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Norma
Tras irrumpir en el panorama literario internacional con Purga, que vendió más de un millón de ejemplares en más de cuarenta países y recibió el aplauso unánime de los lectores y la crítica, además de numerosos premios y honores, Sofi Oksanen, una de las principales voces de la narrativa finlandesa actual, vuelve a sorprendernos con Norma, una novela intensa y asombrosa que combina con gran eficacia la intriga, el realismo mágico y la crítica social.
Cuando el cuerpo de Anita Ross es encontrado en el metro de Helsinki, todos los temores se confirman: la mujer acaba de tirarse a las vías. Pero Norma, su única hija, se muestra incrédula, ya que madre jamás la hubiera dejado sola con su secreto: sus cabellos viven, experimentan emociones, cobran impulso y crecen tan rápidamente que hay que cortarlos varias veces al día. Dispuesta a todo con tal de saber la verdad, la joven decide reconstruir los últimos días de su madre, ofreciéndose incluso en el salón de belleza donde ella trabajaba, uno más de los negocios de un clan que también trafica con vientres de alquiler. Acechada por el pasado y atrapada en una maraña de engaños y explotación, Norma deberá luchar por esclarecer los hechos y alcanzar la libertad.
Con una prosa imaginativa, sugerente y poética, Sofi Oksanen urde una trama inquietante sobre las redes mafiosas que se aprovechan de las mujeres, en una novela radicalmente original que va marcando su propio camino a medida que Norma Ross se sumerge en el pasado en busca de su futuro.
Cuando el cuerpo de Anita Ross es encontrado en el metro de Helsinki, todos los temores se confirman: la mujer acaba de tirarse a las vías. Pero Norma, su única hija, se muestra incrédula, ya que madre jamás la hubiera dejado sola con su secreto: sus cabellos viven, experimentan emociones, cobran impulso y crecen tan rápidamente que hay que cortarlos varias veces al día. Dispuesta a todo con tal de saber la verdad, la joven decide reconstruir los últimos días de su madre, ofreciéndose incluso en el salón de belleza donde ella trabajaba, uno más de los negocios de un clan que también trafica con vientres de alquiler. Acechada por el pasado y atrapada en una maraña de engaños y explotación, Norma deberá luchar por esclarecer los hechos y alcanzar la libertad.
Con una prosa imaginativa, sugerente y poética, Sofi Oksanen urde una trama inquietante sobre las redes mafiosas que se aprovechan de las mujeres, en una novela radicalmente original que va marcando su propio camino a medida que Norma Ross se sumerge en el pasado en busca de su futuro.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2015
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3452 people want to read
About the author
Sofi Oksanen
23 books1,158 followersSofi Oksanen was born in Finland to a Finnish father and an Estonian mother. In 2010 she won the Nordic Council's Literature Prize for her third novel (originally a play), Puhdistus (Purge).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 433 reviews
October 18, 2019
The novel opens at Norma’s mother’s funeral. A man rather rudely introduces himself to Norma as Max Lambert and claims to have been one of her mother’s old friends. Strangely, seeing as though Norma and her Mother were very close, Norma has never heard of him. He adds to the strangeness by handing Norma a card and saying to get in touch soon, they need to take care of the unpleasant business so Norma can get on with her life.
What unpleasant business? Norma is baffled and confused.
After speaking to her Aunty, Norma realises that Lambert is the family name of her mother’s best friend. It must have been the husband, but they had split up and Norma is certain that her mother would not have wanted him at the funeral.
We then meet two suspicious characters, Marion and Alvar, at the reception who seem to know a lot more about Anita, Norma’s mother, than anybody else. They both know Lambert, we later find he is their father, and he whispers to Marion at the service that everything is going to be fine and nobody could remember Helena. It’s obvious that there is a dark side to these three characters and the suspense and suspicion build.
To cut to the chase, this is a story about a daughter who does not believe her mother’s death is a suicide and that she was murdered. Norma decides to investigate. She finds a flash drive and a memory card which contain messages to Norma from her mother. Norma cannot possibly be prepared for what she is about to find. Interspersed between the chapters of the main narrative we watch, along with Norma, videos from Norma’s mother with information that becomes of vital importance to understanding the main narrative.
What makes this novel stand out from the rest is Norma’s hair. Yes, I did say hair. Norma has supernatural hair that grows at an alarming rate, but speed of growth is not the only attribute it possesses. It reacts to Norma’s mood, curling, tightening, and at times her hair will resemble the snakes on the gorgon’s head, writhing around with a mind of its own. It also enables her to sense people’s emotions which comes in handy when somebody is wishing her harm. Somehow in conjunction with her hair, Norma can smell and sense how a person is feeling. At one point in the book we even find out that she can sense if somebody is sick or has a disease. Know if somebody is going to die. The unfortunate people are surrounded by a black cloud, and upon seeing it, Norma becomes physically sick. It is quite a unique, and considering the narrative, significant magical addition to the story and a terrific idea.
While Norma investigates her mother’s death. We learn about the world of illegal hair trafficking. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it’s fascinating. After reading this novel I realised I was clueless about the hair industry and the lengths women will go to for the perfect hair.
About a third of the way into the novel the reader discovers that hair is not the only commodity being illegally trafficked. The novel turns to a darker side, into the world of black market baby trading. Rich opulent couples who, for whatever reason cannot have children of their own are offered, almost like a catalogue, designer babies. Both of these industries are run by the Lambert family, and as Norma’s amateur investigating starts to unearth clues, she also finds that she has unearthed more about the type of people the Lambert’s are, and that perhaps she has dug too deep and that her life is in danger.
As well as a cracking narrative, this is another of those books which explore issues such as exploitation and the degradation of life, the theft of dignity and free will. A life of imprisonment without walls. Whenever there is a demand for a product, there is bound to be people ready to take advantage of this demand at the expense of others. Both black markets in this novel involve the exploitation of women and Oksanen does a good job of getting this message across without shoving the facts down the readers throat, which normally produces an unfavourable reaction, and turns the reader away from an important message. Oksanen handles this issue delicately and skilfully. Adding to the narrative rather than losing the reader in aggressive diatribe. Oksanen uses a magical realism novel with an intriguing narrative, as a vehicle to alert the reader to the exploitation of these women.
I enjoyed this novel immensely. It’s well written, the narrative jumping back and forth from the present to the video’s made by Norma’s mother work together in tandem brilliantly to build the whole narrative. The information gleaned from a video comes at the right moment to fill a gap for the reader. The novel also seems to speed up and build in tension on the way to a climactic ending. Loved it. 4 Stars.
What unpleasant business? Norma is baffled and confused.
After speaking to her Aunty, Norma realises that Lambert is the family name of her mother’s best friend. It must have been the husband, but they had split up and Norma is certain that her mother would not have wanted him at the funeral.
We then meet two suspicious characters, Marion and Alvar, at the reception who seem to know a lot more about Anita, Norma’s mother, than anybody else. They both know Lambert, we later find he is their father, and he whispers to Marion at the service that everything is going to be fine and nobody could remember Helena. It’s obvious that there is a dark side to these three characters and the suspense and suspicion build.
