This review is part of the Literature World Tour.
The thing that obsessed me most when reading this novel set in Iceland, Haldor Laxness's The Fish Can Sing, was how to pronounce the Icelandic ð.
Set in the area of Brekkukot at the turn of the twentieth century, the story is told in the first person by Álfgrímur, who was raised by an elderly couple he considers his grandparents. Iceland — at this time — is still part of Denmark, and Álfgrímur frequently comes into contact with the Danes as well as social-climbing townsfolk who don't seem to fit in very well with his family life.
His family consists of his grandparents and a motley crew of long- and short-term residents at Brekkukot who live in very close quarters. All Álfgrímur wants to be is a fisherman like his grandfather, who would rather he went to school to study instead.
Álfgrímur's life starts to change when he meets Garðar Holm, Iceland's most famous export. The town is always filled with excitement whenever Holm is rumoured to return from singing abroad, but Holm manages to evade the obligation to perform when in Reykjavík. Álfgrímur, on the other hand, discovers that there is more to life (and Iceland) than fishing and being the poor cousin to Denmark.
I found this novel hard to read. Far from being a negative thing, I believe The Fish Can Sing serves to highlight the difficulty I have with reading (translated) fiction about places where I have very little knowledge — be it historical, political or cultural. It has, however, encouraged me to try and learn more about Iceland's historical and social development without consulting a crime novel.
Next in Iceland: Kim Sheridan reviews Arctic Chill
Next stop on the Literature World Tour: Ireland!
