With Loki, Lee offers a nuanced exploration of identity and fate through Norse mythology. The characters were so compelling (even the less savory ones), the dialogue snappy and fun, and the action page-turning. One of my favorite of the Marvel retellings!

This was a great origin story type book. It delved into what makes Loki so bitter and why he does some of the things he does. I also enjoyed seeing into his mind and seeing how he justifies certain decisions. Great book for any Marvel fan or otherwise.

Loki follows the (Marvel version of the) Norse God as he navigates 19th century London in search of a serial killer on assignment (read: punishment) from his father, Odin.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, but after Loki is sent to earth, things go downhill pretty rapidly. My main issue with the book is this: it wasn't fun enough. Look, Loki is a really fun character. Any morally ambiguous/chaotic neutral style character can be really entertaining to read, mostly because they are unpredictable. This book had kind of a watered down Loki. He was torn about who he wanted to be, but that's actually fairly par-for-the-course for Loki? I get that this was an origin story for teenage Loki, but even still, I missed the nasty cleverness that defines the character. I mean, the word mischief is in the title, and there's a surprising lack of mischief in the book Even the mystery in 19th century London, which should have been my jam, was not enjoyable as the culprit's identity is immediately clear. Its one of those not-so-mysterious mysteries.

The side characters were excellent. Amora was...well, she was Loki-like. The book would have been a lot stronger if it were written from her perspective or if Loki were a bit more like her. I also enjoyed our human characters Theo and Mrs. S and loved the origin story for a key Marvel organization. The Loki portrayed here is like the Norse version of the god in that they're gender fluid. One of the other characters is queer and Loki is charmingly shocked and appalled by nineteenth century London's bigotry as that character's truth slowly unfurls.

I don't know, when I compare this to other instances of Loki I've encountered, its a bit wan. That, coupled with an extremely weak ending (for a second I thought the eARC might be missing pages) made for a very average read. Die-hard Marvel Loki fans will love it, though. Goodreads: 2 stars (it was fine), Netgalley 4. I'll definitely be recommending it because I think the right readers will adore it.

Thanks to Marvel Press & Netgalley for the eARC, which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. Loki: Where Mischief

I was really excited to read this because I loved Mackenzi Lee’s other books. This one fell a little short of those, but I still really enjoyed it.
The story was good and some of Loki’s lines had me laughing out loud. Loki was a great character and I loved seeing his inner struggle if he was the hero or the villain.
Unfortunately I feel like none of the other characters were really fleshed out. I didn’t care a lot about anyone else. Amora was a good character but I felt indifferent about her. Theo was ok but I don’t feel like I knew him at all, or Ms. S.
The story was never boring although it did drag on a little bit at some parts. I actually found it the most enjoyable book I have read recently and it may have pulled me out of a slump. The ending was definitely my favorite part.

Fantastic entry into the Marvel universe. Fans of Loki (particularly from the comics) will appreciate this accurate, nuanced, and more complete characterization of their favorite villain. The fast-paced story and well-drawn cast of characters make for an engaging story. Loki’s character arc is phenomenal and it’s fascinating to see the author take her make character through the twists and turns to what the reader knows is inevitable, but still manages to surprise nonetheless.

Loki by Mackenzi Lee was a delight. I really appreciated the handling of Loki's characterization. As an anti-hero who has run the gamut of roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, writing a prequel for Loki is tricky. How do you make him relatable when audiences who pick up this book will inevitably know that he does end up-- for the better part of the MCU-- a villain. Lee does an incredible job of digging into his character motivation in a way that makes him feel genuinely likable, even when his decisions are morally gray. Also, I ADORED the LGBTQ representation in the novel. Loki in Norse Mythology is non-binary and pansexual. This Loki is too, and I thought it was written naturally and beautifully. It added to the conflict in a way that was propelled the plot without being a central component of the plot. It just is part of who Loki is, which I thought was great.

Loki is one of my favorite Marvel characters. He is so fun and clever and just everything I want from a character like him. Mackenzi’s take on him is excellent, she makes him multifaceted. He is a trickster and clever with a hard front on, but he’s also a boy who wants to please his father. He wants to be good for his family and does not want to be the villain they think he is because he’s powerful. I don’t often cry in books, but Loki has me wrecked. I loved it.

