Reviews for Norse Romance III: Haerra Ivan, Vol. 3

The average rating for Norse Romance III: Haerra Ivan, Vol. 3 based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-05-31 00:00:00 Jason Sparks I have read this story in various editions and it is probably my favorite of the Arthurian romances. I gave this version, which is an English translation of a Swedish work (originally French), 4 stars instead of 5 because, although wonderful, it fell slightly short of other English translations. My favorite is a tie between the original French work by Chretien Des Troyes and the German one by Hartman Von Aue. My next is the shorter Welsh one housed within The Mabinogion. I recommend these a bit more. The French and German works are very refined and fleshed out, and the Welsh one is delightful in its more primal quirkiness. I was also very disappointed in the translators introduction: she says that the Swede used a French source for his story, but does not mention which one! was it Chretien's work or some other French imitation? The story tells of the knight Ivan (Yvain in French, Owain in Welsh), who goes on an enchanted adventure where he wins a wife and kingdom. Due to the fact that knights get antsy when they are not fighting or jousting, he soon leaves his wife in order to gain more honor for himself. She asks him to return in one year, but you can guess what happens: he forgets her. A stranger rides to court and shames him in front of all the other knights, and, in typical medieval fashion, he goes insane and lives in the forest for awhile like an animal. (Think of Merlin, Orlando and others). This is part of his penance, a rite of passage to regain his sanity and his wife's forgiveness and trust. Along the way he rescues a lion and the two of them form a dynamic duo. They save many others from giants and evil knights. Lunette is a favorite character of mine. She is always there ready to help Ivan in need, even if it means putting herself in difficult situations. Seeing that Sweden culturally was lagging behind the rest of Europe, the queen of Norway asked a capable translator to give them a Swedish version of this great romance so they can enjoy it too. Smart lady.

Review # 2 was written on 2018-03-08 00:00:00 Michael Marmura This is one of my most precious memories of my childhood. Before going to school, sometimes after, I used to go to a nearby kiosk and buy some chocolates. But these chocolates weren't ordinary ones. They came wrapped with tiny books inside: the fables of Jean de La Fontaine. That is one of my earliest independent, adult-free contacts with literature that I can remember, so I really treasure those fables. I didn't know they were such classics of the 17th century. I found them entertaining so I started collecting them (I've never liked chocolate that much, so I used to give it to other kids) and eventually, they led me to Aesop. Thanks to my grandma, actually, my GR back then. Around that time, she started flooding my house with books and was the one who encouraged me to start taking English lessons with her. "The Lion and the Mouse", "The Ant and the Grasshopper", "The Cat and the Mice", "The Mice in Council", "The Fox and the Grapes", "The Fox and the Stork"... all favorites of mine. Damn, now I am truly nostalgic. Well. I hope you enjoy my "it has nothing to do with the book" review. I gave this book 4 stars at first, but now I'm a mixture of books, images and nostalgia so, a 5-star rating it is. Sep 14, 13 * Also on my blog.