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A review by bites_of_books
Quake by Auður Jónsdóttir
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Quake" is the story of Saga, a woman who has epilepsy and has just had multiple seizures in a very short period of time. Now, Saga is left with little memory of her life... Why is she divorced? Who sent those white roses in her house? What's her job? Plus many many others. Saga is trying to piece everything together while trying to not panic about the fact that she can't trust her body and she cannot trust herself to be alone with her three-year-old son.
This novel was fast paced, full of mystery, and overall quite unsettling. Saga's journey in filling in the gaps in her memory made me think about how our memories shape our actions. When we have certain experiences we are either drawn to or deterred by specific things. We might choose one career over another, create a different relationship with people depending on what we remember about them, etc. What would my life be if I remembered or didn't remember certain things from my childhood?
I absolutely loved the translation of the book. The original text is in Icelandic and this translation did not feel like a translation, it felt like a very cohesive and beautifully written book. I leave this quote here as a taste of what this book is all about:
"She was my world. Now a grown woman, I lean into her chest, surrendering to memories tucked away long ago. I feel a sort of stinging joy when I think of the girl who was once me, who now dances awkwardly in my head"
I highly recommend this book if you're interested in memories, Icelandic literature, definitions of self, and overall a beautifully crafted novel.
This novel was fast paced, full of mystery, and overall quite unsettling. Saga's journey in filling in the gaps in her memory made me think about how our memories shape our actions. When we have certain experiences we are either drawn to or deterred by specific things. We might choose one career over another, create a different relationship with people depending on what we remember about them, etc. What would my life be if I remembered or didn't remember certain things from my childhood?
I absolutely loved the translation of the book. The original text is in Icelandic and this translation did not feel like a translation, it felt like a very cohesive and beautifully written book. I leave this quote here as a taste of what this book is all about:
"She was my world. Now a grown woman, I lean into her chest, surrendering to memories tucked away long ago. I feel a sort of stinging joy when I think of the girl who was once me, who now dances awkwardly in my head"
I highly recommend this book if you're interested in memories, Icelandic literature, definitions of self, and overall a beautifully crafted novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Alcoholism