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schmilda's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
strelitzia's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
greden's review
I read this on the recommendation from Letters to a young poet, where Rainer said the two books most worth reading are the Bible and Niels Lyhne, of course, this invoked my curiosity.
I can't say I am blown away by the book as Rainer was. But the beauty of some of the writings here was nourishing for my own thinking and writing. I thought to myself I had to revisit portions of this book several times to really absorb this, and if I ever was to write something of similar topics with an artistic tone I'd use Niels Lyhne as something I could draw inspiration from.
There were also subtle nuances in the ways he described the inner world of characters that I hadn't explicitly thought of before. And I feel he was expressing something of the unique common soul of the Scandivanian, it's a very intimate book. Plus there were some psychological insights that were pretty cool, sort of anticipating Freud.
As for the plot itself, it's about a man who has lost faith in God, and to alleviate the emptiness he feels he seeks solace in the drunkness of love and he pours all his heart into the woman he falls in love with. It's a melancholy telling from the beginning of his life to his end. It's about the tension between fantasy and reality. Jacobsen describes his worldview that reality is just so unbearably disappointing that we give it color through our own imagination, our deepest and more ancient creation of imagination is that of God. Niels Lyhne fights, with all his might, the fantasy of God and plunges head-first into the fantasy of God-like perfection of the women he meets. And the novel explores how disappointing it all becomes as the fantasy is inevitably shattered when the fuel for imagination dries up.
It was worth reading - I liked it - my rating would be unfair.
I can't say I am blown away by the book as Rainer was. But the beauty of some of the writings here was nourishing for my own thinking and writing. I thought to myself I had to revisit portions of this book several times to really absorb this, and if I ever was to write something of similar topics with an artistic tone I'd use Niels Lyhne as something I could draw inspiration from.
There were also subtle nuances in the ways he described the inner world of characters that I hadn't explicitly thought of before. And I feel he was expressing something of the unique common soul of the Scandivanian, it's a very intimate book. Plus there were some psychological insights that were pretty cool, sort of anticipating Freud.
As for the plot itself, it's about a man who has lost faith in God, and to alleviate the emptiness he feels he seeks solace in the drunkness of love and he pours all his heart into the woman he falls in love with. It's a melancholy telling from the beginning of his life to his end. It's about the tension between fantasy and reality. Jacobsen describes his worldview that reality is just so unbearably disappointing that we give it color through our own imagination, our deepest and more ancient creation of imagination is that of God. Niels Lyhne fights, with all his might, the fantasy of God and plunges head-first into the fantasy of God-like perfection of the women he meets. And the novel explores how disappointing it all becomes as the fantasy is inevitably shattered when the fuel for imagination dries up.
It was worth reading - I liked it - my rating would be unfair.
destruetetotum's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
habazie's review
3.0
Z cyklu: „możesz sobie być ateistą, ale jak będziesz umierał to wrócisz do Boga w podskokach”.
rachel_o_reads's review
5.0
I am gobsmacked at how much I loved this book and utterly upset to know that Jens Peter Jacobsen did not live long enough to write more novels such as this one. Amazing lyrical prose alongside thoughtful realism and existentialism. This is one of my new favorite books. Caught myself gripped with the writing as well as the story and found myself with a few tears towards the end. This was a library rental and I am immediately off to purchase my very own copy.
marac2803's review
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
karinlib's review
4.0
Niels Lyhne is a beautifully sad story. The translation that I read was by Tiina Nunnally, whom I have read before and loved. Again Nunnally just makes this book sing (in fact I am tempted to read all the books translated by Nunnally, no matter the author.
Niels Lyhne is a book set in a particular time and place. It is the story of an atheist and how he responds to the tragedies in his life.
According to Wikipedia Jacobsen started Naturalist movement in Danish literature It influenced a generation of authors, such as Rilke and Mann.
Niels Lyhne is a book set in a particular time and place. It is the story of an atheist and how he responds to the tragedies in his life.
According to Wikipedia Jacobsen started Naturalist movement in Danish literature It influenced a generation of authors, such as Rilke and Mann.
beepuke's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
All the better to become a more enriched person.