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A review by azureye31
The Bird Tribunal by Agnes Ravatn
3.0
In this novella, we find Allis Hagtorn running from her recent separation, and public sex scandal humiliation. Allis goes into self-imposed exile and begins working as a housekeeper and groundskeeper for a mysterious man named Sigurd Bagge, who lives on a remote, isolated fjord, in an unkempt house surrounded by its dying, weed-clogged gardens. Sigurd’s wife is away, and he asks Allis to stay and assist him until her return, however very little is known about where she went and why. Sigurd keeps Allis at arms length, and is vague about his own past, adding to Allis’ obsession with him.
After being a reading slump, I was craving something different, and I had heard good things about this author. I also have an affinity for atmospheric novels, and Scandinavian writers do have a knack for developing dark, brooding, character-driven novels. This one did not deviate from the dark and brooding theme, I will give it that.
What worked…
The author’s use of tension between the characters, her use of limited dialog, and feelings of isolation, all drew me in and really gave me a feeling of desperation to know what was going to happen. So much so, that I consumed the entire book in two sittings.
Ravtan’s use of only Allis’ inner thoughts provided an interesting viewpoint, as she struggled to process her own tumultuous, guilt ridden, past. It also added to Bagge being more mysterious, and emotionally inaccessible. Bagge’s emotional push-pull, cat and mouse game with Allis only added fuel to her obsession with him. At times Allis felt like a possession, for example when Bagge was very rigid about her not eating with him, and doing things at certain times which suited him. At other times, Bagge would toy with her by throwing her emotionally intimate scraps.
As the reader, I even found myself attracted to Bagge despite his cruelty, and apparent emotional instability and self-hatred. It was very much a love-hate relationship with me as the reader. Feeling empathetic and wanting to console him, finding him attractive, wanting to protect him, and then hating him at other times, and being afraid of him and wondering what he was going to do to Allis. I could completely understand Allis’ obsession bordering on lust for Bagge as well as her hesitation and fear. So, great job on drawing the reader into the protagonists thoughts and inner conflicts, I know I was conflicted with Bagge. My thoughts were "you creep me out, but you're so cute and fragile and sad, but you creep me out, you're so mean, but kind of hot at the same time, but you might kill me in my sleep and I think your might be crazy, yet I like you". Poor Allis, I totally understand your struggles!
Also, as the reader we are rarely allowed to leave the fjord, only when Allis goes into town to buy supplies, where she faces criticism from a shop owner every time. This, again, adds to feelings of isolation, and gives us insight into Allis’ own self-loathing thoughts.
The author also makes good use of the setting, by, at times overly describing every minute detail of the fjord, the gardens, and the flora and fauna. It provides even more of a sense of isolation and claustrophobia.
What didn’t work...
For me, the descriptions became monotonous. We get to experience every meal that Allis makes, in detail, every glass of wine that Allis pours, in detail, every weed that Allis pulls from the ground, in detail. It became a bit of slog. While I get that it added to the stark monotony, feeling of depression, and bleakness of the story, it was still slow, and boring at times.
This novella is ripe with symbolism, some of which escaped me. I don’t know if things were lost in translation, or if I was just too dense to understand. Some examples…references to Finnish mythology involving punishment and exile for crimes, dream sequences involving birds who are humans dressed up as birds playing judges, dead birds in mouse traps, birds that attack Allis while out on a beach, etc. Birds, birds, and more birds. I found it to be disturbing, and I am guessing that, for example, the dead birds in the mouse traps may have symbolized the death of Allis’ internal demons and self torment?
In summary, I am giving this book three stars, despite all of its hype. I found it to be very well written in a sense that it really drew me into the protagonists struggle, however the writing style wasn’t my cup of tea, and I found it sometimes to be a struggle to get through the very slow narrative.
Also, every positive review raves about the "surprise" ending. I figured out what was going to happen by the middle of the book, so it wasn't that much of shocker. The ending felt very anti-climactic, albeit sad.
