By Isabella Purdy, Staff Writer
With the new confirmed Loki Disney+ series still fresh in Marvel fans’ minds, author Mackenzie Lee brings a new novel to the scene that is just as incredible as the complex character we know and love. “Loki: Where Mischief Lies” can both represent the Marvel Comic Universe (MCU) and the comics, managing to cover Loki’s youth and teen years in a unique and new take.
This highly anticipated book shows us the life of a young Loki in Asgard, struggling to find his place. He desperately wants to be acknowledged as a hero, like his brother Thor, but people do not trust him. Instead of training, he wishes to be taught how to further use his powers—like his friend Amora, the sorceress in training for the Nine Realms. Amora and Loki bond over their similar powers and love for pranks.
Loki and Amora are attending an Asgardian Feast when Odin looks into a relic called the God’s Eye Mirror that shows the future. The mirror, however, shows Odin something terrifying and Loki manages to figure out that the mirror showed one of Odin’s sons attacking Asgard. Loki immediately thinks its him, comparing himself to Thor and realizing that he’d be more likely to hurt Asgard.
But Loki wishes to make sure that it is him, so he and Amora sneak into the Weapons Vault to make sure. In the process, they accidentally destroy the mirror and Amora gets punished as a result, banished to Earth for her crime, where her magic will slowly drain away as she dies. Loki becomes distraught without his friend, feeling tremendous guilt for what has happened. He is painfully placed under his brother’s shadow until an odd pattern of murders occurs and Loki is sent to investigate in early 1900’s London, where the adventure truly begins.
This novel is a fantastic and painful read, as the abuse and favoritism towards Thor that Loki faces from Odin is as clear as day and leaves no unanswered questions as to why Loki acted the way he did in the first Thor movie.
Lee has written a great novel, perfect for any MCU or Loki Stan that wants to know what the fan favorite character was like in his youth, as an ode to what makes Loki who he is. This book shows readers that it is full of mischief and fun, but also misery and heavy emotions. Being the second overlooked Prince of Asgard isn’t easy, especially when your Father is convinced you will be Asgard’s undoing, no matter how good you try to be.
