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samanne's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.0
archergal's review
4.0
What an interesting and quirky little book this is. I think it's the only book I've read that was set in Iceland. It's sort of a mystery and it's sort of a riddle.
The book is set in 1960, so it's a bit distant in time as well as in space. It starts with a decayed body that's been found on one of the little skerries (skerry = small rocky island or reef) not far from Flatey. The folk of Flatey Island would go out to these little rocky islands and hunt seals for skin, or eiderdown to wash and sell. Since the island is only about 2 km long and 1 km wide, there's not a lot to do on Flatey. I think the book mentioned 57 inhabitants there at the time.
But the body found is just a jumping-off point. There's a rare manuscript with a riddle in it that no one has been able to solve. The story alternates between the investigation of what appears to be a murder, and discussion of the riddle in the manuscript. Old sins come back to haunt some residents, but probably no in the way you'd think. And I had no idea how it was all going to shake out until the very last part of the very last chapter, pretty much the same way the riddle gets worked out.
This is not an exciting book, but it's full of charm and quiet interest (at least to me.) While I was reading it, I thought a bit of the movie Babette's Feast, since they both depict small, isolated communities. The subject matter is very different, though!
It's good. I think I got it as a Kindle freebie and it was well worth the reading.
The book is set in 1960, so it's a bit distant in time as well as in space. It starts with a decayed body that's been found on one of the little skerries (skerry = small rocky island or reef) not far from Flatey. The folk of Flatey Island would go out to these little rocky islands and hunt seals for skin, or eiderdown to wash and sell. Since the island is only about 2 km long and 1 km wide, there's not a lot to do on Flatey. I think the book mentioned 57 inhabitants there at the time.
But the body found is just a jumping-off point. There's a rare manuscript with a riddle in it that no one has been able to solve. The story alternates between the investigation of what appears to be a murder, and discussion of the riddle in the manuscript. Old sins come back to haunt some residents, but probably no in the way you'd think. And I had no idea how it was all going to shake out until the very last part of the very last chapter, pretty much the same way the riddle gets worked out.
This is not an exciting book, but it's full of charm and quiet interest (at least to me.) While I was reading it, I thought a bit of the movie Babette's Feast, since they both depict small, isolated communities. The subject matter is very different, though!
It's good. I think I got it as a Kindle freebie and it was well worth the reading.
readingwithkt's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, and Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization
There is one mention of ‘rape’, not as an act of rape but as a reference to the level of degradation and harm experienced by survivors of rape.historynerd04's review
2.0
I love Icelandic mysteries and am no stranger to reading translations. However, there was something confusing and disjointed about this book. While everything was tied up neatly at the end, it just took a long time to get there. Add in a lot of side stories and a ton of side characters and you get a hot mess of a mystery.
prpltrtl946's review
4.0
Interesting
Very interesting glimpse into another culture. I was born in 1960 so the timeframe wasn’t too hard to understand. Thoroughly enjoyed this delightful mystery!
Very interesting glimpse into another culture. I was born in 1960 so the timeframe wasn’t too hard to understand. Thoroughly enjoyed this delightful mystery!
el_stevie's review
2.0
I normally love Scandi crime books and this had been recommended by someone in the FB Nordic Noir group so I bought it in hope. There were 2 deaths and a suitably bleak setting but I was very disappointed that both deaths ended up being more accidental than murder, it was as if I'd been short-changed.
mathew's review
dark
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Based on the description, I expected this to be something like Umberto Eco's "Name of the Rose". It wasn't. Instead, it was dull people eating seal meat and puffins while an excruciatingly slow investigation was carried out into how a Danish academic ended up dying alone on a small island.
The chapters are short, as each one finishes with one of the clues and solutions for the titular enigma, and there are a lot to get through. Sadly the clues and their solutions and the enigma have no real bearing to the plot. The solutions often seem arbitrary, and never leave you under any illusion that you might be able to guess any of the answers yourself. A few of the ancient incidents do feature some of the most entertaining dialog in the entire novel, though.
After half a book of that, things finally picked up aftera second body was found , and at last the characters' backstories were explored -- but sadly in the form of their being interviewed by police and offering to recite their backstories in large chunks of exposition. The threads of the mystery are rapidly tied together before you even get a chance to take a guess at what's coming. Just terrible, terrible pacing. I have to assume it's a far better book in the original language.
The chapters are short, as each one finishes with one of the clues and solutions for the titular enigma, and there are a lot to get through. Sadly the clues and their solutions and the enigma have no real bearing to the plot. The solutions often seem arbitrary, and never leave you under any illusion that you might be able to guess any of the answers yourself. A few of the ancient incidents do feature some of the most entertaining dialog in the entire novel, though.
After half a book of that, things finally picked up after
carolhoggart's review
4.0
I chose to read this book because it is a murder-mystery set in Iceland, 1960. I was not disappointed. Ingolfsson certainly delivered in regards to evocation of setting. The simplicity, poverty and starkness of the Icelandic islander existence is demonstrated in a beautifully understated way. Inhabitants at various times dined upon sea stew (made from a drowned sheep), fermented shark and seabird eggs in a cake. Newspapers did the rounds for weeks after their publication before finally ending up as toilet paper. Young islanders leave the island for want of jobs or simply out of boredom. It all feels incredibly real.
At times, however, the author 'tells' too much for my taste. The writing is at times inelegant - although this may be partly a hazard of translation.
I did love the way the medieval material from the famous Flatey Book was woven into the tale. The extremes of (typically understated) violence from the Viking past made a nice contrast to the gentler mishaps of the 1960s present. I felt I learned a lot about Icelandic sagas along the way!
Definitely not your average Scandinavian murder mystery.
At times, however, the author 'tells' too much for my taste. The writing is at times inelegant - although this may be partly a hazard of translation.
I did love the way the medieval material from the famous Flatey Book was woven into the tale. The extremes of (typically understated) violence from the Viking past made a nice contrast to the gentler mishaps of the 1960s present. I felt I learned a lot about Icelandic sagas along the way!
Definitely not your average Scandinavian murder mystery.
h_berry0410's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0