To cut to the chase, this is a story about a daughter who does not believe her mother’s death is a suicide and that she was murdered. Norma decides to investigate. She finds a flash drive and a memory card which contain messages to Norma from her mother. Norma cannot possibly be prepared for what she is about to find. Interspersed between the chapters of the main narrative we watch, along with Norma, videos from Norma’s mother with information that becomes of vital importance to understanding the main narrative.
What makes this novel stand out from the rest is Norma’s hair. Yes, I did say hair. Norma has supernatural hair that grows at an alarming rate, but speed of growth is not the only attribute it possesses. It reacts to Norma’s mood, curling, tightening, and at times her hair will resemble the snakes on the gorgon’s head, writhing around with a mind of its own. It also enables her to sense people’s emotions which comes in handy when somebody is wishing her harm. Somehow in conjunction with her hair, Norma can smell and sense how a person is feeling. At one point in the book we even find out that she can sense if somebody is sick or has a disease. Know if somebody is going to die. The unfortunate people are surrounded by a black cloud, and upon seeing it, Norma becomes physically sick. It is quite a unique, and considering the narrative, significant magical addition to the story and a terrific idea.
While Norma investigates her mother’s death. We learn about the world of illegal hair trafficking. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it’s fascinating. After reading this novel I realised I was clueless about the hair industry and the lengths women will go to for the perfect hair.
About a third of the way into the novel the reader discovers that hair is not the only commodity being illegally trafficked. The novel turns to a darker side, into the world of black market baby trading. Rich opulent couples who, for whatever reason cannot have children of their own are offered, almost like a catalogue, designer babies. Both of these industries are run by the Lambert family, and as Norma’s amateur investigating starts to unearth clues, she also finds that she has unearthed more about the type of people the Lambert’s are, and that perhaps she has dug too deep and that her life is in danger.
As well as a cracking narrative, this is another of those books which explore issues such as exploitation and the degradation of life, the theft of dignity and free will. A life of imprisonment without walls. Whenever there is a demand for a product, there is bound to be people ready to take advantage of this demand at the expense of others. Both black markets in this novel involve the exploitation of women and Oksanen does a good job of getting this message across without shoving the facts down the readers throat, which normally produces an unfavourable reaction, and turns the reader away from an important message. Oksanen handles this issue delicately and skilfully. Adding to the narrative rather than losing the reader in aggressive diatribe. Oksanen uses a magical realism novel with an intriguing narrative, as a vehicle to alert the reader to the exploitation of these women.
I enjoyed this novel immensely. It’s well written, the narrative jumping back and forth from the present to the video’s made by Norma’s mother work together in tandem brilliantly to build the whole narrative. The information gleaned from a video comes at the right moment to fill a gap for the reader. The novel also seems to speed up and build in tension on the way to a climactic ending. Loved it. 4 Stars.
July 2, 2023
2.5 stars
DNF at circa 50%
This is the second novel from Finnish superstar author Sofi Oksanen that I've tried...and DNFed. The other one, Purge I only got about 30 pages into. This one I at least managed half of.
Reading "Norma" is like looking into an antique mirror that age has severely dulled and spotted. Everything is lackluster, foggy - if not totally opaque - and somehow ghostly disassociated from what it's reflecting.
This feeling is created by ...
1) the main characters -members of the same family - being presented all at the same time without any solid way to anchor them in your mind. It takes about 100 pages to work out who everybody is.
That's a beginner writing mistake, and since Oksanen isn't a beginner, I assume she wants us confused for some reason.
2) the secret mafiosi machinations of the family seem far too melodramatic for what they're actually into - the trafficking of HAIR (and running a surrogate mother agency)- or Oksanen simply fails to convincingly show us how high the stakes actually are.
If she wanted us to worry, she'd have shown us concrete danger, but she doesn't.
She shows us the constant, opaque disaster paranoia of the female characters who ASSUME murderers are lurking under every hairbrush. It's tiring and since none of the male characters seem very concerned, it's hard to not see the women as headless Chicken Littles.
3) the character of Norma is inconsistent and oddly bland, despite her magic hair (the coolest thing about the novel). She's so cardboard and it's hard to be interested in anything that happens to her, or if she ever finds out what happened to her mother.
This is the impression at the mid-way point of the novel. What happens after, idk, I was too disinterested to continue.
Oksanen's overall point with the novel is the farming of women's bodies for (largely male) profit.
Excellent topic and the bones of a really good story are there...but as it stands,"Norma" is done in too much of a round about, confused and oddly lackluster "dull mirror" way to make an impact.
Not recommended.
DNF at circa 50%
This is the second novel from Finnish superstar author Sofi Oksanen that I've tried...and DNFed. The other one, Purge I only got about 30 pages into. This one I at least managed half of.
Reading "Norma" is like looking into an antique mirror that age has severely dulled and spotted. Everything is lackluster, foggy - if not totally opaque - and somehow ghostly disassociated from what it's reflecting.
This feeling is created by ...
1) the main characters -members of the same family - being presented all at the same time without any solid way to anchor them in your mind. It takes about 100 pages to work out who everybody is.
That's a beginner writing mistake, and since Oksanen isn't a beginner, I assume she wants us confused for some reason.
2) the secret mafiosi machinations of the family seem far too melodramatic for what they're actually into - the trafficking of HAIR (and running a surrogate mother agency)- or Oksanen simply fails to convincingly show us how high the stakes actually are.
If she wanted us to worry, she'd have shown us concrete danger, but she doesn't.
She shows us the constant, opaque disaster paranoia of the female characters who ASSUME murderers are lurking under every hairbrush. It's tiring and since none of the male characters seem very concerned, it's hard to not see the women as headless Chicken Littles.
3) the character of Norma is inconsistent and oddly bland, despite her magic hair (the coolest thing about the novel). She's so cardboard and it's hard to be interested in anything that happens to her, or if she ever finds out what happened to her mother.
This is the impression at the mid-way point of the novel. What happens after, idk, I was too disinterested to continue.
Oksanen's overall point with the novel is the farming of women's bodies for (largely male) profit.
Excellent topic and the bones of a really good story are there...but as it stands,"Norma" is done in too much of a round about, confused and oddly lackluster "dull mirror" way to make an impact.
Not recommended.
April 4, 2017
Qual é a ligação entre mulheres cujos cabelos crescem quilómetros por hora e outras que estão no negócio das barrigas de aluguer? Como cada vez que pego no livro me ponho a matutar porque raio compro e leio estes livros, não consigo concentrar-me para tirar qualquer conclusão. O melhor é desistir e dedicar-me a coisas menos cabeludas…
November 3, 2023
Página 80 abandono. Demasiado movimiento y trama para mí gusto. Tampoco entiendo bien el propósito de la autora que parece jugar con la realidad y la ficción en la narración. No he logrado integrarme en la historia a pesar de percibir cierto simbolismo en la parte inicial. No me veía con fuerzas para leer 350 páginas con ese desánimo.
Le doy dos ** porque tras el exitazo de de Purga, valoro el intento de S. Oksanen de no repetir ese patrón de novela una y otra vez e intenta hacer cosas nuevas, en este caso algo de mucho riesgo.
Le doy dos ** porque tras el exitazo de de Purga, valoro el intento de S. Oksanen de no repetir ese patrón de novela una y otra vez e intenta hacer cosas nuevas, en este caso algo de mucho riesgo.
