A review by moonpix
Winter's Tales by Isak Dinesen

5.0

I have a slight preference for Dinesen’s more fantastical Seven Gothic Tales, but this collection is almost as good. The more grounded approach here also allows for many profound descriptions of landscape and place, often very specific to Denmark and its history. But while grounded, these stories are still far from mundane: they overflow with dreams. The collection is bookended by two shorter stories that directly address the act of creation and the role of art, a theme implicit in the remaining stories, where characters are both empowered and endangered by their imaginations. Written during Nazi occupation, Demark’s history and the ability of its people to continue dreaming becomes a powerful statement against repression.