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A review by cody240fc
The Other Name: Septology I-II by Jon Fosse
4.0
I have been wary of these recent novels that consist of one run-on sentence (Reservoir 13 & Ducks, Newburyport being in mind) but this Septology seemed like a cool project from Fosse so I took the plunge.
It takes a few pages to get the rhythm of the book, but once you find it 'The Other Name' reads smoothly. I enjoyed the sudden shifts from memory to present day. Asle's childhood memories towards the end of the novel were particularly well done, as was the playground scene with Ales. The dialogue can be repetitive and frustrating, and Asle's forgetfulness was overdone, but I also liked his internal debates regarding theology and painting. I've never read a book that seems to remain in a constant state of delusion quite like this (Under the Volcano maybe).
As a standalone novel, this is four star territory. Once the Septology is complete and available to readers, I have a strong feeling the project as a whole will be quite the reading experience. My first experience reading Fosse and I look forward to reading more.
It takes a few pages to get the rhythm of the book, but once you find it 'The Other Name' reads smoothly. I enjoyed the sudden shifts from memory to present day. Asle's childhood memories towards the end of the novel were particularly well done, as was the playground scene with Ales. The dialogue can be repetitive and frustrating, and Asle's forgetfulness was overdone, but I also liked his internal debates regarding theology and painting. I've never read a book that seems to remain in a constant state of delusion quite like this (Under the Volcano maybe).
As a standalone novel, this is four star territory. Once the Septology is complete and available to readers, I have a strong feeling the project as a whole will be quite the reading experience. My first experience reading Fosse and I look forward to reading more.