December 21, 2015
Norma in an interesting mixture of social awareness, fantasy, and detective novel from the (internationally) brightest star of the Finnish literary field, Sofi Oksanen. Through its structure, some fairly good characters, and a well defined style, the novel is fairly easy to read despite its dark topical undertows.
Norma tries to cope with the death of her mother by sticking to the usual day rhythm. However, with her release from her job, mysterious abilities, and faces from the past returning, this seems like an almost impossible task. Instead of normality, she ends up investigating her mother's death, only to find her mother's connection to international human trafficking, which might have been the reason for her demise.
This fairly standard story line is boosted by Norma's nature. She is attuned to hair more than your average person, for example, she can tell a lot about a person through their hair, but also her own grows a meter a day. Norma soon finds out that she would be an invaluable resource in the hair business of today, a real catch for the people who own the hair salon her mother used to work in.
Oksanen writes in short sections that are descriptive, but effective. While she has a penchant for adding more and more details in attempt to both give a full-out description and to get the reader committed, she also manages to tie the strands of Finnish and international, contemporary and historical fairly well together. The revelations offer a realistic, yet dystopian world in which the pull of Norma as a character and the overall style keep the reader interested.
Norma tries to cope with the death of her mother by sticking to the usual day rhythm. However, with her release from her job, mysterious abilities, and faces from the past returning, this seems like an almost impossible task. Instead of normality, she ends up investigating her mother's death, only to find her mother's connection to international human trafficking, which might have been the reason for her demise.
This fairly standard story line is boosted by Norma's nature. She is attuned to hair more than your average person, for example, she can tell a lot about a person through their hair, but also her own grows a meter a day. Norma soon finds out that she would be an invaluable resource in the hair business of today, a real catch for the people who own the hair salon her mother used to work in.
Oksanen writes in short sections that are descriptive, but effective. While she has a penchant for adding more and more details in attempt to both give a full-out description and to get the reader committed, she also manages to tie the strands of Finnish and international, contemporary and historical fairly well together. The revelations offer a realistic, yet dystopian world in which the pull of Norma as a character and the overall style keep the reader interested.
December 28, 2015
Sorry to say, but I was disappointed. The story line was confusing, and the style and intensity varied alot and not intentionally. Please read and check if you get the same feeling and share my view. I hope you get more out of this book.
December 15, 2017
4 stars.
This is my first from Oksanen. 4 stars
In the core of the book there is a girl (Norma) whose hair has magic abilities. It grows really fast and she can sense other people's mental states with it. The story begins when the Norma's mother dies and she is left alone to uncover all the things that she has been hiding from her.
First when I read the synopsis I thought this book won't be up my alley. I had the preconception that it'll be like that Disney movie Tangled. But boy, I was wrong. The story quickly escalated into a quirky crime novel lacking cliches and delivering a nice mix of reality and magic.
There was a lot of skipping back and forward in time, sometimes it got a bit confusing for a few pages but the things that were not explained always got cleared up one or two chapters later. I think this way of writing made the story truly special, one could always feel like Norma, desperately trying to fit the pieces together.
I especially loved the characters in the book, each one of them had a personality that shone through the pages, making the story feel real despite the magical elements.
I'll definitely read more from Oksanen, this was a very well written and fast paced blend of mystery - magical realism.
This is my first from Oksanen. 4 stars
In the core of the book there is a girl (Norma) whose hair has magic abilities. It grows really fast and she can sense other people's mental states with it. The story begins when the Norma's mother dies and she is left alone to uncover all the things that she has been hiding from her.
First when I read the synopsis I thought this book won't be up my alley. I had the preconception that it'll be like that Disney movie Tangled. But boy, I was wrong. The story quickly escalated into a quirky crime novel lacking cliches and delivering a nice mix of reality and magic.
There was a lot of skipping back and forward in time, sometimes it got a bit confusing for a few pages but the things that were not explained always got cleared up one or two chapters later. I think this way of writing made the story truly special, one could always feel like Norma, desperately trying to fit the pieces together.
I especially loved the characters in the book, each one of them had a personality that shone through the pages, making the story feel real despite the magical elements.
I'll definitely read more from Oksanen, this was a very well written and fast paced blend of mystery - magical realism.
July 31, 2019
Mana pirmā Oksanena, un visdrīzāk arī pēdējā.
Grāmatu iesākot, baidījos, ka nu būs kārtējais sēru gabals par mātes un meitas attiecībām, bet pēc kādā 50lpp stāstam pievienojās "Finnish Weird" elements, un skaistuma biznesa nežēlīgās aizkulises aizrāva. Diemžēl bez spriedzes par matu kariem un izīrētajām dzemdēm nekādas citas vērtības grāmatai nav. Beigas arī diezgan nekādas. Varēja būt ļoti labi - kaut kas uz Sinisalo pusi, bet šķita nenopulēts.
Grāmatu iesākot, baidījos, ka nu būs kārtējais sēru gabals par mātes un meitas attiecībām, bet pēc kādā 50lpp stāstam pievienojās "Finnish Weird" elements, un skaistuma biznesa nežēlīgās aizkulises aizrāva. Diemžēl bez spriedzes par matu kariem un izīrētajām dzemdēm nekādas citas vērtības grāmatai nav. Beigas arī diezgan nekādas. Varēja būt ļoti labi - kaut kas uz Sinisalo pusi, bet šķita nenopulēts.
November 15, 2020
Lo único que no me ha gustado es que no hay una clara delimitación entre la acción o pensamiento de un personaje y esto me confundió bastante ,por lo que aún ahora no estoy clara con los sucesos. Supongo que fue hecho con toda intención,ya que le viene bien a esta historia, que es a partes iguales espeluznante y mágica.
January 16, 2021
I read "Norma" in the 2016 Estonian translation as it is still several months before the English translation Norma will be released in September 2017. It is possible that I may have missed some subtleties from the Finnish to Estonian edition but it is unlikely that the English will be any more satisfactory.
I suppose partly my disappointment is that this is not the finale of the "Estonian Quartet" (to conclude the 4-part cycle begun by "Stalin's Cows", "Purge" and "When the Doves Disappeared"], but is instead a sidestep to produce a stand alone novel. The marketing led me to a further disappointment as the Estonian cover
(which is identical to the German one,
) seems to hint at some sort of exotic early 20C Mata-Hari type related story. A plot with spies and secrets wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility following "Purge" and "Doves." Oksanen's own publicity photos for the 2015 Finnish release also seemed to hint at Belle Epoque & Fin de Siecle timing. You can probably still see them at her press agent Salomonsson Agency (they are the ones with the fan).
Instead we get a current day hair salon fronting for a family criminal conspiracy and a woman whose superpower is her hair (which grows a metre a day, and can also sense people's health and aura)? I could have even rolled with that magic realist element as well, but unfortunately there was a lack of drama and suspense for most of the book. And the ending just seemed to fall flat and actually felt inexplicable. It is hard to be more specific without major spoilers, but basically it didn't feel like the right ending. When the setup is the investigation of someone's suicide under questionable circumstances you would normally expect a related conclusion.
