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booksandquilts's review
lighthearted
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
3.5
jimfox14's review
5.0
Achingly good. Beautifully told with many layers of symbolism and narrative tautology (in a good way). Few books have left me quite so emotionally exhausted as this one.
kbeddes's review
2.0
It was interesting. It is a good understanding of Scandinavian immigrants and and interesting insight into the early Mormon doctrine. But it wasn't my favorite thing I have ever read.
jm5004's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book despite not feeling completely engaged by it. I sped through the final half but picked up interesting tidbits about both Icelandic and Mormon culture that were fascinating and cozy all at the same time. The main feature of the book is the juxtaposition of the unmoored and rudderless Icelandic peasantry enjoying small pleasures wherever they happen to find them, ultimately at peace with their humdrum lives and the engaged industriousness and serene earnestness of the Mormons in Utah. Laxness never follows through with full throated critique or apologia for any religion or culture or way of life which makes it read as very balanced and reasonable despite the obvious excentricities of the plot and setting. Rather he writes like a distant but intensely curious observer. I quite liked this book though would not consider it any great literary triumph. A solid three and a half stars, for sure.
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