A review by serendipitysbooks
Animal Life by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 Animal Life is an Icelandic novel. Dómhildur is a midwife, as were many women in her family. The men were undertakers. As a storm approaches she uncovers an archive of her great-aunt’s papers, full of her reflections on birth, death, what it means to be human, and plenty of musings on nature, particularly human’s negative impact on the natural world. This was a book that led to plenty of quiet reflection; plot driven it was not. I particularly enjoyed seeing the theme of light vs dark explored in many different ways. The writing was almost poetic and very atmospheric. 
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