Stephanie Jane recenzis The Hills Reply de Tarjei Vesaas
Hit and miss for me
3 steloj
Although described as a novel in the synopsis, The Hills Reply felt to me more like a short story collection or, rather, a collection of disconnected scenes because several of these sixteen vignettes don't have much in the way of a narrative thread. I absolutely loved three of the stories: As It Stands In The Memory, The Drifter And The Mirrors, and Washed Cheeks. Each has gorgeously poetic prose, vivid scenery and a narrative in which I could completely empathise with the characters. The three are very different in idea and tone, but I felt that each spoke to me on a deeply emotional level. I ended up with my three star rating because of their strengths. In fact it is fortunate that one was the first story and another comes earlier in the collection because otherwise The Hills Reply could easily, unfortunately, have been a DNF.
I understand that …
Although described as a novel in the synopsis, The Hills Reply felt to me more like a short story collection or, rather, a collection of disconnected scenes because several of these sixteen vignettes don't have much in the way of a narrative thread. I absolutely loved three of the stories: As It Stands In The Memory, The Drifter And The Mirrors, and Washed Cheeks. Each has gorgeously poetic prose, vivid scenery and a narrative in which I could completely empathise with the characters. The three are very different in idea and tone, but I felt that each spoke to me on a deeply emotional level. I ended up with my three star rating because of their strengths. In fact it is fortunate that one was the first story and another comes earlier in the collection because otherwise The Hills Reply could easily, unfortunately, have been a DNF.
I understand that The Hills Reply was Vesaas' last complete book and I did wonder if the esteem in which he was held clouded some editorial judgements! I was disappointed that alongside the previously mentioned glimpses of amazing writing there was plenty that I simply found impenetrable. Streams of words which gave me no clue to what Vesaas wanted to say or what his scenes were supposed to depict. It was like suddenly being faced with an untranslated story (or six) although I am confident I wasn't trying to read Norwegian! A hit and miss collection that sadly for me was heavier on the misses.