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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
I read this book on recommendations. Everyone loved it. So I borrowed a copy and started reading. Unfortunately the copy I borrowed was in the original language, Norwegian, which I can read but I'm not particularly strong in it. That may be why my experience wasn't the same as the other ones. I can easily read plot-driven books about crimes in Norwegian but this book is just so slo and so full of descriptions of things that don't seem to matter at all that I got lost in the words. And the sentences ran so long that I wanted to say to Petterson the same as I often say to my students, "The periods don't cost a thing. Use them". I feel like I missed something - like the whole book. There must be something there that everyone lost and maybe I should read it again one day in translation. Maybe then I'll get what everyone's raving about.
I loved this book. I am so glad I happened upon it. A quick poetic read. I feel this is a book I will read many times thru out my life.
I've finally gotten my stack of books to be read down to three, with "Out Stealing Horses" included. I don't remember where I got the book, but I think it may have been a gift. No matter, since it had horses in it, I figured it wouldn't hurt taking up a space on my bookshelves.
But the problem is, I finally cracked the book open and read... and I really can't stand it.
Now, some people are really into the type of writing style that Petterson (as translated by Anne Born) uses, where the text is almost a stream of conscious thought (prose). I'm not one of those people. It's hard for me to follow along and in this case, there's flashbacks that take you from present to past and in doing so, causes confusion and disrupts the reader's understanding.
As I said, there are some out there that love that kind of writing style, and if you are one of them, check this book out and tell me what you think. But if you are like me, I would pass on this one. As is, I only got about 20 pages in. Maybe I quit too early, but in reading the book summary on the back cover, it sounds like there wasn't much more to the story than what I figured out in the first 20 pages.
For those that really want the summary: Trond Sander, an almost 70 year old man, helps his neighbor look for his lost dog in late one night. After moving out in the remote area, the sudden companionship of the neighbor throws Trond back into memories of his younger years with his mischievous friend Jon.
But the problem is, I finally cracked the book open and read... and I really can't stand it.
Now, some people are really into the type of writing style that Petterson (as translated by Anne Born) uses, where the text is almost a stream of conscious thought (prose). I'm not one of those people. It's hard for me to follow along and in this case, there's flashbacks that take you from present to past and in doing so, causes confusion and disrupts the reader's understanding.
As I said, there are some out there that love that kind of writing style, and if you are one of them, check this book out and tell me what you think. But if you are like me, I would pass on this one. As is, I only got about 20 pages in. Maybe I quit too early, but in reading the book summary on the back cover, it sounds like there wasn't much more to the story than what I figured out in the first 20 pages.
For those that really want the summary: Trond Sander, an almost 70 year old man, helps his neighbor look for his lost dog in late one night. After moving out in the remote area, the sudden companionship of the neighbor throws Trond back into memories of his younger years with his mischievous friend Jon.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
The book is very atmospheric. In a remote Norwegian village a man remembers about a summer he spent with his father.
This is a slow (not usually to my taste), wonderful, contemplative book. I have no idea why it so captured my attention, but it did, and I savored every bit of it (even though I kept falling asleep). Trond at 15 and Trond at 65 are both busy figuring out themselves and life in ways that I guess we all are.
A Norwegian award-winning book translated into English. It has that vague, spacey feeling some translations get. Beautifully told story. The ending left many questions unanswered, otherwise this would have been at least 4 or maybe 5 stars.
A slow but very atmospheric read. Would you want to try to relive your youth? Could you abandon your children and grandchildren to live a life of solitude? Trond's mental attitude seemed to be one of a much older person. He was only 67 but seemed to think himself much older.