build the image of the scenarios without struggling. Her choice of vocabulary also appeals to the sensory organs because, as you read, you can visualize and even sense the atmosphere captured in the book.

The book's first line is like a hook that catches the readers and draws them in, just like the nykkjen's music. I like how the story began slowly with a backstory of folklore and then moved smoothly to the protagonist's encounter. I initially dreaded the nykkjen, but after reading, I felt sad about the hand fate dealt to him. Furthermore, the transformative change that occurred to the nykkjen after desirable human contact was incredible. The part where the nykkjen finally realized his loneliness after meeting Audhild was quite relatable, as I have encountered meeting people and wondered where they had been all my life. It goes a long way toward proving that no one is beyond redemption or love.

This book is a good peek into Norse mythology and describes folklore perfectly. It is also professionally edited, as the errors were very few and not cumbersome. For this reason, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

There are just a few things I do not like about this book. Firstly, I wish the story bore more details about the nykur (as used in the book) and its encounters with the townspeople. Also, the author failed to clarify if the nykur was a singular horse or a herd of horses, as he vacillated between the two terms. Aside from this, the book is fantastic.

I recommend this book to fans of mystery and folklore. Dig up the mystery behind the siren of the north in this worthy read.

******
The Nykkjen
View: on Bookshelves

[George Muturi 4]

As a lover of Norse mythology, I find this review enchanting. It is definitely a book I'd like to read!