Animal Life
I liked Ólafsdóttir’s writing in Miss Iceland, and I was eager to read her newest novel, Animal Life. My expectations were high, of course. Although I liked the writing again, I didn’t quite feel the same for the whole novel.
Dómhildur is a midwife. She is from a family of midwives on her mother’s and a undertakers from her father’s side. Her deceased great-aunt was a midwife too. Now she lives in her old apartment. In the days before Christmas, when a terrible storm is approaching Reykjavík, she discovers a box with her letters and manuscripts. Dómhildur finds out a few things she didn’t know about her great-aunt.
There is little plot. The novel is mainly a reflection on midwifery, birth, life, death, light, and dark. Animal Life is a great tribute to one person’s life story. Although I felt the author opened too many themes. I expected this novel to be about birth and death, but it also covers themes like animal rights.
The writing is beautiful. Readers who enjoy reflecting novels and are interested in themes like those mentioned above could like this.
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| Goodreads |
- author: Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
- full title: Animal Life
- genre: literary fiction
- format/type: bookfiction
- country: #iceland
- topics: #birth, #life, #death, #light, #dark, #animalrights
- publisher: Grove Atlantic
- publish date: 6.12.2022
- pages: 192
My Rating of the Book:
- content: 💙💙💙.5
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