There is an explanation for the cover which becomes evident in the flashback stories interspersed in the book when Norma is investigating her mother's suicide. The photo is meant to represent Eva, an ancestor of Norma's who immigrated to America with her lover, who was a photographer. To raise much needed money they collaborated in the risqué postcard market with Eva posing anonymously with her face hidden.
That flashback story of titillation, along with the present-day story of the hair-extension black market (Is there actually such as thing? I am out of my element here.) and illegal surrogacy does provide the overall plot arc of the exploitation of women's bodies and parts. I just wish that it had all made more sense and evoked more emotion.
Trivia
There are occasional references in the book to Finnish or Finnish-related history such as the Finnish Civil War and the Calumet Massacre which an international audience would likely have to look up. The Calumet Massacre took place in Calumet, Michigan, USA in 1913 and the Finnish tie-in is that many immigrant Finns went to live and work in the mines there. During a miner's strike there was a workers' Christmas Eve party at the local Italian Hall where a false cry of "Fire!" (rumoured to have been yelled by a strikebreaker agent) caused a human stampede which killed 73 people, many of them children. Folk singer Woody Guthrie wrote his 1913 Massacre song about the tragedy and Bob Dylan wrote his Song to Woody (1961) using Guthrie's melody.
I suppose partly my disappointment is that this is not the finale of the "Estonian Quartet" (to conclude the 4-part cycle begun by "Stalin's Cows", "Purge" and "When the Doves Disappeared"], but is instead a sidestep to produce a stand alone novel. The marketing led me to a further disappointment as the Estonian cover
(which is identical to the German one,
) seems to hint at some sort of exotic early 20C Mata-Hari type related story. A plot with spies and secrets wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility following "Purge" and "Doves." Oksanen's own publicity photos for the 2015 Finnish release also seemed to hint at Belle Epoque & Fin de Siecle timing. You can probably still see them at her press agent Salomonsson Agency (they are the ones with the fan).Instead we get a current day hair salon fronting for a family criminal conspiracy and a woman whose superpower is her hair (which grows a metre a day, and can also sense people's health and aura)? I could have even rolled with that magic realist element as well, but unfortunately there was a lack of drama and suspense for most of the book. And the ending just seemed to fall flat and actually felt inexplicable. It is hard to be more specific without major spoilers, but basically it didn't feel like the right ending. When the setup is the investigation of someone's suicide under questionable circumstances you would normally expect a related conclusion.
There is an explanation for the cover which becomes evident in the flashback stories interspersed in the book when Norma is investigating her mother's suicide. The photo is meant to represent Eva, an ancestor of Norma's who immigrated to America with her lover, who was a photographer. To raise much needed money they collaborated in the risqué postcard market with Eva posing anonymously with her face hidden.
That flashback story of titillation, along with the present-day story of the hair-extension black market (Is there actually such as thing? I am out of my element here.) and illegal surrogacy does provide the overall plot arc of the exploitation of women's bodies and parts. I just wish that it had all made more sense and evoked more emotion.
Trivia
There are occasional references in the book to Finnish or Finnish-related history such as the Finnish Civil War and the Calumet Massacre which an international audience would likely have to look up. The Calumet Massacre took place in Calumet, Michigan, USA in 1913 and the Finnish tie-in is that many immigrant Finns went to live and work in the mines there. During a miner's strike there was a workers' Christmas Eve party at the local Italian Hall where a false cry of "Fire!" (rumoured to have been yelled by a strikebreaker agent) caused a human stampede which killed 73 people, many of them children. Folk singer Woody Guthrie wrote his 1913 Massacre song about the tragedy and Bob Dylan wrote his Song to Woody (1961) using Guthrie's melody.
December 20, 2017
So this didn't turn out to be the book I expected - totally my fault as I it was a cover buy and I only read the first few sentences before buying it. This left me happily surprised by the fact that our main character had magic hair, or something along that lines. What I wasn't happy about was that it turned out to be a mystery written in a style of mystery writing I don't particularly like.
The book had a lot of interesting aspects and the story is interesting, though for me it dragged in the middle and got more and more confusing towards the end.
I would have enjoyed it more if it had been a little more fast paced, but that is me, who hardly ever reads mysteries.
The book had a lot of interesting aspects and the story is interesting, though for me it dragged in the middle and got more and more confusing towards the end.
I would have enjoyed it more if it had been a little more fast paced, but that is me, who hardly ever reads mysteries.
October 1, 2018
3,5 * για να είμαι ακριβής.
Για να είμαι ειλικρινής, αγόρασα το βιβλίο γιατί μου άρεσε το εξώφυλλο και το λίγο που διάβασα από την υπόθεση στο οπισθόφυλλο, χωρίς ωστόσο να δώσω μεγάλη βάση.
Η ιστορία λοιπόν, αφορά σε μια 30χρονη της οποίας ξαφνικά η μητέρα αυτοκτονεί. Έτσι, ξεκινά η περιπέτεια της πρωταγωνίστριας για να μάθει τι (ή ποιος) οδήγησε τη μητέρα της στην αυτοκτονία, μαθαίνοντας όμως παράλληλα πολλά πράγματα για το παρελθόν της οικογένειάς της και μπλέκοντας με επικίνδυνους ανθρώπους. Το κλου της υπόθεσης όμως είναι πως η πρωταγωνίστριά μας δεν είναι μια απλή και καθημερινή γυναίκα, αλλά συμβαίνει κάτι μαγικό και ιδιαίτερο με τα μαλλιά της!
Η γραφή της Oksanen ήταν πολύ καλή, μου κράτησε το ενδιαφέρον μέχρι τέλους. Η ιστορία επίσης μου φάνηκε αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα και κάπως παραμυθένια, συνδυάζοντας όμως και στοιχεία αστυνομικού μυθιστορήματος και μυστηρίου. Παρ'όλα αυτά, νομίζω πως η συγγραφέας δεν εμβάθυνε πολύ στους χαρακτήρες και ειδικά στη Νόρμα, την οποία βρήκα πολύ άνευρη και υποτονική. Επίσης, το τέλος δε μου άρεσε τόσο, αλλά πιστεύω ότι ήταν ταιριαστό με τη μαγική "αύρα" της ιστορίας.
3 αστεράκια λοιπόν για το βιβλίο, με το μισό παραπάνω να μπαίνει για το γράψιμο της Oksanen, το οποίο ήταν πραγματικά καλό!
Για να είμαι ειλικρινής, αγόρασα το βιβλίο γιατί μου άρεσε το εξώφυλλο και το λίγο που διάβασα από την υπόθεση στο οπισθόφυλλο, χωρίς ωστόσο να δώσω μεγάλη βάση.
Η ιστορία λοιπόν, αφορά σε μια 30χρονη της οποίας ξαφνικά η μητέρα αυτοκτονεί. Έτσι, ξεκινά η περιπέτεια της πρωταγωνίστριας για να μάθει τι (ή ποιος) οδήγησε τη μητέρα της στην αυτοκτονία, μαθαίνοντας όμως παράλληλα πολλά πράγματα για το παρελθόν της οικογένειάς της και μπλέκοντας με επικίνδυνους ανθρώπους. Το κλου της υπόθεσης όμως είναι πως η πρωταγωνίστριά μας δεν είναι μια απλή και καθημερινή γυναίκα, αλλά συμβαίνει κάτι μαγικό και ιδιαίτερο με τα μαλλιά της!
