Scan barcode
x0pherl's review against another edition
5.0
A short, fun little book from the bass player of the sugarcubes. If you want to read some non-murder mystery modern Icelandic fiction, I'd recommend this highly.
lori85's review against another edition
2.0
Bragi Ólafsson used to be in a band with Björk, which should probably give you a clue as to the . . . uniqueness of his character, although Open Letter Press director Chad Post claims he is a very nice guy. I like Chad so I'll take his word for it, but the Ólafsson novel I'm about to review does feature some very, um . . . funny animal abuse. Is that the right word? Funny?
The Pets is essentially one of those pieces of black comedy that is really funny but also probably shouldn't be funny at all. The entire thing is basically Emil hiding under his bed from a psychopathic acquaintance who proceeds to host a bizarre drinking party for Emil's friends. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that Emil had stupidly asked Havard (the nut), whom he didn't know well at the time, to house-sit with him in London, having been charged with caring for the several small pets that lived there. And so Havard, um, killed them all. One got decapitated, while another two got coated with cement dust and then sprayed with a garden hose during a malicious/misguided cleaning attempt. (Even more disturbing: Ólafsson claimed that particular incident actually occurred in real life and inspired the whole book.) Now Emil thought that Havard had since been committed to a mental institution in Sweden and was struck with terror to see him out the window while boiling some water. When no one answers the door, Havard spies the water on the stove and, good citizen he is, decides Emil has forgotten it and goes in to take it off. Emil is by now safely under the bed. Havard doesn't leave. People show up. Alcohol is consumed.
That's pretty much it. I'm not sure what else there is to say, other than it's certainly a very surreal and darkly humorous work. The Open Letter Press online catalogue describes it as "[a]n alternately dark and hilarious story of cowardice, comeuppance, and assumed identity" with a deceptively simple plot that conceals its topical richness. I dunno . . . I just mostly thought it was very, very odd. I know that's not a very deep analysis, but I was unable to get over what happened to those poor, poor animals! I mean, it was awful! The hamsters were named Moby and Dick! The owner loved his little pets!
So, yeah.
Original Review
The Pets is essentially one of those pieces of black comedy that is really funny but also probably shouldn't be funny at all. The entire thing is basically Emil hiding under his bed from a psychopathic acquaintance who proceeds to host a bizarre drinking party for Emil's friends. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that Emil had stupidly asked Havard (the nut), whom he didn't know well at the time, to house-sit with him in London, having been charged with caring for the several small pets that lived there. And so Havard, um, killed them all. One got decapitated, while another two got coated with cement dust and then sprayed with a garden hose during a malicious/misguided cleaning attempt. (Even more disturbing: Ólafsson claimed that particular incident actually occurred in real life and inspired the whole book.) Now Emil thought that Havard had since been committed to a mental institution in Sweden and was struck with terror to see him out the window while boiling some water. When no one answers the door, Havard spies the water on the stove and, good citizen he is, decides Emil has forgotten it and goes in to take it off. Emil is by now safely under the bed. Havard doesn't leave. People show up. Alcohol is consumed.
That's pretty much it. I'm not sure what else there is to say, other than it's certainly a very surreal and darkly humorous work. The Open Letter Press online catalogue describes it as "[a]n alternately dark and hilarious story of cowardice, comeuppance, and assumed identity" with a deceptively simple plot that conceals its topical richness. I dunno . . . I just mostly thought it was very, very odd. I know that's not a very deep analysis, but I was unable to get over what happened to those poor, poor animals! I mean, it was awful! The hamsters were named Moby and Dick! The owner loved his little pets!
So, yeah.
Original Review
azimhol's review against another edition
Wish I would’ve read this in college when I was into dark absurdity more. Still, it’s an engaging lil existentialist novel that makes me want to revisit Ali Smith’s There But For The, and reminds me that I really should read Moby Dick one of these days.
sanjastajdohar's review against another edition
4.0
One star less because of the ending, but such a weird, entertaining and captivating book, yet so simple an idea.
crystal_reading's review against another edition
2.0
Very bizarre book about a very wimpy character. Billed as hilarious, but I just found it sad and the main character rather pathetic.
freshlimetime_'s review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
2.0
Most of the book was good, but when I finished the last page I actually looked to see if pages had been torn out or lost; the end isn't an ending at all but simply where the author stopped writing.
thaydra's review against another edition
2.0
I have to believe that the last couple of chapters were surgically removed from this book. It doesn't "end". It just stops. No resolution at all.
And the main character is annoying as hell. Seriously- grow a pair.
Also- I suppose that the customs and cultures vary since I am on a different continent, but who the hell just goes into someone's home, hangs out and parties for hours while the person who lives there is not there??
Don't read this book. I wanted to see what happened, but literally NOTHING did.
And the main character is annoying as hell. Seriously- grow a pair.
Also- I suppose that the customs and cultures vary since I am on a different continent, but who the hell just goes into someone's home, hangs out and parties for hours while the person who lives there is not there??
Don't read this book. I wanted to see what happened, but literally NOTHING did.