Very short and poetic (the Icelandic author is a poet and lyricist), the book reads quickly and leaves you thinking. The setting is Iceland in 1883.
Other reviews: Beauty Is a Sleeping Cat, Stuck in a Book
Fiction. Fairy Tale? 2004. 112 pages.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
The Blue Fox by Sjon
Very short and poetic (the Icelandic author is a poet and lyricist), the book reads quickly and leaves you thinking. The setting is Iceland in 1883.
Other reviews: Beauty Is a Sleeping Cat, Stuck in a Book
Fiction. Fairy Tale? 2004. 112 pages.
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This sounds interesting - in a good way! I wonder if that is a "typical" style of writing for Icelandic authors? I read Independent People by Halldor Laxness and it's a long novel but it incorporated what I'd call magical realism, family drama, history, it was all over.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to keep this one in mind!
I had to look up quite a few things after reading it. There were so many unanswered questions but it's fascinating still. I think Illiana has a point. Iceland is the oly country that I know of in which the belief in fairies is part of an official religion. The are Christians as well but they have this belief. I still have to read Laxness. But there are some crome and other very modern writers who depict another, a very harsh reality.
ReplyDeleteIliana - It is an interesting little book. This is my first Icelandic author, but I think the fact that Sjon is a poet has a large influence on both style and content.
ReplyDeleteCaroline - I agree about the unanswered questions. I'd like to try another Icelandic author. Any suggestions?
I really liked Einar Mar Gudmundsson's Angels of the Universe. I haven't tried Laxness, he is probably very good. If you like crime I reviewed Indriadson not long ago. A bit like Mankell only bleaker. Not magical at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Caroline! I looked for Indriadson at the library, but no copies. I'll look for the others!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post on this book! I have always been fascinated by Iceland, but know little to nothing about it. I will have to check this one out, plus I love folklore/fairy tales.
ReplyDelete