While the book started a bit slow for me, the pay off at the end was worth it. It’s a wonderful mix of a Victorian murder mystery, a character development story, and, of course, Norse mythology.

I've long been a fan of Ms Lee's books and I was super excited to hear of Loki. This was a fun read. I am pleasantly surprised. I love how it focuses on Loki in 19th Century London.

This book was just fantastic. I am still reeling from how good it was! I love Mackenzi's writing and how she can make characters pop off the page, so you know Loki had to be done even more "extra" than that; and he was! I am a huge Marvel fan going into this so I was going in with some fairly high expectations of the character. His personality and overall snarkiness is my favorite part about the character, which the author portrays so well. The story was good and I felt myself enthralled from start to finish. It felt plausible, not far-fetched, and I thought the historical elements included were also a nice touch. Historical England and France are two of my favorite things to read about so when one was included, I was like hm, okay, I like it. Loki is just coming into himself, his character and personality in this book, which is kind of awesome to see. I know we are getting a Loki series from Disney+, but I'm not sure if it's a prequel or what. Of course, Loki is grown as Tom Hiddleston, but this little Loki is adorable and lovable and I need more of him!

I honestly can't say I disliked a thing about this book. I breezed through it because I legitimately couldn't stop reading! I don't know what Disney plans to do in terms of a continuation or other prequel novels written by this author, but damn, she can definitely write Loki so well!

Disclaimer: I am a rabid Marvel and Loki fangirl. When I heard that Loki was getting his own YA novel, I shrieked just a little bit, and camped out on NetGalley and Edelweiss until the DRC gloriously appeared. In short, I've been really, really, flipping excited for this book! So let's get the show on the road.


Loki is Thor's younger brother, and still hoping that his father, Odin, will see that he's just as capable of heroism - and possibly, the throne of Asgard - as his older, golden brother. He and his best friend, the sorceress-in-training Amora, find themselves in deep trouble when they accidentally destroy a powerful artifact. Amora takes the blame for Loki and finds herself banished to Earth; essentially a death sentence for a magical being, because her powers will wither and die slowly. Fast forward some years later, and Loki is sent to Earth to investigate a series of murders in Victorian London. He joins forces with a watchdog organization that believes otherworldly magic is involved in the murders. Dare Loki hope that Amora is still alive and in London? And if she is... is she connected to the murders? Our (well, my) favorite son of Asgard is at a crossroads in this first adventure.


I thoroughly enjoyed Where Mischief Lies. Mackenzi Lee has given us a delightful mix of Marvel/Tom Hiddleston Loki with a sprinkling of gender-fluid Norse myth Loki. He prefers high-heeled boots, sees Midgardian (Earth) society and its concern with binary sexuality and relationships ridiculous, and he's got a wonderfully snarky way of interacting with people, especially those he sees as below him, which is... basically, everyone. He is also a vulnerable, often fragile, young man coming into his powers and frustrated by the lack of attention from his father, who prizes only traditional masculinity and strength rather than magic and wisdom. You can see Loki's trajectory from this story to Earth's favorite villain in years to come.


The writing is page-turning, with witty dialogue, a creepy whodunit, and slow-burn heartache throughout. My head spun a little bit as I tried to connect the dots from myth Loki to present-day Loki (What about Sigyn? His monstrous children? That whole situation with the cave and the venom?), but Mackenzi Lee deftly maneuvers around these questions with an interesting explanation that works for me.


I'm a fan of Mackenzi Lee's God of Mischief. I'm looking forward to seeing who else she takes on in the Marvel Universe. A solid must-add to collections.

I tried several times to get interested in this book. I was really excited for it and I normally love Norse Mythology, but this one fell flat for me. I think it might be too long because I really struggled for the first 200 pages. I like this version of Loki, but the circumstances surrounding him couldn't keep my attention.
I do think that young adult readers will enjoy this book much more than I.