Η γραφή της Oksanen ήταν πολύ καλή, μου κράτησε το ενδιαφέρον μέχρι τέλους. Η ιστορία επίσης μου φάνηκε αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα και κάπως παραμυθένια, συνδυάζοντας όμως και στοιχεία αστυνομικού μυθιστορήματος και μυστηρίου. Παρ'όλα αυτά, νομίζω πως η συγγραφέας δεν εμβάθυνε πολύ στους χαρακτήρες και ειδικά στη Νόρμα, την οποία βρήκα πολύ άνευρη και υποτονική. Επίσης, το τέλος δε μου άρεσε τόσο, αλλά πιστεύω ότι ήταν ταιριαστό με τη μαγική "αύρα" της ιστορίας.
3 αστεράκια λοιπόν για το βιβλίο, με το μισό παραπάνω να μπαίνει για το γράψιμο της Oksanen, το οποίο ήταν πραγματικά καλό!
December 3, 2017
No voi kamalaa, en tiedä mitä tästä sanoisin.
Olen lukenut Sofi Oksaselta vain Puhdistus-kirjan. Se oli huikea ja Oksasen täytyy olla spesiaali - kirjailijana ja ihmisenä.
Norma ei ollut kovin spesiaali. Paitsi aiheeltaan: hiuslisäkebisnes?? What?? Ja hiukset, jotka ovat ensimmäinen aisti??? No ehkä Sofi Oksasella on siitä kokemusta...
Alku ei vastannut laatustandardeja. Ajattelin, että vain ★ mutta sitten alkoi löytyä tuttua vihaa vääryyden ja vähemmistöjen puolesta. Ja tarina, joka pikkaisen kiinnosti. Joten annoin ☆☆☆.
Uskon ja toivon, että tämä oli suuren kirjailijan pakollinen väliteos ja tästä seuraa jotain suurempaa.
Olen lukenut Sofi Oksaselta vain Puhdistus-kirjan. Se oli huikea ja Oksasen täytyy olla spesiaali - kirjailijana ja ihmisenä.
Norma ei ollut kovin spesiaali. Paitsi aiheeltaan: hiuslisäkebisnes?? What?? Ja hiukset, jotka ovat ensimmäinen aisti??? No ehkä Sofi Oksasella on siitä kokemusta...
Alku ei vastannut laatustandardeja. Ajattelin, että vain ★ mutta sitten alkoi löytyä tuttua vihaa vääryyden ja vähemmistöjen puolesta. Ja tarina, joka pikkaisen kiinnosti. Joten annoin ☆☆☆.
Uskon ja toivon, että tämä oli suuren kirjailijan pakollinen väliteos ja tästä seuraa jotain suurempaa.
November 26, 2017
rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair.
«норма» – роман про жінку з непокірним волоссям. у неї є особливість, яка може бути суперсилою (якщо ви й так належите до сильніших світу цього) чи проблемою (в решті випадків). і, звісно, у норми – другий варіант.
навіть коли софі оксанен пише магічний реалізм, він у неї виходить дуже соціальний. фантастичні елементи увиразнюють те, що в цьому світі небезпечне, а не відволікають від нього. бо, справді, реальність усе-таки страшніша.
«норма» – роман про жінку з непокірним волоссям. у неї є особливість, яка може бути суперсилою (якщо ви й так належите до сильніших світу цього) чи проблемою (в решті випадків). і, звісно, у норми – другий варіант.
навіть коли софі оксанен пише магічний реалізм, він у неї виходить дуже соціальний. фантастичні елементи увиразнюють те, що в цьому світі небезпечне, а не відволікають від нього. бо, справді, реальність усе-таки страшніша.
May 10, 2023
Η Νόρμα, μια κοπέλα όχι άνω των τριάντα, πολύ δεμένη με την μητέρα της λόγω του μυστικού που μοιράζονται και ολότελα ξένη στην ομαλή κοινωνική ζωή λόγω αυτού, έχει γεννηθεί με ορισμένα χαρίσματα που μόνο η Ανίτα τα γνωρίζει. Όταν όμως η Ανίτα αυτοκτονεί και κληροδοτεί τα χρέη της στην κόρη της, η Νόρμα δυσκολεύεται να ανταπεξέλθει. Καλείται να κρύψει μόνη της το μυστικό το δικό της και της μητέρας της, ενώ παράλληλα γνωρίζει την πραγματική Ανίτα μέσα από μια σειρά μαγνητοσκοπήσεων στις οποίες αφηγείται την ιστορία της. Εξαιτίας της βρίσκεται τώρα μπλεγμένη σ’ ένα δίκτυο λαθρεμπορίας μαλλιών και εμβρύων, στρυμωγμένη απ’ αυτούς που κινούν τα νήματα της συμμορίας, με τον χρόνο να κυλάει εναντίον της.
Οι Φινλανδοί συγγραφείς έχουν, γενικώς, πολύ παράξενες ιδέες. Η Σόφι Όξανεν με την «Νόρμα» παρουσιάζει μια από τις πιο πετυχημένες που έχω διαβάσει, και με στοιχεία, όπως το διεθνές λαθρεμπόριο μαλλιών και εμβρύων, με τα οποία δεν είχα ξανάρθει σε επαφή. Κάποιες από τις λεπτομέρειες που αναφέρονται είναι αρκετά ανατριχιαστικές, κι ας καλύπτονται, υποτίθεται, από μια πολύ ωραία, κάπως αποστασιοποιημένη και κάπως ειρωνική γραφή, που διακριτικά καυτηριάζει και κρίνει και δικάζει. Το στοιχείο του μαγικού ρεαλισμού δένει πολύ όμορφα με την πραγματικότητα της ιστορίας, και αλαφραίνει πετυχημένα το γενικότερο κλίμα απελπισίας που χρωματίζει ολόκληρο το κείμενο.
Θα ήθελα στο τέλος να μάθαινα περισσότερα για την τύχη ορισμένων χαρακτήρων, ιδίως της Νόρμα και της Μάριον, αλλά αυτό ήταν το μόνο που μου έλειψε. Ενώ μου αρέσουν τα ανοιχτά τέλη, εδώ θα ήθελα μια πιο συγκεκριμένη κατακλείδα (μάλλον επειδή δέθηκα με τα κορίτσια). Σίγουρα θα ψάχνω ενεργά την Σόφι Όξανεν στο μέλλον.
Οι Φινλανδοί συγγραφείς έχουν, γενικώς, πολύ παράξενες ιδέες. Η Σόφι Όξανεν με την «Νόρμα» παρουσιάζει μια από τις πιο πετυχημένες που έχω διαβάσει, και με στοιχεία, όπως το διεθνές λαθρεμπόριο μαλλιών και εμβρύων, με τα οποία δεν είχα ξανάρθει σε επαφή. Κάποιες από τις λεπτομέρειες που αναφέρονται είναι αρκετά ανατριχιαστικές, κι ας καλύπτονται, υποτίθεται, από μια πολύ ωραία, κάπως αποστασιοποιημένη και κάπως ειρωνική γραφή, που διακριτικά καυτηριάζει και κρίνει και δικάζει. Το στοιχείο του μαγικού ρεαλισμού δένει πολύ όμορφα με την πραγματικότητα της ιστορίας, και αλαφραίνει πετυχημένα το γενικότερο κλίμα απελπισίας που χρωματίζει ολόκληρο το κείμενο.
