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jessijade's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It tells the story of 3 siblings who embark on an adventure to find out what has happened to their parents. The story is told by Peter, the youngest sibling, who has a unique outlook on life due to his unconventional upbringing. As Peter is a young boy, he tells the story with a great many tangents that all provide context for events that unfold later on.
Something to note is the text is translated from Danish, and so the humour woven into the story is rather atypical and may not resonate with some readers, but I definitely enjoyed it.
I found Peter's musings about life, adults, and the driving force behind people's actions to be fresh and thought-provoking. At the same time, the tone of the story felt very light-hearted and I never knew what to expect from the kids.
My only complaint would be that I felt the story could have been condensed a little. Near the end, I could start to predict the characters' reactions to certain situations. It did also seem a little unbelievable what the kids could get away with (without giving too much away), but I supposed that it was all in the fun of the story.
Overall, I was really taken in by the characters and I thought this was a great read.
Something to note is the text is translated from Danish, and so the humour woven into the story is rather atypical and may not resonate with some readers, but I definitely enjoyed it.
I found Peter's musings about life, adults, and the driving force behind people's actions to be fresh and thought-provoking. At the same time, the tone of the story felt very light-hearted and I never knew what to expect from the kids.
My only complaint would be that I felt the story could have been condensed a little. Near the end, I could start to predict the characters' reactions to certain situations. It did also seem a little unbelievable what the kids could get away with (without giving too much away), but I supposed that it was all in the fun of the story.
Overall, I was really taken in by the characters and I thought this was a great read.
mrblackbean11's review
2.0
I think I set my expectations too high for this book based on its description and title. I expected a book about circuses or about an odd family coping with unusual circumstances, and instead I found an unrealistic novel with a lot of loose ends. I was overall disappointed, and I would not recommend.
amalyndb's review
5.0
Some people are consumed and burdened by big issues. So are the parents of Peter Fino, the main character in this excellent novel from Peter Høeg.
Peter's father is a minister, and his mother an organist who tinkers with electronics. But they search for deeper meaning, and on their search they go astray from church doctrine and procedures - and then into trouble with the law.
So when they disappear, Peter and his sister are concerned - as are the authorities. Fearing being sent into foster care, Peter and Tilte begin to try to assemble clues to track down what their parents have been up to.
There is a philosophical / metaphysical musing throughout, between Peter and his sister Tilte, as well as internally by Peter, on a Door which exists within everyone that can potentiate deeper experiences. It can be skimmed over if desired without affecting the thread of the plot.
There is something mesmerizing and lyrical about Peter Høeg's prose, that I always wonder how much of it was original to his text in Danish versus imposed by translation. (Especially as the first time I read Smilla's Sense of Snow the rhythm of the text very much reminded of Jose Saramago's Blindness, which I also read from a translation.) But of the novels of his I have read, there have been multiple translators, so it seems an intrinsic part of his writing, which fortunately comes across beautifully when rendered into English.
Peter's father is a minister, and his mother an organist who tinkers with electronics. But they search for deeper meaning, and on their search they go astray from church doctrine and procedures - and then into trouble with the law.
So when they disappear, Peter and his sister are concerned - as are the authorities. Fearing being sent into foster care, Peter and Tilte begin to try to assemble clues to track down what their parents have been up to.
There is a philosophical / metaphysical musing throughout, between Peter and his sister Tilte, as well as internally by Peter, on a Door which exists within everyone that can potentiate deeper experiences. It can be skimmed over if desired without affecting the thread of the plot.
There is something mesmerizing and lyrical about Peter Høeg's prose, that I always wonder how much of it was original to his text in Danish versus imposed by translation. (Especially as the first time I read Smilla's Sense of Snow the rhythm of the text very much reminded of Jose Saramago's Blindness, which I also read from a translation.) But of the novels of his I have read, there have been multiple translators, so it seems an intrinsic part of his writing, which fortunately comes across beautifully when rendered into English.
cyndin's review
3.0
Strange story told from the point of view of a teenaged boy. It takes place in modern Denmark and involves a mystery (where did the boy's parents go and why are the police after the kids?) and increasingly bizarre scenarios with religious figures, authorities, and the nobility. All told in a very dense and pseudo-philosophical style that makes it hard to follow along. That being said, the story itself was compelling, in a way.
iluliaq's review against another edition
4.0
Peter Høeg constructs a story of three children on the fictional Danish island of Finø. The two brothers and sister one day find that their parents have disappeared and strike out to track them down while navigating through a collection of odd inhabitants of the island.
In classic Peter Høeg fashion, the story is often just a framework for digressions on life, relationships, and philosophy. For readers willing to travel slowly through the story, savoring the atmosphere and imagery, this book is a treat.
In classic Peter Høeg fashion, the story is often just a framework for digressions on life, relationships, and philosophy. For readers willing to travel slowly through the story, savoring the atmosphere and imagery, this book is a treat.
martinastanjur's review
4.0
Myslím, že konečně jsem schopna pojmenovat svůj problém s knihami Petera Høega. Ten problém se jmenuje Robert Novotný, překladatel. Nerada haním cizí práci, ale překlady jmen, místních názvů a jiných reálií mě od čtení neustále vyrušovaly.
hurjasusi's review against another edition
5.0
Wes Anderson would probably make a nice movie out of this book
findsarah's review
4.0
It's a shame. The translation is a little bit more clumsy than the smoothness of Smilla's.