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abilge's review against another edition
3.0
“Did you know that humans are the only animals who cry?” She smiles from ear to ear. “No, I didn’t know that. I thought we were the only animals who laugh.”
This story starts with a gloomy air, depressed guy who is just divorced. The guy decided to go on a journey where there is no comeback…
Then a city is just as wounded as the guy. It’s in a truce but no one knows whether it’s permanent. It has struck him how little his sorrow is when he is surrounded by people who have more scars on their bodies and in their souls. And one would expect that the guy will be healed in such an environment, right? But is it the case that I’m not sure, at last?
In normal circumstances, I’d love to give more stars than 3 to this story but it was a bit dark I caught unprepared. Therefore, I felt depressed a bit in the end because the city reminded me the wars have been happening and continuing in the middle east and around of it. I didn’t want to be reminded of what had happened and currently happening for this reason.
The woman asks disjointed questions: what my name is, how old I am, and asks me to count my fingers. I have five on one hand and five on the other, unlike many others in this town.
gavmonn's review against another edition
3.0
A touching portrait of a man with "scars" which are later compared to more dramatic, deep scars. Most importantly this book is about God, and about him working in very mysterious ways, helping us to find the right track, our purpose, and of course about people. The form of this book is very interesting. There are chapter-like sections all very short with a beautiful philosophical sentence. This book left a scar on my soul that I'm proud of.
morganneva's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
giduso's review against another edition
4.0
Una trama in stile nordico che sembra più descrivere un sogno che la realtà. L'autrice si focalizza sui sentimenti, sulle sensazioni, lasciando un qualcosa di malinconico e delicato al lettore.
apoorvasr's review
4.0
Hotel Silence by Audur Ava Olafsdottir translated by Brian FitzGibbon. This book was a pleasant surprise from all the mainstream novels I have read recently. Written in sparse prose,this book finds the protagonist who is on the verge of suicide. Separated from his wife, and not sure about the identity of his daughter he books a one way ticket to war torn and decrepit Hotel Silence.
He finds himself only to be one of the 3 lodgers there and the hotel is fraught with plumbing and maintenance issues. Being a handyman by nature, he has his drill ready and his inherent nature to fix things. He slowly starts fixing stuff around the hotel and is considered indispensable. Survivors of the war are first skeptical about his true nature but soon consider him for fixing doors, and water pipes. The author has described war in how it affects daily existence.. Like a walk to the beach has to be careful to avoid hidden land mines.. how the soil has lost its capacity to yield vegetables.. how abandoned memories remain closed off in houses.. How some people are only looking to make profit off a war..How a child suffers PTSD and loses his hearing.. how life survives encompassing all pain..
"I have come all this way to kill myself. I can't explain to these people that I've come here with my toolbox to set up a hook, that I travel with my drill the way others travel with their toothbrush.''
By fixing things he fixes his damaged soul and we see how he recovers from his depression..
This is a wonderful story of how all hope is not lost even in the direst of the circumstances..
“My unhappiness is at best inane when compared to the ruins and dust that lie outside my window.”
He finds himself only to be one of the 3 lodgers there and the hotel is fraught with plumbing and maintenance issues. Being a handyman by nature, he has his drill ready and his inherent nature to fix things. He slowly starts fixing stuff around the hotel and is considered indispensable. Survivors of the war are first skeptical about his true nature but soon consider him for fixing doors, and water pipes. The author has described war in how it affects daily existence.. Like a walk to the beach has to be careful to avoid hidden land mines.. how the soil has lost its capacity to yield vegetables.. how abandoned memories remain closed off in houses.. How some people are only looking to make profit off a war..How a child suffers PTSD and loses his hearing.. how life survives encompassing all pain..
"I have come all this way to kill myself. I can't explain to these people that I've come here with my toolbox to set up a hook, that I travel with my drill the way others travel with their toothbrush.''
By fixing things he fixes his damaged soul and we see how he recovers from his depression..
This is a wonderful story of how all hope is not lost even in the direst of the circumstances..
“My unhappiness is at best inane when compared to the ruins and dust that lie outside my window.”
sanjastajdohar's review
5.0
The author's remarkable style of writing is evident in this novel, a story that is difficult, sad and controversial, but so human in all of it. This isn't a story you will forget fast.
readbymoony's review against another edition
3.0
Nie spodziewałam się tyle wątku wojennego, ale to akurat dodało coś niepowtarzalnego tej książce. Niektóre myśli były piękne i równie smutne. Tylko trzy gwiazdki, bo z powodów, których nie umiem zdefiniować jednak mnie trochę nudziła. Jednak polecam.
florigen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
clare_tan_wenhui's review
3.0
Tonally quirky like an odd mix of Taika Waititi's Jo Jo Rabbit with aspects of Yorgos Lanthimos and Wes Anderson, which makes the reading process enjoyable, this novella's existential and philosophical themes are not explored to an insightful extent as I'd anticipated.