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elizarapsodia's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
REVIEW IN ENGLISH
This novel was a recommendation by M. a dear person of mine that really loved it. I had never read a danish author before so I was eager to read it.
Niels Lyhne is a young Danish man from a rural family. We get to know about him before he was even born, first with his parents and how was their relationship, then we follow him from childhood to adulthood. As time passes, we are living things with him: his first love, his disappointments, his joys, his sorrows, his friendships and his dreams of being a poet. We also live closely his observations of the world. A kind of coming of age in the second half of the 19th century.
Published in 1880, German poet Reiner Maria Rilke recommended it (this was in Letters to a young poet, another great book that M. recommended to me). Niels is a young man who observes, who tries to live and appreciate the world in order to reflect it in his poetry. But things will not be easy and as hapiness will come also the deep sadness will be present in many moments of his life.
Undoubtedly, naturalism and romanticism are very present in Jacobsen's writing and scenery. His writing has high beauty and detail, we have long passages of Lhyne's reflections on what is happening to him. I was very surprised by his personality, his deep atheism and the way of certain dialogues and scenes can leave you breathless. These are undoubtedly the great moments of the novel, in which there are dialogues of great female characters that are charged with value that reinforce the equality between women and men, as human beings.
Although the novel has moments that it can get quite dense, this is compensated with brilliant scenes beautifully written. No doubt everything that happens to Niels is a life full of suffering and learning and however things go, until the last moment, he stands firm in his convictions. The writing is very beautiful and I can say that it has passages that are worth re-reading and returning to them from time to time.
In conclusion, I can recommend Niels Lyhne for everything it represents. Admired by Stefan Sweig (another of my favorite writers), It's a novel that is well worth reading and I feel that you can find something more in a reread, something that I will certainly do. I feel that my review is vague and does not do the book justice, but I hope it will make you go read it soon.
*******************
RESEÑA EN ESPAÑOL
Esta novela fue una recomendación de mi queridísimo M. que es una persona que también le gusta mucho leer y me lo recomendó encarecidamente, ya que era una novela que le había conquistado. No había leído nunca a algún autor danés y me lancé de cabeza a ver qué me encontraba.
Niels Lyhne es un joven danés de una familia del campo. Lo conocemos incluso antes de nacer, primero con sus padres y como fue su relación, luego seguimos sus pasos desde la niñez hasta la adultez. A medida que pasa el tiempo vamos viviendo cosas con él: su primer amor, sus decepciones, sus alegrías, sus tristezas, sus amistades y sus sueños de ser un poeta. También vivimos de cerca su observación de mundo y sus reflexiones. Una especie de coming of age en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX.
Crédito: kordi_vahle
Es complejo contar exactamente de qué trata la historia. Publicado en 1880, el poeta alemán Reiner María Rilke lo recomendó mucho (esto fue en Cartas a un joven poeta, que lo reseñé hace poco y también fue una recomendación de chéri M.) Niels es un joven que observa, que trata de vivir y apreciar el mundo para poder reflejarlo en su poesía. Pero las cosas no serán fáciles y así como alegrías llegarán a su vida también la profunda tristeza estará presente en muchos momentos de su vida.
Sin duda el naturalismo y el romanticismo impregnan la obra de Jacobsen. Su escritura tiene una belleza y un detalle bastante altos, en los que tenemos largos pasajes sobre las reflexiones de Lhyne sobre lo que le va aconteciendo. Me ha sorprendido mucho su forma de pensar, su profundo ateísmo y el nivel con el que ciertos diálogos pueden dejarte sin aliento. Esto son sin duda los grandes momentos de la novela, en los que hay diálogos de personajes femeninos cargados de valor y que refuerzan la igualdad entre mujeres y hombres, todos como seres humanos.
Si bien la novela tienen momentos que se puede tornar bastante densa, es compensado con escenas brillantes y llevadas maravillosamente. Sin duda todo lo que sucede con Niels es una vida de sufrimientos y aprendizajes y por más mal que le vayan las cosas, hasta el último momento el se mantiene firme en sus convicciones. La escritura es muy bella y puedo afirmar que tiene pasajes que vale mucho la pena releer y regresar a ellos de cuando en cuando.
