'Fenris & Mott' Book Club: Day 1

By: OwlCrate Jr

“ A promise was more than words that spilled from your lips. A promise was an action.”

 

Welcome to day one of our book club read-along for OwlCrate Jr's November book, Fenris & Mott by Greg Van Eekhout! This month’s recap and discussion questions are written by the one and only Cheryl of And Other Tales, a fantastic book and lifestyle blog.

We can’t wait to dive into the wild mythological adventure with you.
Here is the reading schedule:

Thursday, Sept 22: Chapters 1-6
Monday, Sept 26: Chapters 7-12
Thursday, Sept 29: Chapters 13-17 [end]

Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER FILLED discussion for Chapters 1-6 of Fenris & Mott. Discussion questions are listed below, and anyone who participates in the comments will be entered to win a free OwlCrate Jr box per post!

Take it away, Cheryl!


The Story Begins . . .

Mott’s feeling pretty down. Having just moved to Culver City, California she is missing her  home in Pennsylvania and, even more, her best friend and fellow root beer loving enthusiast, Amanda. Together the girls ran a YouTube channel, reviewing the best root beers! Tonight Mott is trying to review her first root beer alone … in an alleyway … behind the Mi-T-Mart. Times are bleak! When she hears a curious “mweep”  noise coming from the nearby recycling bin she finds an adorable, white, fluffy puppy! She would love to keep this poor, abandoned puppy but sadly her apartment building doesn’t allow dogs. Mott takes the pup to a nearby animal shelter, where things don’t go quite to plan … 

howl GIF

Apparently, this adorable puppy is no puppy at all - but a wolf! The guy at the shelter will contact a wolf-rescue organization to come tomorrow, but when he tries to put a leash on the puppy, he completely freaks out! Leaping to the floor, smashing through the store’s front window, and escaping into the night!  

Are You Okay Oh No GIF by Ludo Studio

Luckily Mott discovers the uninjured pup right away, but a very strange older man - who goes by the name Gorm and is wearing an elaborate fur and leather Viking costume - is holding the dog. he informs Mott that this is no ordinary wolf and is in fact Fenris, the legendary moon-eater and world-ender from Asgardian legends. Oddly, Gorm suddenly disappears when two large crows take flight with ear-piercing squawks.  

Peace Out No GIF by DreamWorks Animation

On her way home, Mott stops in at the library to do a little research on Fenris, the end of the world that he will bring, and records the 9 events that will happen to bring about this “Ragnarok”. 

At home, Mott’s mom agrees to keep Fenris for one night until the wolf organization comes tomorrow. Making the most of her time, she takes Fenris for ice cream, kindly buying herself and a homeless man a cone - root beer flavored of course! While eating her ice cream outside, Mott meets a girl dressed in Viking gear and furs, who introduces herself as Thrudi. Thrudi informs Mott that Fenris is her prisoner and she is here to save Mott and to keep Fenris from the hands of Gorm. 

Mott refuses to hand over Fenris and Thrudi refuses to leave Fenris alone with Mott, so … they join forces to wait for the wolf rescue!  

Art Drawing GIF by andreantoinette

They venture on a day of bonding — carnival rides, games, strolls along the boardwalk and a creepy stop at Professor Griswald’s Museum of the Strange and Curious and Gift Emporium! Along the way Mott begins to notice that the events from her Ragnarok checklist are occurring from a red rooster cawing, to a dead man’s hand reanimating and escaping the Strange Emporium! Not to worry, after a lively & chaotic chase along the boardwalk Fenris simply … swallows the hand! Ugh! 

disgusted the fox and the hound GIF

The girls return to Mott’s home to (hopefully) quietly wait for the wolf rescue organization to arrive in the morning. But once again, things go topsy turvy. When Bev from the organization arrives, she tries to leash Fenris, Fenris once again freaks out, and retaliates by swallowing Bev! Whaaaat?! 

 

Discussion questions:
  1. What do you think of this quote from the book: “A promise was more than words that spilled from your lips. A promise was an action.” Do you agree or disagree with Mott’s stance on promises? 
  2. The ice cream parlor scene is pretty impactful to me. Mott not only buys the homeless man an ice cream cone, but she stands up to the cashier for his rude actions and comments. Have you ever been in a position to stand up for another? Has someone stood up for you in this manner? 
  3. And I have to ask … what is your opinion on Root Beer? Yummy or not-so-yummy? 

 


See you again on Friday!

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