You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
Well... second time reading, about 25 years after the first time. Wow, how time flies!
Back in the 90s, Jostein Gaarder was very famous for his [b:Sophie's World|10959|Sophie's World|Jostein Gaarder|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1343459906l/10959._SY75_.jpg|4432325]. I didn't like that one, but I remember liking this one and the tarot card book. Now I re-read this one, as it's Christmas time and this one is kind of a count-down calendar.
I noticed things I didn't see the previous time.
We have this 5 years old girl who Pro-Palestinians kidnap to force her father, a rather famous journalist, to write about the Palestine-Israel situation. She is taken to Palestine and raised as a Palestinian girl. Her parents never knew what happened to her, so I suppose the kidnapping went awry. That's the frame story, though, and it's not much talked about in the book.
The main story is about this young boy who wants a "Christmas calendar" - a countdown calendar with 24 "doors" you open one each day from December 1st to December 24th - which is when the Norwegians celebrate Christmas. His dad and he go to a bookstore and find a handmade calendar and there are small slips of paper with a story written. It's a story about the 5yo. In this version she starts following a little toy lamb that becomes real, and runs through Europe to Bethlehem and from 1945 to the year 0, to be by the manger at Jesus' birth. She meets several different characters during the journey, angels, shepherds, the three wise kings, etc. about one a day, and the stories are about small things that happen during the journey. It is fascinating that they were supposed to find a road that isn't too inhabited, but they go straight through Europe; Germany, Italy, Turkey - and not through Russia. I suppose that was so that Jostein could write about how Christianity spread over Europe, but backward - starting from the 1940s and ending in the 0000s. Anyway, it's like a frame story around a story around a story around a story... so many layers. But that's Jostein Gaarder for you.
Anyway, this story is too Christian to me, but at the same time not enough.
I don't get a feeling about the ages of the kids. Elisabet behaves like a much older person than 5, and the people treat her as a much older child. I mean, 5yo is a toddler! Joachim - I don't know how old he is, but he's also behaving as... older and younger. Sometimes he's like 5 and sometimes like 10 and sometimes like 15. Really hard to relate. And the parents! So what if the kid invents stories about real places? He could have heard the name on the television or something. How is that in any way alarming? How does that in any way warrant breaking his privacy and looking into his box? It doesn't.
And the story isn't that amazing, either. I don't understand why the parents are so amazed and awed and keep talking about imagination and things. Sounds like Jostein Gaarder is tooting his own horn here. Really stupid and irritating.
Anyway, the idea is great. Makes me want to have a countdown calendar like that, but with small dolls so that I could play the book with my kids from the 1st of December to Christmas and "walk" the characters from the bedroom to the creche. The story itself sucks though, so maybe I'll write something better myself and make us a countdown calendar like that.
Back in the 90s, Jostein Gaarder was very famous for his [b:Sophie's World|10959|Sophie's World|Jostein Gaarder|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1343459906l/10959._SY75_.jpg|4432325]. I didn't like that one, but I remember liking this one and the tarot card book. Now I re-read this one, as it's Christmas time and this one is kind of a count-down calendar.
I noticed things I didn't see the previous time.
We have this 5 years old girl who Pro-Palestinians kidnap to force her father, a rather famous journalist, to write about the Palestine-Israel situation. She is taken to Palestine and raised as a Palestinian girl. Her parents never knew what happened to her, so I suppose the kidnapping went awry. That's the frame story, though, and it's not much talked about in the book.
The main story is about this young boy who wants a "Christmas calendar" - a countdown calendar with 24 "doors" you open one each day from December 1st to December 24th - which is when the Norwegians celebrate Christmas. His dad and he go to a bookstore and find a handmade calendar and there are small slips of paper with a story written. It's a story about the 5yo. In this version she starts following a little toy lamb that becomes real, and runs through Europe to Bethlehem and from 1945 to the year 0, to be by the manger at Jesus' birth. She meets several different characters during the journey, angels, shepherds, the three wise kings, etc. about one a day, and the stories are about small things that happen during the journey. It is fascinating that they were supposed to find a road that isn't too inhabited, but they go straight through Europe; Germany, Italy, Turkey - and not through Russia. I suppose that was so that Jostein could write about how Christianity spread over Europe, but backward - starting from the 1940s and ending in the 0000s. Anyway, it's like a frame story around a story around a story around a story... so many layers. But that's Jostein Gaarder for you.
Anyway, this story is too Christian to me, but at the same time not enough.
I don't get a feeling about the ages of the kids. Elisabet behaves like a much older person than 5, and the people treat her as a much older child. I mean, 5yo is a toddler! Joachim - I don't know how old he is, but he's also behaving as... older and younger. Sometimes he's like 5 and sometimes like 10 and sometimes like 15. Really hard to relate. And the parents! So what if the kid invents stories about real places? He could have heard the name on the television or something. How is that in any way alarming? How does that in any way warrant breaking his privacy and looking into his box? It doesn't.
And the story isn't that amazing, either. I don't understand why the parents are so amazed and awed and keep talking about imagination and things. Sounds like Jostein Gaarder is tooting his own horn here. Really stupid and irritating.
Anyway, the idea is great. Makes me want to have a countdown calendar like that, but with small dolls so that I could play the book with my kids from the 1st of December to Christmas and "walk" the characters from the bedroom to the creche. The story itself sucks though, so maybe I'll write something better myself and make us a countdown calendar like that.
This novel had an intriguing storyline - a boy with a magic advent calendar where each door reveals a little more the of the story of a young girl called Elizabet and her journey to Bethlehem to see the birth of Christ.
Unfortunately for me, it fell a little short of the mark as it felt a little preachy and had an almost sinister ending. You could also definitely tell this was written for a young adult audience.
Overall, 3 stars from me.
Unfortunately for me, it fell a little short of the mark as it felt a little preachy and had an almost sinister ending. You could also definitely tell this was written for a young adult audience.
Overall, 3 stars from me.
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5 stars. What a great daily read this was. This will be a yearly reread for me.
Joda, det var et mysterium, men jeg vet ikke helt hva løsningen var...
Sød historie og hyggeligt decemberritual, men lidt for kristen til mig.
Looking for a quick Christmasy read, and remembering enjoying 'Sophie's World' a long time ago, I picked this up not realising it is a children's story.
Nevertheless, it is a charming read and something I wish I'd found when my children were younger. The story begins with a mysterious advent calendar, and the structure of the novel - where each chapter represents the opening of one of the windows in the calendar - could be read the same way; a chapter day-by-day.
This is a retelling of the Christmas story with a twist, beginning with the disappearance of a little Norwegian girl in 1948 who chases a lamb back through time and across continents, gathering other 'pilgrims' as she goes, back to the birth of Jesus himself. Then there is the story of Joshua, the little boy who finds the advent calendar in a bookshop, and his family, as they become more and more involved with the story the calendar reveals.
A good 'read together' book for 7 to 10 year olds.
Nevertheless, it is a charming read and something I wish I'd found when my children were younger. The story begins with a mysterious advent calendar, and the structure of the novel - where each chapter represents the opening of one of the windows in the calendar - could be read the same way; a chapter day-by-day.
This is a retelling of the Christmas story with a twist, beginning with the disappearance of a little Norwegian girl in 1948 who chases a lamb back through time and across continents, gathering other 'pilgrims' as she goes, back to the birth of Jesus himself. Then there is the story of Joshua, the little boy who finds the advent calendar in a bookshop, and his family, as they become more and more involved with the story the calendar reveals.
A good 'read together' book for 7 to 10 year olds.