En conclusión, puedo recomendar Niels Lyhne por todo lo que puede representar. Admirada por Stefan Sweig (otro de mis escritores preferidos), es una novela que vale mucho la pena leer y siento que se puede encontrar algo más en una relectura, que sin duda haré. Siento que mi reseña es vaga y no le hace justicia, pero espero les sirva para acercarse a él.
REVIEW IN ENGLISH
This novel was a recommendation by M. a dear person of mine that really loved it. I had never read a danish author before so I was eager to read it.
Niels Lyhne is a young Danish man from a rural family. We get to know about him before he was even born, first with his parents and how was their relationship, then we follow him from childhood to adulthood. As time passes, we are living things with him: his first love, his disappointments, his joys, his sorrows, his friendships and his dreams of being a poet. We also live closely his observations of the world. A kind of coming of age in the second half of the 19th century.
Published in 1880, German poet Reiner Maria Rilke recommended it (this was in Letters to a young poet, another great book that M. recommended to me). Niels is a young man who observes, who tries to live and appreciate the world in order to reflect it in his poetry. But things will not be easy and as hapiness will come also the deep sadness will be present in many moments of his life.
Undoubtedly, naturalism and romanticism are very present in Jacobsen's writing and scenery. His writing has high beauty and detail, we have long passages of Lhyne's reflections on what is happening to him. I was very surprised by his personality, his deep atheism and the way of certain dialogues and scenes can leave you breathless. These are undoubtedly the great moments of the novel, in which there are dialogues of great female characters that are charged with value that reinforce the equality between women and men, as human beings.
Although the novel has moments that it can get quite dense, this is compensated with brilliant scenes beautifully written. No doubt everything that happens to Niels is a life full of suffering and learning and however things go, until the last moment, he stands firm in his convictions. The writing is very beautiful and I can say that it has passages that are worth re-reading and returning to them from time to time.
In conclusion, I can recommend Niels Lyhne for everything it represents. Admired by Stefan Sweig (another of my favorite writers), It's a novel that is well worth reading and I feel that you can find something more in a reread, something that I will certainly do. I feel that my review is vague and does not do the book justice, but I hope it will make you go read it soon.
*******************
RESEÑA EN ESPAÑOL
Esta novela fue una recomendación de mi queridísimo M. que es una persona que también le gusta mucho leer y me lo recomendó encarecidamente, ya que era una novela que le había conquistado. No había leído nunca a algún autor danés y me lancé de cabeza a ver qué me encontraba.
Niels Lyhne es un joven danés de una familia del campo. Lo conocemos incluso antes de nacer, primero con sus padres y como fue su relación, luego seguimos sus pasos desde la niñez hasta la adultez. A medida que pasa el tiempo vamos viviendo cosas con él: su primer amor, sus decepciones, sus alegrías, sus tristezas, sus amistades y sus sueños de ser un poeta. También vivimos de cerca su observación de mundo y sus reflexiones. Una especie de coming of age en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX.
Crédito: kordi_vahle
Es complejo contar exactamente de qué trata la historia. Publicado en 1880, el poeta alemán Reiner María Rilke lo recomendó mucho (esto fue en Cartas a un joven poeta, que lo reseñé hace poco y también fue una recomendación de chéri M.) Niels es un joven que observa, que trata de vivir y apreciar el mundo para poder reflejarlo en su poesía. Pero las cosas no serán fáciles y así como alegrías llegarán a su vida también la profunda tristeza estará presente en muchos momentos de su vida.
Sin duda el naturalismo y el romanticismo impregnan la obra de Jacobsen. Su escritura tiene una belleza y un detalle bastante altos, en los que tenemos largos pasajes sobre las reflexiones de Lhyne sobre lo que le va aconteciendo. Me ha sorprendido mucho su forma de pensar, su profundo ateísmo y el nivel con el que ciertos diálogos pueden dejarte sin aliento. Esto son sin duda los grandes momentos de la novela, en los que hay diálogos de personajes femeninos cargados de valor y que refuerzan la igualdad entre mujeres y hombres, todos como seres humanos.
Si bien la novela tienen momentos que se puede tornar bastante densa, es compensado con escenas brillantes y llevadas maravillosamente. Sin duda todo lo que sucede con Niels es una vida de sufrimientos y aprendizajes y por más mal que le vayan las cosas, hasta el último momento el se mantiene firme en sus convicciones. La escritura es muy bella y puedo afirmar que tiene pasajes que vale mucho la pena releer y regresar a ellos de cuando en cuando.
