A review by peter_fischer
Die Islandglocke by Halldór Laxness

5.0

This is probably Laxness’s most important and memorable book. It is set in the 18th century, mostly in Iceland and partly in Denmark (Iceland was under Danish rule at the time). There are three separate storylines, the farmer Jón Hreggviðsson who gets into trouble with the law, the tragic love life of the beautiful lady Snæfríður Íslandssól, and the manuscript-collector Arnas Arnaeus, who loves Snæfríður. Epic and often tragic, the narrative gives a unique insight into the harshness of life in Iceland at the time. I have read both German and English translations from the Icelandic original, they were both terrific.