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A review by lauraeydmann82
The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder
3.0
A festive book about a little Norwegian boy, Joachim, who discovers an unusual Advent Calendar in his local bookshop. The advent calendar has a little slip of paper behind each window, which tells the story of a little girl called Elisabet.
Elisabet is travelling through time and through the world back to Bethlehem and the birth of Christ, and picks up the 3 wise men, shepherds, angels, lambs and more on the way. Along the pilgrimage we find out about the different towns they travel through, and more about Jesus and Christianity.
This was a very festive Christmassy book, but a little bit too religious, I felt a bit preached at at times. I really like the idea behind the book, but I did get a little bored here and there. I am not sure if this is because it is a translation, but I found the writing a little dull sometimes. However, if you try not to take the religious aspect too seriously, it’s, in most places, quite a gripping read. I read Sophie’s World about 10 years ago and loved that, but this didn’t seem as good… (but then would Sophie’s World stand up to a second read for me now?)
The only thing that is slightly weird is the story of Elisabet herself. It’s a little dark, and I’m not sure what you are supposed to take from it… but I don’t want to ruin the story, so I’ll leave you to read it for yourself… definitely worth a read at this time of year.
Elisabet is travelling through time and through the world back to Bethlehem and the birth of Christ, and picks up the 3 wise men, shepherds, angels, lambs and more on the way. Along the pilgrimage we find out about the different towns they travel through, and more about Jesus and Christianity.
This was a very festive Christmassy book, but a little bit too religious, I felt a bit preached at at times. I really like the idea behind the book, but I did get a little bored here and there. I am not sure if this is because it is a translation, but I found the writing a little dull sometimes. However, if you try not to take the religious aspect too seriously, it’s, in most places, quite a gripping read. I read Sophie’s World about 10 years ago and loved that, but this didn’t seem as good… (but then would Sophie’s World stand up to a second read for me now?)
The only thing that is slightly weird is the story of Elisabet herself. It’s a little dark, and I’m not sure what you are supposed to take from it… but I don’t want to ruin the story, so I’ll leave you to read it for yourself… definitely worth a read at this time of year.