The question has plagued us for centuries: can we change our fate?
The answer according to Loki: Where Mischief Lies is maybe… but maybe not. What is certain is that if you’re a fan of those famous Asgardians – Thor, Loki, Odin and Frigga – you must add Loki: Where Mischief Lies to your reading list. Even if you aren’t a fan, Mackenzi Lee’s Loki is an adventure you are not going to want to miss.
Desperate to prove himself a worthy heir, and perhaps even more desperate to pave his own way in the universe, Loki has a lot on his mind. Rascally though he may seem, growing up in Thor’s shadow has its challenges. Not to mention that keeping company with the alluring and encouraging sorceress Amora fuels his desires… and his mischievous magic. Following the destruction of one of the kingdom’s prized possessions, Amora is banished and Loki is tasked with investigating a string of mysterious murders on Earth to redeem himself. Plagued by (mis)perceptions, Loki’s journey suggests that things are not always what they seem… or are they?
The most recent story born in Asgard, Loki: Where Mischief Lies brings a welcome consistency to the Marvel universe. The narrative builds on the characters we already know and love; while introducing us to new characters from all walks of life.
The story and setting evoke a Sherlock-Holmes vibe, supported by a serial murder investigation set in 19th-century London. Despite Lee painting a less-than-pretty picture of London and Midgard (Earth), the aesthetic of the tale lures you there. You’re hooked.
Just like every good Sherlock story, Loki too is replete with wit and wisdom. The story explores many contrasts, truths and choices. The descriptors contrasting characters – including like Amora and Loki; Loki and Thor – are beautifully written:
“Amora’s power made her feel desired; Loki’s power made him feel the need to keep it hidden.”
“Loki was the scraps of [Thor’s] silhouette, the part that was discarded on the workshop floor to be swept up and tossed into the fire…”
“While Thor’s skin bronzed in the sun so that he seemed made of armor, Loki was pale as milk, and soured just as easily.”
Lee is also no trickster talent – her writing is the real deal and cuts no corners in tackling tough issues. She exposes unfair judgments and expectations that befall Asgard and Misgard; reminding us that “no one gets to decide who you are.” So many great lines go right to the heart of the story. I must share a couple of my favorites with you here:
“God, this is all so strange.”
“What is?”
“That I’m talking about Asgard with Loki, the brother of Thor… God of Mischief, and he’s telling me that there’s a place in this universe where no one gives a fig about whom you fall in love with, and that is the thing I find most unbelievable of all of it.”
“It would be my honor to show you how we humans deal with our frustrations.”
“How’s that?”
“We get well and truly drunk.”
From cringeworthy realities to myth and magic, Loki has it all. If the Disney+ Loki series is anything like Mackenzi Lee’s Loki: Where Mischief Lies, we won’t be disappointed. Get your copy of the book on Amazon today.
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