Reviews

Long Live the Post Horn! by Vigdis Hjorth

caropullen's review

5.0

When I was about 15 I had a penpal called Jean-Paul who lived in Newcastle. I have no idea how we came to be penpals. I think he might have been my friend’s penpal but she passed him on to me because we liked the same bands.
We wrote eachother very intense letters about the meaning of various Suede songs as well as all the various hardships we were going through as serious and awkward teenagers. Anyway letters are great and this book reminded me of all of this. Can’t wait to start Is Mother Dead.

anxiousbookclub's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

viridiantre's review

4.0

i was bored for like 10 mins only and that's rare i really enjoyed it

dkllr's review against another edition

4.0

“I knew now that no one is insignificant and that every one of us must choose whether to build civilisation or the opposite, let the world fall apart, and that even the smallest things present each of us with a challenge.” 

Experiencing Ellinor’s “unrequited love affair with life” at times felt slow and at others seemed excessive, but it still managed to be confronting all the same. In the area of self-knowledge, Hjorth has definitely given me food for thought, and by compelling me to look up her distinctly Norwegian references, she has taught me a bit about Norway (and its postal service) along the way.

_gnocchi's review against another edition

3.5

Whilst this was a bit slow at first, I was really captured by the sharp and witty writing. It has some interesting thoughts on existential crises and self-reflection, and I loved the communal feeling of the postal workers. I will definitely pick up some of Hjorth’s other work in the future.

eggliott's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

renee_like_hurray's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective medium-paced

4.5

This takes you on an impressive journey, given how short the novel is. Strangely captivating and beautiful.

hazel_amazel's review

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

clearly_eend's review against another edition

5.0

Peaking into the introspective story of a PR consultant working for a Post and Communications Union in order to fight a new postal directive bound to ruin many workers' lives doesn't sound like the most exciting story. (Or does it?) Regardless of that, I devoured the book and needless to say, I loved every inch of Ellinor's road to realising, understanding and working on her apathy towards life.

"I could try to imagine what it might be like to be anyone. But how could I really know what that was like when I had huge problems understanding myself, when I didn't even know myself properly, when I wasn't even on first-name terms with myself, so to speak? But what if, it occurred to me, the path to knowing myself went through others? I could try to empathise with other people for no other reason than because we shared the human condition. Because others might share my struggle and they might be able to help me."

n_o's review against another edition

inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0