En conclusión, puedo recomendar Niels Lyhne por todo lo que puede representar. Admirada por Stefan Sweig (otro de mis escritores preferidos), es una novela que vale mucho la pena leer y siento que se puede encontrar algo más en una relectura, que sin duda haré. Siento que mi reseña es vaga y no le hace justicia, pero espero les sirva para acercarse a él.
emilyisateacher's review against another edition
4.0
A beautifully written meditation on life, death, love, and faith. Also, interestingly enough, contains glimpses of genuine feminist thought from a 19th century man. Worth the read!
kilgoretrout's review
4.0
I came across this book through re-reading Rilke's, "Letter's to a young poet" and was intrigued. I can empathize with some other reviewers who may not like the archaic nature of the writing, it's flowy, highly descriptive passages that can feel sentimental or melodramatic. I should add this isn't a happy novel. The danes are not known to be the happiest folk, traditionally, but this one is particularly bleak. The plot of Niel's life may get lost a long the way, and even the relationships may not seem sincere given the verbose writing, but the level of sophistication within the text is exemplary to me. The writing is lush, sumptuous, exquisite and beautiful. In 2020, a book like this may be good for poets or writers who need a push in area of environmental description.
It's for the writing that I enjoyed this book. I was entirely enchanted by the passages and the ideas that are expressed are well put and illuminating.
As for what Jacobsen is trying to tell us with this, well, it's open to some interpretation. He gives us an avowed atheist and poet who witnesses death, and rejection and pain and feels the world deeply and finally dies himself. Near the end he decides to refuse the pastor. This could simply be Jacobsen's rebellious willingness to write a novel where someone goes against God, or perhaps that the lines near the end tell us the kind of truth Niels happens upon; that we are born alone and die alone and that perhaps there is a nobility, or even divinity, in staying true to yourself at the very end.
It's for the writing that I enjoyed this book. I was entirely enchanted by the passages and the ideas that are expressed are well put and illuminating.
As for what Jacobsen is trying to tell us with this, well, it's open to some interpretation. He gives us an avowed atheist and poet who witnesses death, and rejection and pain and feels the world deeply and finally dies himself. Near the end he decides to refuse the pastor. This could simply be Jacobsen's rebellious willingness to write a novel where someone goes against God, or perhaps that the lines near the end tell us the kind of truth Niels happens upon; that we are born alone and die alone and that perhaps there is a nobility, or even divinity, in staying true to yourself at the very end.
rita42's review
5.0
Niels Lyhne is a book haunted by death.
The story follows a young poet, Niels Lyhne who passionately observes the world and the people in his life before he delves into himself, reflecting and dwelling on their motives and nature in order to transfer his thoughts into his writing. His convictions about the world are tested a number of times throughout the novel as he deals with rejection, loss, betrayal and numerous deaths...and it all culminates in the final chapters when his resolve almost fails and his character breaks.
Niels is deeply emotional. We often see him paralysed and helpless, sick with the feelings and emotions that reach deep within his soul weighing heavily on his mind and forcing him to take indefinite breaks from him work. But he is also rational to an extreme: he is an atheist in a time when it was near impossible to be one and he argues his stand on the subject beautifully and logically.
The words are so powerful, the description so alive that this book doesnt feel like a story but it is the living soul of Niels Lyhne, dripping with passion and emotion and struggling to make sense of the world. Shameful confessions and painful admission honestly and bluntly laid bare. I wish I read this novel years ago.
The story follows a young poet, Niels Lyhne who passionately observes the world and the people in his life before he delves into himself, reflecting and dwelling on their motives and nature in order to transfer his thoughts into his writing. His convictions about the world are tested a number of times throughout the novel as he deals with rejection, loss, betrayal and numerous deaths...and it all culminates in the final chapters when his resolve almost fails and his character breaks.
Niels is deeply emotional. We often see him paralysed and helpless, sick with the feelings and emotions that reach deep within his soul weighing heavily on his mind and forcing him to take indefinite breaks from him work. But he is also rational to an extreme: he is an atheist in a time when it was near impossible to be one and he argues his stand on the subject beautifully and logically.
The words are so powerful, the description so alive that this book doesnt feel like a story but it is the living soul of Niels Lyhne, dripping with passion and emotion and struggling to make sense of the world. Shameful confessions and painful admission honestly and bluntly laid bare. I wish I read this novel years ago.
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