If you are expecting the typical light read, or formulaic read, or even action packed thriller, you aren’t gong to get it. This is the type of book that you will need to dig into, dissect, ponder, and sometimes feel frustrated that you just don’t have all the information to make it make sense.
After being a reading slump, I was craving something different, and I had heard good things about this author. I also have an affinity for atmospheric novels, and Scandinavian writers do have a knack for developing dark, brooding, character-driven novels. This one did not deviate from the dark and brooding theme, I will give it that.
What worked…
The author’s use of tension between the characters, her use of limited dialog, and feelings of isolation, all drew me in and really gave me a feeling of desperation to know what was going to happen. So much so, that I consumed the entire book in two sittings.
Ravtan’s use of only Allis’ inner thoughts provided an interesting viewpoint, as she struggled to process her own tumultuous, guilt ridden, past. It also added to Bagge being more mysterious, and emotionally inaccessible. Bagge’s emotional push-pull, cat and mouse game with Allis only added fuel to her obsession with him. At times Allis felt like a possession, for example when Bagge was very rigid about her not eating with him, and doing things at certain times which suited him. At other times, Bagge would toy with her by throwing her emotionally intimate scraps.
As the reader, I even found myself attracted to Bagge despite his cruelty, and apparent emotional instability and self-hatred. It was very much a love-hate relationship with me as the reader. Feeling empathetic and wanting to console him, finding him attractive, wanting to protect him, and then hating him at other times, and being afraid of him and wondering what he was going to do to Allis. I could completely understand Allis’ obsession bordering on lust for Bagge as well as her hesitation and fear. So, great job on drawing the reader into the protagonists thoughts and inner conflicts, I know I was conflicted with Bagge. My thoughts were "you creep me out, but you're so cute and fragile and sad, but you creep me out, you're so mean, but kind of hot at the same time, but you might kill me in my sleep and I think your might be crazy, yet I like you". Poor Allis, I totally understand your struggles!
Also, as the reader we are rarely allowed to leave the fjord, only when Allis goes into town to buy supplies, where she faces criticism from a shop owner every time. This, again, adds to feelings of isolation, and gives us insight into Allis’ own self-loathing thoughts.
The author also makes good use of the setting, by, at times overly describing every minute detail of the fjord, the gardens, and the flora and fauna. It provides even more of a sense of isolation and claustrophobia.
What didn’t work...
For me, the descriptions became monotonous. We get to experience every meal that Allis makes, in detail, every glass of wine that Allis pours, in detail, every weed that Allis pulls from the ground, in detail. It became a bit of slog. While I get that it added to the stark monotony, feeling of depression, and bleakness of the story, it was still slow, and boring at times.
This novella is ripe with symbolism, some of which escaped me. I don’t know if things were lost in translation, or if I was just too dense to understand. Some examples…references to Finnish mythology involving punishment and exile for crimes, dream sequences involving birds who are humans dressed up as birds playing judges, dead birds in mouse traps, birds that attack Allis while out on a beach, etc. Birds, birds, and more birds. I found it to be disturbing, and I am guessing that, for example, the dead birds in the mouse traps may have symbolized the death of Allis’ internal demons and self torment?
In summary, I am giving this book three stars, despite all of its hype. I found it to be very well written in a sense that it really drew me into the protagonists struggle, however the writing style wasn’t my cup of tea, and I found it sometimes to be a struggle to get through the very slow narrative.
Also, every positive review raves about the "surprise" ending. I figured out what was going to happen by the middle of the book, so it wasn't that much of shocker. The ending felt very anti-climactic, albeit sad.
If you are expecting the typical light read, or formulaic read, or even action packed thriller, you aren’t gong to get it. This is the type of book that you will need to dig into, dissect, ponder, and sometimes feel frustrated that you just don’t have all the information to make it make sense.