Glowing reviews for Sjón

25. March, 2011

From the Mouth of the Whale by Sjón was recently published in Germany by S. Fischer Verlag. The first reviews are in.

The novel From the Mouth of the Whale (original: Rökkurbýsnir) by Sjón was recently published in Germany by S. Fischer Verlag, under the title Das Gleißen der Nacht. The reviews so far have been positive.

In the Sunday edition of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Tilmann Spreckelsen remarked: “If From the Mouth of the Whale by Sjón gives an accurate impression of Icelandic literature, we are in for a treat this autumn, when Iceland appears as guest of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair.”

On the Swiss radio station DRS 2's “Book of the Week” feature, the award-winning author Melinda Nadj Abonji discussed the work: “From the Mouth of the Whale is a hybrid construct, part-myth, part-novel. At times Sjón's style is realistic, at times full of magic, and he calls on techniques from the European avant-garde. The author paints a portrait of his home country that is both original and moving.”

The UK publisher Telegram Books will release an English translation of From the Mouth of the Whale in May.


Related content:

Author of the Month: Sjón


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