Knut Hamsun and Arnaldur Indridason

 

Since I am back at home, for the time being, it is nice to have time to read again. Here are a few short reviews of books I have read lately. 

The Draining Lage by Arnaldur Indridason

"Following an earthquake, the water level of an Icelandic lake suddenly falls, revealing a skeleton. Inspector Erlendur's investigation takes him back to the Cold War era, when bright, left-wing students in Iceland were sent to study in the "heavenly state" of Communist East Germany. Teeming with spies and informants, though, their "heavenly state" becomes a nightmare of betrayal and murder. Brilliantly weaving international espionage and a chilling cold case investigation, The Draining Lake is Arnaldur Indridason at his best." 

Another fascinating murder mystery for Inspector Erlendur. This time he has to deal with a story going back fifty years. Ever since his brother disappeared in the snow when they were kids, Erlendur has been fascinated by disappearance. Will these people ever be found? Or are most people who disappear found again? He, himself, is forever looking for some traces of his lost brother. Memories keep coming back, when someone finds a body in Kleifarvatn lake. It turns out it has been there for about fifty years and Erlendur starts looking for people who disappeared at the time. 

It is a fascinating story that takes us back to the 1960s, socialist fights and some young Icelandic people going to Communist DDR for studies, and indoctrination. One of the best stories from Indridason. He manages to give you an interesting story, as well as well built, interesting characters. A few characters are only there for the story to go forward, but even they are lingering in your mind as you read. It is so much more than just a thriller and Arnaldur Indridason is mastering it to perfection. It was published in 2004 (translated in 2008).

Svält (Sult, Hunger) by Knut Hamsun

Travelling in Norway I thought it interesting to read something from this country. Why not a classic, Knut Hamsun's Hunger. 

Knut Hamsun (1859 –1952) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He is considered to have influenced authors such as Thomas Mann, Franz Kafka, Maxim Gorky, Stefan Zweig, Henry Miller, Hermann Hesse, John Fante and Ernest Hemingway with his writing on "consciousness, subject, perspective and environment". Hunger was his first major work, published in 1890. I can imagine the stir it made at the time.

It is written in first person, and the man is walking around in Kristiania (Oslo) to try to find something to eat. He is a journalist/writer trying to produce something he can sell. It is said to be loosely based on Hamsun's own life as he lived an impoverished life before his breakthrough novel. We are overflowed by his own thoughts and ideas as he is restlessly wandering around in a frenzy as the hunger is making him weak. 

At the same time he is trying to uphold a sort of decency and is worrying about his worn out clothes, and being devastated when he has to sell his vest to get something to eat. It seems, without a vest, a man is not decently dressed. At the same time, as he manages to sell an article and receives money, he spent them quickly. Not only on himself. He is very generous and is giving money to beggers and others he finds along the way that need them more than him.

It is slightly a depressing read, although realistic in all its raw phases of what life can be. I felt myself somewhat irritated on the character, not being able to gather his acts, once he earned some money. Due to the hunger tearing in his stomach, he neither has the energi to work or concentrate. Thoughts are going back and forth, and we really are inside this man's head and follow him along his course as if we were there ourselves. A tough read, and we both pity and envy him. Why envy? Because, in all his misery he is true to himself.