All the Horses of Iceland
Told through the words of an omnipotent narrator, this historical fantasy novella is set in the 9th century and follows a Norse trader, Eyvind of Eyri, as he seeks his fortune along the Silk Road. While a disbeliever of magic, after assisting a trapped spirit, Eyvind is trailed by a mysterious white horse that may be the key to his survival on the journey homeward.
The novella is extremely “tell” heavy. Because of the narrative style, there’s no urgency to the tale. The narrative basically explains when something happens and follows up with how things ended. There’s little conflict that isn’t quickly resolved. Along these lines, there’s no emotional depth, as everything is explained via our narrator, recounting events from some point in the future. Our main character, Eyvind, isn’t especially likeable. He’s close-minded and narrow-focused. After experiencing mystical events, we don’t really get a sense of how his viewpoints are changing. He simply goes with the flow.
The setting isn’t explained well, and cultural terms aren’t put into a context for readers to understand. It detracts when readers need to pause to research a word or a place to understand what they’re reading. Conversely, Eyvind makes a disparaging joke about lawyers, and everyone finds it funny. Are lawyers already thought of so poorly in the 9th century across different cultures?
I was left with many questions. What is the significance of the scroll Eyvind is given? What is the impact of the horses for future generations? What message should readers come away with? Unfortunately, there were many dots—those which would provide the story with a lasting message—left unconnected and unrealized.
