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A review by rita42
Niels Lyhne by Jens Peter Jacobsen
5.0
Niels Lyhne is a book haunted by death.
The story follows a young poet, Niels Lyhne who passionately observes the world and the people in his life before he delves into himself, reflecting and dwelling on their motives and nature in order to transfer his thoughts into his writing. His convictions about the world are tested a number of times throughout the novel as he deals with rejection, loss, betrayal and numerous deaths...and it all culminates in the final chapters when his resolve almost fails and his character breaks.
Niels is deeply emotional. We often see him paralysed and helpless, sick with the feelings and emotions that reach deep within his soul weighing heavily on his mind and forcing him to take indefinite breaks from him work. But he is also rational to an extreme: he is an atheist in a time when it was near impossible to be one and he argues his stand on the subject beautifully and logically.
The words are so powerful, the description so alive that this book doesnt feel like a story but it is the living soul of Niels Lyhne, dripping with passion and emotion and struggling to make sense of the world. Shameful confessions and painful admission honestly and bluntly laid bare. I wish I read this novel years ago.
The story follows a young poet, Niels Lyhne who passionately observes the world and the people in his life before he delves into himself, reflecting and dwelling on their motives and nature in order to transfer his thoughts into his writing. His convictions about the world are tested a number of times throughout the novel as he deals with rejection, loss, betrayal and numerous deaths...and it all culminates in the final chapters when his resolve almost fails and his character breaks.
Niels is deeply emotional. We often see him paralysed and helpless, sick with the feelings and emotions that reach deep within his soul weighing heavily on his mind and forcing him to take indefinite breaks from him work. But he is also rational to an extreme: he is an atheist in a time when it was near impossible to be one and he argues his stand on the subject beautifully and logically.
The words are so powerful, the description so alive that this book doesnt feel like a story but it is the living soul of Niels Lyhne, dripping with passion and emotion and struggling to make sense of the world. Shameful confessions and painful admission honestly and bluntly laid bare. I wish I read this novel years ago.