
TITLE: Vaesen
AUTHOR: Johan Egerkrans
PUBLISHER: B. Wahlstroms
ISBN: 978-91-32-18194-8
PODCAST EPISODE: Episode 76
REVIEWER: Mark Norman
If you asked a cross-section of the public if they had come across the term Vaesen, the chances are that many of them would refer first to the American light entertainment drama series Grimm, which sees a cop with the ability to see otherworldly creatures working with some of them to battle others. And yes, the creatures in that show are (loosely) based on actual folkloric creatures. And those actual folkloric creatures are the ones we find in this beautiful book, written and illustrated by Swedish artist Johan Egerkrans.
From its fabric-feel cover with gold inset title, through its heavy-weight almost papyrus-like pages to its black end papers, this book is folklore luxury. The illustrations are detailed, evocative of the lore and full of a unique character all of their own. And the research does not fall short either.
After an introductory walk-through the otherworld as it is represented in Scandinavian folklore and a look at the origins of the supernatural creatures within it, Egerkrans breaks the book down into five key themes: Nature Spirits, Familiars, Shapeshifters, Spirits of the Dead and the Undead, and Monsters.
Each section looks at the main tropes of the characters within it, as found in the lore of the country - what they look like, where they live within the landscape and their key characteristics. They may be protective or dangerous, helpful or a hindrance. There is just enough detail to give an overview and spur you on to look further into the character elsewhere if it engages your interest. This information sits in and around the beautiful illustrations, rendered in full colour for the main part but with interesting pencil-sketch workings of the creature designs included alongside. These give a fascinating insight into the thought processes that went into the design of the creatures.
Vaesen is, in essence then, a Scandinavian folkloric bestiary with all the majesty and beauty of an illuminated manuscript. Many hours must have gone into both its writing and design, and that effort has certainly paid off. This is a highly recommended title for any folklore library both for the introduction to the subject and also for the visual representation of the subject matter. It is not a cheap purchase, but as with many other things in life, you get what you pay for. And this is well-worth paying for.
AUTHOR: Johan Egerkrans
PUBLISHER: B. Wahlstroms
ISBN: 978-91-32-18194-8
PODCAST EPISODE: Episode 76
REVIEWER: Mark Norman
If you asked a cross-section of the public if they had come across the term Vaesen, the chances are that many of them would refer first to the American light entertainment drama series Grimm, which sees a cop with the ability to see otherworldly creatures working with some of them to battle others. And yes, the creatures in that show are (loosely) based on actual folkloric creatures. And those actual folkloric creatures are the ones we find in this beautiful book, written and illustrated by Swedish artist Johan Egerkrans.
From its fabric-feel cover with gold inset title, through its heavy-weight almost papyrus-like pages to its black end papers, this book is folklore luxury. The illustrations are detailed, evocative of the lore and full of a unique character all of their own. And the research does not fall short either.
After an introductory walk-through the otherworld as it is represented in Scandinavian folklore and a look at the origins of the supernatural creatures within it, Egerkrans breaks the book down into five key themes: Nature Spirits, Familiars, Shapeshifters, Spirits of the Dead and the Undead, and Monsters.
Each section looks at the main tropes of the characters within it, as found in the lore of the country - what they look like, where they live within the landscape and their key characteristics. They may be protective or dangerous, helpful or a hindrance. There is just enough detail to give an overview and spur you on to look further into the character elsewhere if it engages your interest. This information sits in and around the beautiful illustrations, rendered in full colour for the main part but with interesting pencil-sketch workings of the creature designs included alongside. These give a fascinating insight into the thought processes that went into the design of the creatures.
Vaesen is, in essence then, a Scandinavian folkloric bestiary with all the majesty and beauty of an illuminated manuscript. Many hours must have gone into both its writing and design, and that effort has certainly paid off. This is a highly recommended title for any folklore library both for the introduction to the subject and also for the visual representation of the subject matter. It is not a cheap purchase, but as with many other things in life, you get what you pay for. And this is well-worth paying for.