binnybeenreading's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
what the hell. i felt so bad for jon this entire book. vibeke deserves jail.
sharkybookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
On the eve of his ninth birthday, Jon and his mother each leave the house, convinced they know what the other is doing - we follow them over the course of the night…
At 136 pages, this may be a tiny book, but it packs an absolute punch (I read it back in May and am still reeling from the ending, which, while not explicit, I think is pretty clear). The writing is stark, the atmosphere is bleak and the story is suffused with cold and dread. Yet despite being on edge for its entirety, I enjoyed it (my nerves, less so).
It’s an excellent look at how well we can really know another person, even (especially) somebody we love and spend so much of our time with. Jon and Vibeke are each so utterly convinced that they know what the other is up to. But through their alternating POVs, the reader is helplessly aware of how wrong they both are, how oblivious they are of each other’s desires and intentions, of the near misses throughout the evening.
The story is interwoven with an incredibly strong sense of place - the biting, unforgiving cold of the dark northern Norwegian winter practically emanates out from the page, almost its own character.
A stark, bleak and ominous story of (not) knowing those we love as well as we think we do, set against the harsh northern Norwegian winter.
swineberg's review
4.0
This book is gorgeously written in terse, icy sentences that bring you effortlessly into the minds of its two protagonists. The blending of their two stories is effortless, and the casual way it switches perspective are a turn of a wrist is masterful. I think it does everything it sets out to do simply and with elegance. And yet… I think I didn’t like it! I didn’t want it to end the way it did! From the beginning I thought “oh, I hope this isn’t what the story is about…” and it is. So five stars, it’s gorgeous and short and I’m impressed with it and you should absolutely read it…but I think I didn’t like it! Maybe didn’t like it at all!
Edit after a few weeks: there’s a culturally conservative reading of this book — particularly it’s ending — that I’ve struggled to shake. If you’re reading this you’ve read the book, please shoot me a message so I can see if you felt the same way.
Edit after a few weeks: there’s a culturally conservative reading of this book — particularly it’s ending — that I’ve struggled to shake. If you’re reading this you’ve read the book, please shoot me a message so I can see if you felt the same way.
cheye13's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The narrative style and the writing voice and the stellar translation were 5 stars, but the plot and subject matter were a 1 star for me, so that averages out to a middling rating.
Everything in this book is subtle and stream-of-consciousness. The transitions between the two perspectives were not just seamless, but artful. As a piece of creation, it's beautiful. As far as the story goes, I was simply unhappy reading it. It reads a bit like one long "It's 10pm - do you know where your children are?" commercial, and noticing the publication year, that makes sense.
Everything in this book is subtle and stream-of-consciousness. The transitions between the two perspectives were not just seamless, but artful. As a piece of creation, it's beautiful. As far as the story goes, I was simply unhappy reading it. It reads a bit like one long "It's 10pm - do you know where your children are?" commercial, and noticing the publication year, that makes sense.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Excrement, Torture, Transphobia, Vomit, and Abandonment
not particularly graphic but constant reference to child neglect; implication of/allusions to hypothermia; depiction of intrusive thoughts/fixations/delusions (put me in mind of OCD, generalized anxiety, and narcissistic personality), but unclear if it's to the extent of mental illness or disorder; heavily implied child death but open to interpretationfranschulman9's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
inger_h_g's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
pellesmith's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.75
tommooney's review
1.0
One of the most pointless pieces of crap I've ever read. I guess something must have been lost in translation on this one. It starts out well enough, building a creepy sense of horror and then.... Absolutely fuck all happens.
warrenh's review against another edition
4.0
Kjærlighet er en første boken jeg har lest i norsk og fikk meg til å føle veldig redd. Jeg er far til to små barn, og Vibeke’s uinteresse i Jon såret meg. Som kvelden gå, hvert minutt blir mer og mer anspent. Både Jon og Vibeke er barnslige, men Jon har en grunn til å være det. Mot slutten av boka mislikte jeg virkelig Vibeke.
Jeg er glad jeg har lest denne vanskelige boken, men det var vanskelig å komme gjennom deler av den.
Jeg er glad jeg har lest denne vanskelige boken, men det var vanskelig å komme gjennom deler av den.