Θα ήθελα στο τέλος να μάθαινα περισσότερα για την τύχη ορισμένων χαρακτήρων, ιδίως της Νόρμα και της Μάριον, αλλά αυτό ήταν το μόνο που μου έλειψε. Ενώ μου αρέσουν τα ανοιχτά τέλη, εδώ θα ήθελα μια πιο συγκεκριμένη κατακλείδα (μάλλον επειδή δέθηκα με τα κορίτσια). Σίγουρα θα ψάχνω ενεργά την Σόφι Όξανεν στο μέλλον.
March 4, 2016
"Se joka hallitsee unelmia, hallitsee maailmaa. Se joka hallitsee hiuksia, hallitsee naisia. Se joka hallitsee heidän lisääntymiskykyään, hallitsee myös miehiä. Se joka pitää naiset tyytyväisinä, tyydyttää miehetkin ja se joka tohtoroi hius- ja vauvakuumeisia ihmisiä on heidän kuninkaansa."
Sofi Oksasen uutuus on todella haastava. Tuntuu, että meinaa tippua kärryiltä ellei keskity tarpeeksi lukemiseen. Koin tämän teoksen kannanottona. Normasta tulee mieleen normit. Mikä on yleisesti hyväksyttävää ja mikä ei. Onko kaikki myytävänä kunhan hinnasta sovitaan? Ja kun puhutaan hiuksista (koska genrehän oli maaginen realismi?) niin halutaan(ko) kertoa jostain muusta:
"Se joka hallitsee hiuksia, hallitsee naisia."
"Hiuksesi olivat vahvistumassa ja ne olivat alkaneet osoittaa omaa tahtoaan."
"ja nirhit hiuksisasi poikki. Sakset olivat aina unohtuneet kotiin."
Koin tämän kauniiksi, koska kirjaa pystyy tulkitsemaan niin monella eri tavalla. Kirjailijan muuhun tuotantoon verrattuna tästä puuttuu juonessa se punainen lanka. Ehkä se oli tarkoitus. Jokainen näkee tässä sen mitä haluaa nähdä. Pitäisi varmaan lukea joskus tulevaisuudessa uudestaan.
Mielestäni huippua, että Sofi Oksanen on lähtenyt kokeilemaan jotain uutta.
3/5
Sofi Oksasen uutuus on todella haastava. Tuntuu, että meinaa tippua kärryiltä ellei keskity tarpeeksi lukemiseen. Koin tämän teoksen kannanottona. Normasta tulee mieleen normit. Mikä on yleisesti hyväksyttävää ja mikä ei. Onko kaikki myytävänä kunhan hinnasta sovitaan? Ja kun puhutaan hiuksista (koska genrehän oli maaginen realismi?) niin halutaan(ko) kertoa jostain muusta:
"Se joka hallitsee hiuksia, hallitsee naisia."
"Hiuksesi olivat vahvistumassa ja ne olivat alkaneet osoittaa omaa tahtoaan."
"ja nirhit hiuksisasi poikki. Sakset olivat aina unohtuneet kotiin."
Koin tämän kauniiksi, koska kirjaa pystyy tulkitsemaan niin monella eri tavalla. Kirjailijan muuhun tuotantoon verrattuna tästä puuttuu juonessa se punainen lanka. Ehkä se oli tarkoitus. Jokainen näkee tässä sen mitä haluaa nähdä. Pitäisi varmaan lukea joskus tulevaisuudessa uudestaan.
Mielestäni huippua, että Sofi Oksanen on lähtenyt kokeilemaan jotain uutta.
3/5
May 24, 2017
Tarina oli äärimmäisen nopea lukuinen ja sen fantasialla maustettuun realismiin koukuttui melkeinpä huomaamatta. Vaikka Sofin vaikuttava kirjoitustyyli puri jälleen, en syttynyt tarinaan oikeastaan missään vaiheessa, vaan enemmäkin janosin tietää mitä näin erikoisella kirjalla tavoiteltiin ja mikä sen sanoma tulisi olemaan. Juoneen kuului rikollisuutta, rakkautta, kummallista pimeää bisnestä naisten hiuksilla ja kohduilla sekä yliluonnollisia voimia. Sanomaksi taisi jäädä, että naisten kroppa on rahastettavia varaosia täynnä ja miehet käärivät niillä isot pennoset. Todella hyvät ainekset siis erityiselle ja mieleenpainuvalle teokselle, joka sitten kuitenkin epäonnistui hätkäyttämään millään tavalla. Juonessa oli kaikenlaisia erikoisia piirteitä, mutta tuntui, että tässä oli laitettu mutkia suoraksi ja potentiaali jäi hyödyntämättä. Raivostuttavinta oli henkilöhahmojen jääminen hyvin yksiulotteisiksi. Kuka Alvar ja mitkä motiivit? Miksi kirja loppui niinkuin loppui ja mitähän helvettiä tässä edes tapahtui?
Kirja olisi voinut olla hyvinkin karmiva ja hiuksiin kietoutunut fantasia todella kiehtova. Jotain jäi vain puolitiehen.
Kirja olisi voinut olla hyvinkin karmiva ja hiuksiin kietoutunut fantasia todella kiehtova. Jotain jäi vain puolitiehen.
July 11, 2018
Espero que esta seja das poucas vezes em que venho aqui escrever que não gostei nada de um livro. Norma ganhou o Prémio Femina, o Prémio Europeu de Melhor Romance e o Prémio Nórdico da Academia Sueca, mas eu achei-o uma verdadeira confusão.
Norma, adulta na casa dos 30, perde a mãe, que se suicida aparentemente sem motivo numa linha de metro. A relação delas era muito próxima, reforçada pela característica invulgar dos cabelos de Norma, que crescem a um ritmo assustador e que lhe permitem prever algumas coisas. Após a morte da mãe, Norma decide empregar-se no cabeleireiro onde a mãe trabalhava, e aqui se começa a desvendar um negócio de extensões de cabelo e de barrigas de aluguer. Pode parecer estranho mas é mesmo assim, e isto envolvendo uma data de personagens que tive dificuldade em ligar entre si.
Li algures que alguém teve de fazer um esquema para perceber as relações na história. Talvez eu devesse ter feito o mesmo. Mas, mesmo assim, desconfio de que não gostaria.
Norma, adulta na casa dos 30, perde a mãe, que se suicida aparentemente sem motivo numa linha de metro. A relação delas era muito próxima, reforçada pela característica invulgar dos cabelos de Norma, que crescem a um ritmo assustador e que lhe permitem prever algumas coisas. Após a morte da mãe, Norma decide empregar-se no cabeleireiro onde a mãe trabalhava, e aqui se começa a desvendar um negócio de extensões de cabelo e de barrigas de aluguer. Pode parecer estranho mas é mesmo assim, e isto envolvendo uma data de personagens que tive dificuldade em ligar entre si.
Li algures que alguém teve de fazer um esquema para perceber as relações na história. Talvez eu devesse ter feito o mesmo. Mas, mesmo assim, desconfio de que não gostaria.
