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hanleest's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
“Men are born poets. By the time of their confirmation, they’ve taken on the inescapable role of being geniuses. It doesn’t matter whether they write books or not. Women, on the other hand, grapple with puberty and have babies, which prevents them from being able to write.”
this was so good. loved the setting, time and place, but especially loved ísey. her parts were so bitingly written, I could almost see her, stirring a pot of skyr, cheeks reddening, as she told hekla about her neighbour, who's depressive episode mirrored her own. just brilliant
this was so good. loved the setting, time and place, but especially loved ísey. her parts were so bitingly written, I could almost see her, stirring a pot of skyr, cheeks reddening, as she told hekla about her neighbour, who's depressive episode mirrored her own. just brilliant
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Stalking
emilyhawk's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I've loved watching Icelandic TV programs during quarantine, so I was really excited to try an Icelandic novel. It was a good read overall and I would recommend it, particularly if you're interested in exploring experiences of gender and sexuality. The characters are all complex, which kept me invested in the story even when I wasn't satisfied with the plot progression. I gave it 3 stars because the writing style was a bit dry -- although, likely due to translation into English. Again, the range of 3D, interesting, complicated characters made up for the writing style.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism
marinable_books's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
gabriellejane's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Withholding is the perfect descriptor of the book, yet I don't think it would have benefited from more information. I did want some more emotion perhaps? It all felt a bit one note, morose. Still, I couldn't put the story down. I had been wondering if this was the book that Hekla was writing and loved that little detail at the end of the page number of both books ending at the same time. it did remind me of Iceland and made me want to return one day.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
davidbowie's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Mental illness and Death of parent
Minor: Police brutality