Fenris & Mott

August 22, 2022
Young Mott finds a fluffy white puppy dumped in an alley near contemporary Los Angeles and vows to keep it safe, only to learn the animal’s true capacity for destruction, in this mythological romp. Mott’s surprised when a man clad in leather and fur tries to nab the pup, indicating that it’s not just any ordinary canine but the legendary wolf Fenris—son of the Norse god Loki and known as “ender of worlds.” But Mott’s denial proves short-lived when Fenris promptly eats the man whole, soon followed by benches and trees, entire vehicles, and more people. But Mott, unlike her estranged father, intends to keep her promises, even if she’s not strictly allowed to have a puppy. As figures of lore appear in Fenris’s vicinity, Mott refuses to believe that Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world, is imminent—or that the only way to avert it is to kill Fenris. Witty dialogue brightens Mott’s growing friendship with Valkyrie-in-training Thrudi as the two seek means to avert the apocalypse without causing harm to the adorable, havoc-wreaking puppy. Van Eekhout (Weird Kid) applies a deft touch to Mott’s difficult ethical dilemma, imbuing the quickly paced story with tenderness and genuine surprises. Mott is of Indonesian and Hollander descent; Thrudi reads as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary.

September 1, 2022
"Things done could not be undone. Things destroyed could not be undestroyed. But sometimes they could be fixed." There's a lot Mott, a young girl of Indonesian and Dutch descent, doesn't expect about the abandoned puppy she finds. She doesn't expect to be able to keep him. She doesn't expect him to be a wolf. And she certainly doesn't expect that wolf to be Fenris of Norse mythology: god-foe, moon-eater, ender of worlds. The very universe seems destined for destruction, brought about by Fenris, but Mott made a promise to keep Fenris safe, and she knows only too well the pain of broken oaths. In this Rick Riordan-esque epic, modern and ancient worlds collide in a vividly sketched adventure that begs to be adapted for the screen. The exhilarating pace comes somewhat at the expense of characterization. Only toward the very end, however, does this cause some believability to be lost as deeper emotions and motivations and some themes remain loosely explored. Still, the text strikes a remarkable balance between the hollowness of inevitable destruction and the hope hiding within the darkest voids. Unlike with most stories of this type, readers will at times be utterly convinced that Mott will fail, which only makes her determination to do right by her vows more rewarding to witness. The idea of the downfall of the world feels all too relevant, and the book imparts a subtle warning to readers that while the inevitable may be delayed, it can never truly be reversed. Thrilling and touching in equal measure. (Fiction. 8-12)

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Starred review from August 1, 2022
Grades 4-6 *Starred Review* The fates of all nine of the realms of Norse mythology, including ours, pivot on events in Culver City, California, after the cute white puppy that lonely Mott rescues from a recycling bin turns out to be Fenris--the all-devouring wolf of Ragnarok, destined to consume everything at the end of the world. A heart-deep promise to take care of her adorable new pet is tested by a sudden series of scary encounters with Loki and other Asgardians and puts Mott firmly on the horns of a dilemma--massive storms and other signs of impending doom are intensifying, and it looks like there's no way to save both pup and planet. Along with trotting in young Valkyrie Thrudy, a staunch, if bloodthirsty, ally, for both support and comic relief ("You don't know what chocolate is?" "No, we don't have such a thing in Asgard." "This is important: Let's get some chocolate in you right now." "First, I shall pee"), Van Eekhout gives readers both a redoubtable human protagonist who shows hidden depths of courage and resilience on the way to an ingenious resolution and a canine one who is at once irresistibly winsome and terrifyingly destructive (not unlike many nonmythical dogs).

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