October 5, 2017
Painfully endured this to the end. So many characters but very few developed to a point where you might give a hoot about them, nor did most of them add much to the plot lines. l kept hoping something would get neatly resolved, but neither clarity over mom's suicide nor destiny of the surrogate business emerged. Not so, at least to my satisfaction.
July 29, 2018
Eksperyment Oksanen w postaci napisania książki komercyjnie chwytliwej, w postaci miszmaszu powieści sensacyjnej z realizmem magicznym wyjątkowo nieudany. Książka jest stratą czasu, mówię to z pełnym przekonaniem.
November 15, 2017
2.5-3 stars stars. Interesting, and weird.... A main character with magical, constantly growing hair that reacts to lies, moods, threats. References to Rapunzel. Major, worldwide market in hair, and in surrogacy/baby farms. This, pretty much sums up the author's central point of this story: "....He who controls dreams, controls the world. He who controls hair, controls women. He who controls women's reproduction, controls men. He who keeps women satisfied, also satisfies men, and he who seduces people with fever dreams of hair and babies is their king."
The main character, Norma, keeps a low profile as no one but her mother knows about her hair's properties. Problem is, her mother committed suicide recently and much of the book is about the main character trying to figure out why, while also becoming enmeshed with a major player and his children in the hair and baby markets.
Though a quick read, I am not really sure that I totally understood all the action happening in this story. I also found the resolution of the story too abrupt; where Norma and her foes/allies ended up, physically and emotionally, didn't work for me.
The main character, Norma, keeps a low profile as no one but her mother knows about her hair's properties. Problem is, her mother committed suicide recently and much of the book is about the main character trying to figure out why, while also becoming enmeshed with a major player and his children in the hair and baby markets.
Though a quick read, I am not really sure that I totally understood all the action happening in this story. I also found the resolution of the story too abrupt; where Norma and her foes/allies ended up, physically and emotionally, didn't work for me.
March 7, 2017
All I really have to say is that I can't believe that Sofi Oksanen actually wrote this. I'll say the book itself was okay, but I have so much higher expectations for the author. I didn't really get the "magical realism" thing. It showed only in one thing really and in my opinion it was quite stupid. It wasn't exciting and it just left me "really - why - please stop" feelings. But anyhow, I'd say that you won't miss a thing if you choose not to read this point.
September 21, 2021
Ένα βιβλίο που συνδυάζει λαθρεμπόριο μαλλιών (!!!), παράνομες υιοθεσίες, τη φιλανδική μαφία (που μοιάζει είναι η αλήθεια κάπως ερασιτεχνική), μια αυτοκτονία ή πιθανόν δολοφονία, κομμωτήρια και ένα κορίτσι με μαγικά μαλλιά που μένει τραγικά ανεκμετάλλευτο από τη συγγραφέα. Στο μεγαλύτερο μέρος του βιβλίου δεν καταλάβαινα τι γινόταν ούτε και με ενδιέφερε ιδιαίτερα.
April 10, 2016
Norma oli ihan hyvä, mutta ei muuta. Eniten siitä tuli dekkariviboja, mielestäni se paljon puhuttu maaginen realismi tuli vain esille epätavallisen tukan muodossa, kirjoitustyylissä se ei näkynyt toisin kuin vaikka Murakamilla. Tärkeistä aiheistahan Oksanen kirjoittaa, hiusten, kohtujen, naisten myynnistä. Kirjoitustyyli ei vaan vedä puoleensa ainakaan minua. Tässä kirjassa häiritsi myös vahvasti se, että puhuttiin hulluudesta, ja viitattiin skitsofreniaan ja päihderiippuvuuteen, mutta lopussa jäi kuitenkin epäselväksi, oliko harhat vain osa tätä hiusten magiaa jonka ulkopuoliset leimasivat hulluudeksi. Ihan jees, mutta ei herättänyt tämän vahvempia tunteita.
March 15, 2021
Este livro é estranho e algo confuso. Norma está no funeral da mãe e é abordada por um desconhecido que lhe parece agressivo e intimidador. Foge e ficamos a saber que há algo de estranho nela: o cabelo cresce incontrolavelmente e reage ao que a rodeia. Também as suas capacidades olfativas lhe mostram aspetos escondidos no que a rodeia. Despedida do emprego por incapacidade e desleixo, logo se emprega no cabeleireiro onde a sua mãe, Anita, trabalhara com uma prima. E logo se vê rodeada por gente e atividades estranhas, ao mesmo tempo que descobre segredos de sua mãe: uns vídeos escondidos com declarações e segredos bizarros, histórias de família e outras figuras reais com questões capilares semelhantes. Há também a história das duas irmãs e da sua fuga aos pais, da sua vida na Suécia, discriminadas por serem finlandesas, alguns aspetos sobre a história da Finlândia (de que eu pouco ou nada sabia e que fui investigar).
Perseguida para desvendar o misterioso contacto ucraniano que fornecia cabelo de luxo à sua mãe, logo descobrimos que esse cabelo é apenas o de Norma, cortado todos os dias e sempre em crescimento. Aprendi o que é cabelo Remy e como as extensões de cabelo são importantes na vida de muitas mulheres e como propiciam negócios chorudos.
Em seguida, começam a desvendar-se também os mistérios de uma rede de barrigas de aluguer, com mulheres forçadas a trabalhar, na Geórgia, Ucrânia, Nigéria e Vietname.
Norma sente que outros mistérios familiares se entrelaçam com tudo isto: a bisavó Eva, desaparecida algures na América e que posava para fotos eróticas, a tia Helena, internada numa instituição psiquiátrica e que fala com a voz de Eva, o papel de Marion, a solícita prime, e seu irmão, Alvar, cujo cheiro não indicia nada de perigoso.
Como irá Norma conseguir escapar a uma morte semelhante à da mãe, perseguida em todos os lados? Aqui, as coisas tornam-se confusas e li o final várias vezes sem ficar mais elucidada. Há algo de onírico e irreal, como se acompanhássemos alguém medicado... O que fica é a citação de Anita em que se refere que a mulher, apesar de ter os mesmos direitos e oportunidades, ainda assim, não guarda os lucros a que dá origem, sendo explorada; oferece mão de obra, rosto, cabelos, úteros, seios, e ainda são os homens que embolsam os lucros porque fazem a gestão, possuem ou compram imediatamente todos os negócios que possam ter sucesso. A mulher em geral está dependente e é sacrificada aos interesses de todos, mesmo quando as coisas lhe dizem respeito, como a maternidade e os cuidados de beleza. Este livro toca em assuntos importantes, mas em grande confusão, como um cabelo pouco dócil. Foi interessante lê-lo, mas confuso. Toca, de facto, em aspetos importantes sobre a vida das mulheres, mas como no meio de uma grande névoa.
Perseguida para desvendar o misterioso contacto ucraniano que fornecia cabelo de luxo à sua mãe, logo descobrimos que esse cabelo é apenas o de Norma, cortado todos os dias e sempre em crescimento. Aprendi o que é cabelo Remy e como as extensões de cabelo são importantes na vida de muitas mulheres e como propiciam negócios chorudos.
Em seguida, começam a desvendar-se também os mistérios de uma rede de barrigas de aluguer, com mulheres forçadas a trabalhar, na Geórgia, Ucrânia, Nigéria e Vietname.
