Reviews

La escritora, by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir

epk's review against another edition

inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

marianneleonie's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

lynne_booksquares's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

pennygale's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

dsenecal's review against another edition

inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

candacec's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

stinajohanns's review against another edition

4.0

Mér hefur almennt fundist bækur Auðar Övu góðar en þessi var jafnvel enn betri. Það var eitthvað í stílnum sem fékk mig til að hugsa um Laxness og þó skrifa þau á engan hátt eins. Ég held að það sem var svipað hafi frekar verið tilfinningarnar sem stíll þeirra vakir hjá mér. Ákveðin aðdáun yfir því að fólk geti skrifað svona. Sagan er líka sterk og endirinn í raun bæði sorglegur og sjokkerandi en samt einhvern veginn svo við hæfi. Tíðarandanum var almennt lýst ótrúlega vel og þótt ég hafi ekki verið fædd 1963 þá fannst mér ég beinlínis vera þarna; tilvísanirnar í alls kyns hluti, tónlist og menningu voru einfaldlega það ljóslifandi. Bókin er tiltölulega stutt en hnitmiðuð og segir allt sem segja þarf.

rachel_sf's review against another edition

emotional informative sad medium-paced

3.5

charlotte_owl's review against another edition

5.0

This philosophical and lyrical masterpiece follows Hekla as she moves to Reykjavík to become an author in the 1960s. The story explores how sexism and homophobia limits the opportunities people have, with a truly shocking ending that implies maybe it is impossible to truly escape the status quo. I highly recommend as a story which will leave you pondering over it days after you finished reading it.

kgraham10's review against another edition

4.0

A story describing the circumscribed lives of three friends from high school in the sixties in Iceland; a woman who wants to be a writer, a gay man who wants to create costumes for theatre , and a woman who also loves writing but chose to live a more traditional married with kids life.

The writing and character development are lovely. You really see a slice of life in a different culture and time.

The books ends abruptly. We have no idea what happens to Isey. I'm still very worried about Jon John. And Hekla? What was that?