Loki, by Mackenzi Lee, relays a tale centered around one of the well known, fascinating and complex characters in the Marvel universe: Loki, the Asgardian god of mischief. Loki is based on the Norse deity with the same name. Most will recognize the figured from his portrayal by Tom Hiddleston from the wildly popular Thor and Avengers movies from the past decade.

This story takes a different path for Loki's tale, starting off with some expository passages from Loki's childhood and the exile of his only friend, followed by some disastrous journeys with his jocky, blond brother, Thor. Ultimately, Loki is exiled to Earth with a task to work alongside a group of humans to discover the truth about a series of mysterious murders. This time on Earth is where most of the action takes place, although all of the previous scenes come into play wonderfully as set up for future events.

Loki is a difficult character to write. There are so many shades of mischief, chaos, and ambiguity woven into his story that it takes a masterful storyteller to really do this character justice. Lee did a fantastic job keeping us on our toes in her portrayal of the absolute unpredictably of Loki. I had no idea where this story would take us but I really liked the depictions of London and the characters that we meet on Earth are some of the most memorable and well drawn (I'm especially a fan of Theo).

Overall, 'Loki' is a really well executed and fun take on the character of Loki and a great addition to his story. I would highly recommend this story to my Marvel loving friends and patrons, or to anyone who loves an unpredictable and morally questionable lead character.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy of this book. This book is such fun. As a huge Marvel fan, I loved reading about these characters and having the chance to spend more time with them. I will definitely be purchasing this book for the library. It is going to have a lot of interest from teens and adults as well.

( 3.5)
I have mixed feelings about this one. I really love Mackenzi Lee and everything she's put out, but there was just something missing from this one.

I loved Loki's personality and being able to see everything from his side. We got to watch him grow and come to terms with who he really is. I really loved all the little nods and ties to the current Avengers realm. He had a really strong voice and I loved being able to see him before he was the Loki we know and love. He was unapologetically gender-queer and bi/pansexual. I loved the outfits and little nods to these parts of his character throughout the book. It was just a normal thing for him and it wasn't made a big deal of or gawked about. That's the way being queer should be treated

The problems I have with it, however, make me unsure how I really feel. The time jump between the two parts of the book felt weird. It took a bit for me to realize how much time had really passed. There was a ten-year gap and there wasn't that much recap for us readers. It was kind of hard for me to reconcile the Loki from part one with who we are presented with in part two. The ending and the decision he made was really confusing to me. I know that when working with an already established character it can be really hard to find inspiration. Their fate is already laid out for you so how can you work around that? Mackenzi was doing an amazing job until the very end. Loki is a villain/anti-hero. One we all love and adore. I just don't like the reason she used to make him into that. It felt like a cop-out or an easy solution. It didn't fit with the rest of the narrative of Loki that we see. Maybe it's because he's very young and a quick, rash decision makes sense. I just wanted the reasoning behind his decision to feel right and to really understand why he is a villain. I didn't come away with that feeling and I think that's why I'm so unsure about this.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Marvel Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

When I found out that this book was happening, I was over the top excited. I’ve been a huge fan of Loki for a while now. Both Marvel’s version of him and of course the classic Norse version. I just love this trickster god and I’ve enjoyed Lee’s books in the past, so without a doubt I had high expectations for this book.

Right off the bat we start off with a royal event in which we have Loki and our other main character Amora. Going into this book, we know that these are the days long before the Marvel movies and the Loki we have grown to know. This is him before he found out the truth about his birth and still wanted to be heroic and capable like his brother. However, this isn’t the trickster silver tongue god. It’s an uncertain teenage boy who doesn’t know how to control his magic and blushes when caught looking at a pretty girl. I think I would have been fine with that, but then we meet Amora and she's everything that I expected Loki to be. From her attitude, to her magic. Just everything. Which threw me off completely.

Maybe Lee wasn’t so much focusing on the movies, but I remember even as children Thor would comment on Loki’s trickster ways. Before he ever found out about being adopted, he still had a way of causing chaos too. I feel like if this wasn’t Loki and some other characters, then I think it would have been fine, but the fact that I love this character so much (and other comic books characters) made me realize that these stories made about them just aren’t for me.

Overall, the book was nicely written, though sometimes a little slow. I wanted to know more about some characters as well. I think others might greatly enjoy this though.