Norma sente que outros mistérios familiares se entrelaçam com tudo isto: a bisavó Eva, desaparecida algures na América e que posava para fotos eróticas, a tia Helena, internada numa instituição psiquiátrica e que fala com a voz de Eva, o papel de Marion, a solícita prime, e seu irmão, Alvar, cujo cheiro não indicia nada de perigoso.
Como irá Norma conseguir escapar a uma morte semelhante à da mãe, perseguida em todos os lados? Aqui, as coisas tornam-se confusas e li o final várias vezes sem ficar mais elucidada. Há algo de onírico e irreal, como se acompanhássemos alguém medicado... O que fica é a citação de Anita em que se refere que a mulher, apesar de ter os mesmos direitos e oportunidades, ainda assim, não guarda os lucros a que dá origem, sendo explorada; oferece mão de obra, rosto, cabelos, úteros, seios, e ainda são os homens que embolsam os lucros porque fazem a gestão, possuem ou compram imediatamente todos os negócios que possam ter sucesso. A mulher em geral está dependente e é sacrificada aos interesses de todos, mesmo quando as coisas lhe dizem respeito, como a maternidade e os cuidados de beleza. Este livro toca em assuntos importantes, mas em grande confusão, como um cabelo pouco dócil. Foi interessante lê-lo, mas confuso. Toca, de facto, em aspetos importantes sobre a vida das mulheres, mas como no meio de uma grande névoa.
February 4, 2020
Šajā romānā ir ārkārtīgi daudz iesaistīto un pieminēto personu. Sākumā apmaldījos, pēc tam pierakstīju tēlus un to saiknes un jau sāku orientēties. Kopumā es kā lasītāja bieži biju apjukusi un sadusmojusies par to, ka nesaprotu sižeta attīstības virzienu vai samezglojumus. Un te nebija runa par kaut kādu intrigu, ko autors rada lasītājam, bet gan par dīvainiem maznozīmīgiem iespraudumiem.
Īsāk sakot: šajā grāmatā vīlos, bet neizslēdzu dot iespēju citām Oksanenas grāmatām, ja tādas gadīsies man pa rokai, jo šī esot atšķirīga no citām.
Plašāk blogā: http://lalksne.blogspot.com/2020/02/s...
Īsāk sakot: šajā grāmatā vīlos, bet neizslēdzu dot iespēju citām Oksanenas grāmatām, ja tādas gadīsies man pa rokai, jo šī esot atšķirīga no citām.
Plašāk blogā: http://lalksne.blogspot.com/2020/02/s...
September 1, 2019
Nä, detta var ingenting för mig. Ambitiöst men så rörigt och så mycket folk.
October 28, 2018
This book was sent to me by the publisher for my honest review.
You know when you read a synopsis and you kind of have an idea of where the book will take you before you even start? This was not one of those books. For the life of me I was not expecting black market hair trading, surrogacy farms and abduction.
Norma has this magical hair but this is not a magical tale. This is a dark book and a lot all of the characters are well and truly fecked. Essentially it is about the Mafia and the Mafia are in hair trade. This isn’t light hearted, fairytale fluffy, rather, brutal and twisted. Women are abducted and forced into surrogacy farms, or killed. Norma finds herself in a very dangerous situation, especially considering her magical hair.
At the books conclusion I wanted to scream at Norma to run. Change your identity, go off the grid, just get the hell out of that situation. I think beyond the ending the book provided Norma probably ends up being killed. Just my opinion, but I can’t see her living out her years in peace.
This wasn’t a bad book by any means but it wasn’t what I was expecting either. Maybe if I had looked at some reviews prior to reading I would have know what I was in for but I always prefer to go into a book without any preconceived notions drawn from other peoples points of view. It will definitely keep you turning the page to find out what happens that’s for sure.
Oh and side note the cover is amazing!
You know when you read a synopsis and you kind of have an idea of where the book will take you before you even start? This was not one of those books. For the life of me I was not expecting black market hair trading, surrogacy farms and abduction.
Norma has this magical hair but this is not a magical tale. This is a dark book and a lot all of the characters are well and truly fecked. Essentially it is about the Mafia and the Mafia are in hair trade. This isn’t light hearted, fairytale fluffy, rather, brutal and twisted. Women are abducted and forced into surrogacy farms, or killed. Norma finds herself in a very dangerous situation, especially considering her magical hair.
At the books conclusion I wanted to scream at Norma to run. Change your identity, go off the grid, just get the hell out of that situation. I think beyond the ending the book provided Norma probably ends up being killed. Just my opinion, but I can’t see her living out her years in peace.
This wasn’t a bad book by any means but it wasn’t what I was expecting either. Maybe if I had looked at some reviews prior to reading I would have know what I was in for but I always prefer to go into a book without any preconceived notions drawn from other peoples points of view. It will definitely keep you turning the page to find out what happens that’s for sure.
Oh and side note the cover is amazing!
December 6, 2020
Es el segundo libro que leo de Sofi Oksanen, el primero fue “Purga” una historia impactante y muy bien escrita por lo que cuando se presentó la oportunidad de este, no lo dudé.
No se parece en nada a Purga, lo que para mi la hace más interesante ya que no repite, al contrario, escribe otra temática completamente diferente y resulta muy interesante.
La sinopsis habla de realismo mágico, puede ser, pero si es que determinadas situaciones se pueden englobar en este estilo lo están muy bien ya que el realismo mágico no es una de mis lecturas preferidas y aquí no me ha molestado nada y lo ha integrado como una parte natural de la historia.
Norma, la protagonista, intenta entender el fallecimiento de su madre despues de haberse tirado a las vías del metro. Para ello se introduce en el trabajo de su madre y va descubriendo que en realidad se dedica, la empresa, a temas tan actuales como la subrogación de vientres de alquiler, la compraventa de niños recien nacidos y la tapadera es una peluquería que es especialista en extensiones capilares con cabello natural y con gran éxito.
La historia de Norma y sus ancestros está muy bien narrada, como va descubriendo a los capos del clan, los intentos de alejarse de algo que a ella le produce rechazo y que de alguna manera se ve implicada.
Muy interesante.
No se parece en nada a Purga, lo que para mi la hace más interesante ya que no repite, al contrario, escribe otra temática completamente diferente y resulta muy interesante.
La sinopsis habla de realismo mágico, puede ser, pero si es que determinadas situaciones se pueden englobar en este estilo lo están muy bien ya que el realismo mágico no es una de mis lecturas preferidas y aquí no me ha molestado nada y lo ha integrado como una parte natural de la historia.
Norma, la protagonista, intenta entender el fallecimiento de su madre despues de haberse tirado a las vías del metro. Para ello se introduce en el trabajo de su madre y va descubriendo que en realidad se dedica, la empresa, a temas tan actuales como la subrogación de vientres de alquiler, la compraventa de niños recien nacidos y la tapadera es una peluquería que es especialista en extensiones capilares con cabello natural y con gran éxito.
La historia de Norma y sus ancestros está muy bien narrada, como va descubriendo a los capos del clan, los intentos de alejarse de algo que a ella le produce rechazo y que de alguna manera se ve implicada.
Muy interesante.
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