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ingvilds's review against another edition
3.0
Nok et eksempel på en bok jeg til tider fikk lyst til å gi fem stjerner, fordi Petterson er dyktig og klarer å skape helt spesielle stemninger og beskrive det som er vanskelig å beskrive på en slik måte at man blir følelsesmessig engasjert. Men det er flere irritasjonsmomenter som ødelegger for meg: Overflødige ord og setninger som bryter opp stemningen, små ting som trenger å bli tatt hånd om som blir glemt, tidvis kronglete etablering og inkonsistenser som kunne ha funka om de ble brukt bevisst, men det virker ikke som de ble det. Det er så synd, for jeg tenker at det er ganske enkle grep som skal til for å forbedre dette. Jeg synes også et par av hendelsene i andre del virket unødvendige og at tidligere etablerte konflikter heller kunne blitt tatt bedre hånd om.
gregtcohen's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
choochewtoy's review against another edition
4.0
Not so much a story as a book length picture that you find in the bottom of a second-hand dresser that makes you feel nostalgic for a past life you never took part in.
moirastone's review against another edition
2.0
Underwhelming. I can see the craft and care with which it was written, but I found that I did not in fact care all that much.
sloatsj's review against another edition
3.0
This is a strong narrative and as smoothly written as a rolling, snowy landscape. The protaganist, Trond, moves to a cabin in the woods to be alone and reflect on his life after retiring and losing his wife and sister.
The action and ruminations of the book center on a summer Trond spent with his father, a summer that brought them close together, but that ended with his father abandoning him. This rejection has left a lifelong scar on Trond. The more I think about it, the more unforgivable I find it, in fact, and my sympathy for Trond increases. There is nothing insurmountable that prevented the father from having a relationship with his son (as far as I can see), still the father just “opts out.” Trond’s late-life move out to the woods seems a subconscious attempt to repeat his father’s behavior.
I found the narrative voice interesting. It worked well for the most part. There is a lot of Trond explaining what he’s doing, or his dog, or where objects lie, or if the sun is up or down. In a way this helps to make the narrative feel natural; on the other hand, I found it sometimes monotonous:
“I open my eyes. My head feels heavy on the pillow. I have been asleep. I raise my hand and look and my watch. Only half an hour, but it is unusual. After all, I had only just got up, and late too. Was I so worn out? It’s broad daylight outside. I sit up with a jerk as I swing my legs over the edge of the bed….” Etc.
Because his father’s abandonment involved a woman, Trond also carries some baggage in the female department, and he is inclined to resent women. He looks down on his mother (who, in the end, is also the abandoned one), and doesn’t tell his daughters where he’s moved, saying in fact that he hadn’t given them much thought. This exchange near the end of the book pretty much sums it up:
“Are you cold?” my mother said. “There’s a scarf in the bag you can have. It’s not a lady’s scarf or anything, so you needn’t be ashamed.”
“No, I’m not cold,” I said, and heard an impatient and irritated edge in my voice. I have been criticised for that later in life, by women especially, and that is because it is women I have used it against. I admit it.”
This was a really good, even tender, read if sometimes slow-moving. The landscape is alive and breathing, the plot is interesting, and the voice is convincing.
The action and ruminations of the book center on a summer Trond spent with his father, a summer that brought them close together, but that ended with his father abandoning him. This rejection has left a lifelong scar on Trond. The more I think about it, the more unforgivable I find it, in fact, and my sympathy for Trond increases. There is nothing insurmountable that prevented the father from having a relationship with his son (as far as I can see), still the father just “opts out.” Trond’s late-life move out to the woods seems a subconscious attempt to repeat his father’s behavior.
I found the narrative voice interesting. It worked well for the most part. There is a lot of Trond explaining what he’s doing, or his dog, or where objects lie, or if the sun is up or down. In a way this helps to make the narrative feel natural; on the other hand, I found it sometimes monotonous:
“I open my eyes. My head feels heavy on the pillow. I have been asleep. I raise my hand and look and my watch. Only half an hour, but it is unusual. After all, I had only just got up, and late too. Was I so worn out? It’s broad daylight outside. I sit up with a jerk as I swing my legs over the edge of the bed….” Etc.
Because his father’s abandonment involved a woman, Trond also carries some baggage in the female department, and he is inclined to resent women. He looks down on his mother (who, in the end, is also the abandoned one), and doesn’t tell his daughters where he’s moved, saying in fact that he hadn’t given them much thought. This exchange near the end of the book pretty much sums it up:
“Are you cold?” my mother said. “There’s a scarf in the bag you can have. It’s not a lady’s scarf or anything, so you needn’t be ashamed.”
“No, I’m not cold,” I said, and heard an impatient and irritated edge in my voice. I have been criticised for that later in life, by women especially, and that is because it is women I have used it against. I admit it.”
This was a really good, even tender, read if sometimes slow-moving. The landscape is alive and breathing, the plot is interesting, and the voice is convincing.
astridthesock's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
eisneun's review against another edition
3.0
Despite giving it only three stars, I did really like this book, especially the first 75% or so. As I continued past that mark, noticing fewer and fewer pages remaining, I began to think of how Petterson was going to wrap up this wonderful story in a satisfying manner.
Alas, the last part of the book was not what I was expecting -- in a bad way. I couldn't help comparing this novel to Norwegian Wood: both have a large gap in the main character's life after a traumatic event, almost completely devoid of details, yet for some reason Murakami pulls this off with Toru, and Petterson doesn't with Trond, in my opinion. The ending of Norwegian Wood is ambiguous, but there are only so many scenarios that would work for how his life turned out in the present. Trond's life is a black hole between the present and past; for all I know, he ran away and joined a circus, enlisted in the French Foreign Legion, then got a degree in Astrophysics from Oxford. The story became two bookends with no books in between.
Alas, the last part of the book was not what I was expecting -- in a bad way. I couldn't help comparing this novel to Norwegian Wood: both have a large gap in the main character's life after a traumatic event, almost completely devoid of details, yet for some reason Murakami pulls this off with Toru, and Petterson doesn't with Trond, in my opinion. The ending of Norwegian Wood is ambiguous, but there are only so many scenarios that would work for how his life turned out in the present. Trond's life is a black hole between the present and past; for all I know, he ran away and joined a circus, enlisted in the French Foreign Legion, then got a degree in Astrophysics from Oxford. The story became two bookends with no books in between.
knitwgrace's review
2.0
I picked up this book at Borders because of the incredible reviews it received. I had extremely high hopes...that were not met. I really feel like I must have missed something?. The writing was good, but not a whole lot happened. Maybe I missed the significance of it all??? Off to read some other reviews.