Siegfried

Gr 6 Up—After the death of his parents, Siegfried is raised by Mimé, a dwarf who has been ordered to raise him but not teach him about the gods. Siegfried therefore grows up wild and in a tumultuous relationship with a nearby wolf pack, the alpha male of which considers him alien or enemy. As he grows to adulthood, he is destined to take the steps necessary to help Odin steal gold from the dragon Fafnir, but first he must reforge the broken sword of his parents that is his secret legacy. The first of three volumes freely adapting the source material of Wagner's Ring Cycle, Alice's version actually follows Wagner's lead of altering the myth to suit his needs. For those unfamiliar with the story cycle, the book could feel derivative of disparate works, as its presentation here echoes both Tolkien and Kipling, even though its source predates most literature. The illustration is lush and dramatic, with powerful shifts in perspective and storytelling technique. However, the amount of story told is actually quite slim, and half of the book is back matter, featuring interviews with the artist about his relationship with the source material and his work on a possible film adaptation. Bold and attractive, it remains odd that such a small sliver of the epic work is presented here, when all three volumes are available in Europe. For greater fidelity, compare this to P. Craig Russell's adaptation (Dark Horse, 2002).—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH