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youpie's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kpdoessomereading's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fiorellaflorella's review
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
myyearofreadingandrelaxation's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
chillcox15's review
4.0
Hanne Ørstavik's Love is a beguiling, one-(or-so)-sitting novel about the unsettling consequences of the distance between family members. The plot, as it is, focuses on an intellectually enveloped mother and her son, who has all the curiosity and anxiety as befitting an almost nine-year-old, and the activities that thrust them out into the brutal cold one rural Norwegian night. The book could easily be a moralistic tale about the dangers of not paying attention to your child, and it sometimes feels like the novel itself is saying that, but I want to be charitable in the complexity of its concern; the mother isn't some stereotypical negligent parent, but a bit of a reflection of the reader, immersed in a book of their own. What really appealed to me about the book, though, is the abrupt, yet figuratively seamless, editing that Ørstavik uses throughout Love. The book jumps without warning between the mother and the child, often tricking the reader who thinks that each paragraph connects to the paragraph before it. This causes the reader, more specifically me, to slow down, backtrack some lines, and realize where the shift happened-- sometimes a seemingly facile line becomes 1000x more interesting when you aren't sure who, from which storyline, is saying it.
fruitpit's review
3.25
the story didnt go anywhere but im not so mad at that. i liked the glimpses into the different lives and thoughts of the mother and son but thought the mother was careless re her son being out all night w/o her knowing plus he was expecting something for his bday :( girl leave the bum fairgrounds worker and make ur son a cake! u wouldnt even give the fairgrounds a second thought if it wasnt for him >:( also didnt vibe w the bald lady getting directions from the son. i sound like a woman hater but this kid seems nice why are yall neglecting himmmm. the book ended w/o the mother and son coming together which went against my expectations and makes u wonder what happens next.
kristinvdt's review against another edition
5.0
Bitteliten bok med fantastisk språk. Uendelig trist men veldig fin.
franklyfrank's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
baileyana's review
5.0
This work of contemporary fiction is a multi award winner in Norway. I was thrilled it is set in Northern Norway and impressed that the tone and descriptions feel 100% accurate. Although not a happy book, I enjoyed it due to the excellent writing and just about perfect portrayals of love and loneliness. The book occurs over one night yet I felt like I knew the characters very well. Unique, addicting, and tugs the emotions.