*incomprehensible fangirl squealing*

Ok, now that I've gotten that over with... Since Loki: Where Mischief Lies is a young adult novel, we get to deal with adolescent versions of Loki and Thor, which is a pretty long time ago considering that they’re gods and they age very, very slowly. Either way, teen Loki has a best friend/partner in crime named Amora (I see what you did there, Ms. Lee, don’t think I didn’t see what you did just there). Amora is a sorceress in training, and she’s been secretly helping Loki learn magic. Asgardians aren’t big on their princes being sorcerers - they’d rather their princes be golden boy warriors with huge muscles and blonde hair. You know, like Thor. Poor Loki, eternally trapped in Thor’s shadow.

Things get worse when, at the feast of Gullveig, Odin looks into the Godseye Mirror, which is this a supercool mirror that can show the future. The Godseye Mirror just shows general warnings about Asgard’s enemies and Odin then shares what he sees and tells everyone how they will triumph. You know, the things you do with a future-telling mirror. However, at tonight’s feast, what Odin sees in the Godseye Mirror is so terrible he refuses to speak about it publicly. Loki and Thor, eavesdropping on Odin and his council, learn that the prophecy Odin saw had to do with Loki doing something terrible. Gasp! Of course Loki has to know more. So he and Amora sneak into the vault to try and look into the Godseye Mirror themselves.

Except they accidentally break it.

Whoops!

Amora takes the fall for the whole scheme, and, as a result, she’s permanently exiled to Midgard, where she will live the rest of her life without magic. Loki is bereft at the loss of his friend, but Frigga, being the best mom ever, takes over Loki’s magical training, Asgardian prince-standards be damned.

An undetermined amount of time goes by (again, immortal beings, time doesn’t really have much meaning with them) with Loki still, STILL, living stuck in Thor’s shadow. Everybody loves Thor - Thor seems to be able to effortlessly do everything right, while Loki is always having to prove himself. Even when Loki follows all the rules and does everything right, he still manages to fall short of Thor. Plus, there’s still that vague Godseye Mirror prophecy hanging over his head...

When the Norn Stones - the most powerful magic amplifiers in the whole of the Nine Realms - are stolen, Odin tasks Thor with looking for them. It’s a pretty plum assignment, the sort of thing you’d ask a future King to do. Loki, on the other hand, is punted off to Midgard to help some dumb humans. Not a very kingly assignment, but still, Loki has to do it. He arrives in 19th century London to help the SHARP Society investigate a string of murders that appear to have links to Asgardian magic. Unfortunately, the SHARP society isn’t exactly your 19th century version of SHIELD - the whole society consists of Mrs. S, the elderly widow of the society’s founder, Theo, an engineer with a badly damaged leg, and Gem, a cop who has to keep his association with the society secret or else he’ll lose his job.

The indignities Loki must put up with just keep getting worse and worse, but still - if he wants to actually impress Odin, he has to complete this assignment. But humans are just the absolute worst. Only, Theo might not be so bad...

As a Marvel Fangirl, I absolutely loved Loki: Where Mischief Lies because of course I did. I do have a few complaints, though: at times the plot moves a little too slowly, and some of the characters, especially those of the SHARP society, seem a little underdeveloped. I wanted more scenes between Theo and Loki, more time for them to develop a rapport. Honestly, I just wanted more in general. This book could’ve been 800 pages and I would’ve been happy to read it. I mean, it’s Loki gallivanting around 19th Century London solving crimes. If you’re a fan MCU’s Loki, then you’ll love the book. If you’re a very serious book reviewer who doesn’t read books for fun, then, well, you might have a tough time of it.

Still, who knows - the copy I read is an ARC, meaning the text is unfinished. There’s bound to be some changes made to the copy between now and the September release date, so perhaps all my complaining about pacing and underdeveloped characters will be rendered moot. We shall see. In the mean time, Mackenzi Lee + 19th Century London + Loki = one very happy fangirl.

Mackenzi Lee gives us a adventurous and intriguing story starring Marvel's Loki. A complex character, Loki is the anti-hero we can get behind.