carbon_monoxide 's review for:

The Brothers Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren

4.5

adventurous emotional sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Good god rereading this as an adult was brutal. The Brothers Lionheart used to be my absolutely favourite Astrid Lindgren story when I was about 8 or 9 and I can still vividly remember the profound effect it had on me and how badly it made me cry, but I can also recal how exciting it was to get lost in Nangijala, how it taught me to be brave and how it shaped me into the person I am today. I think it's just one of those books that magically find you at the right time and leave and impression that will last well into adulthood. Still, at that time I don't think I truly grasped how dark and heartbreaking the story actually was. Despite it's heavy themes and overall dark tone (and the shocking "unhappy" ending) I think it's one of the most beautifully written children's novels of all time, delicately mixing grief, love, bravery and hope. 


p. s. "Oh, Nangilima! Yes, Jonatan, yes – I see the light! I see the light!" will never not make me weep like a little kid.