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A Postcard for Annie
“Jessen's writing is graceful, unhurried, convincing.” —Kirkus Reviews
Ida Jessen follows the inner lives of several women on the brink, or the sidelines, of catastrophe in this prize-winning collection of stories
Written with the same narrative generosity, the same belief in the dignity and voice of her characters as Marilynne Robinson
From the winner of the Lifetime Award from the Danish Arts Foundation and the 2017 Critics’ Choice Award, Ida Jessen’s A Postcard for Annie traces the tangled emotional lives of women facing moral dilemmas.
A young woman witnesses a terrible accident with unexpected consequences, a mother sits with her unconscious son in a hospital room, a pair of sisters remember their mother’s hands braiding their hair.
In seaside tourist villages and in snowy cities, turbulence destabilizes composed lives, whether through outright violence between strangers or habitual domination between loved ones.
Jessen fills each story with bracing passages that teem with the living world, only to become concentrated in the unfixed, vacillating matter of a human psyche caught between silence and speech, paralysis and action.
Ida Jessen follows the inner lives of several women on the brink, or the sidelines, of catastrophe in this prize-winning collection of stories
Written with the same narrative generosity, the same belief in the dignity and voice of her characters as Marilynne Robinson
From the winner of the Lifetime Award from the Danish Arts Foundation and the 2017 Critics’ Choice Award, Ida Jessen’s A Postcard for Annie traces the tangled emotional lives of women facing moral dilemmas.
A young woman witnesses a terrible accident with unexpected consequences, a mother sits with her unconscious son in a hospital room, a pair of sisters remember their mother’s hands braiding their hair.
In seaside tourist villages and in snowy cities, turbulence destabilizes composed lives, whether through outright violence between strangers or habitual domination between loved ones.
Jessen fills each story with bracing passages that teem with the living world, only to become concentrated in the unfixed, vacillating matter of a human psyche caught between silence and speech, paralysis and action.
207 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
13 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
About the author
Ida Jessen
85 books89 followersIda Jessen, Danish author. Born 1964 in Sønderjylland. She holds an M.A. in History of Literature and Communication from Århus University 1990. Ida Jessen made her literary debut in 1989 with the collection of short stories Under sten (Under Stones) and has since then written a number of novels and short stories for both children and adults. Since 1995 she has lived on Sealand. Jessen has translated a number of novels also for young adults from Norwegian and English to Danish, amongst others novels by Lars Saabye Christensen and Karin Fossum.
Ida Jessen has been awarded a long list of prizes and awards for her work: The Danish Art Foundation (several times), The Danish Arts Council (several times), Gyldendal’s Book Grant, The Egholt Prize, The Albert Dam Grant, The Holger Drachmann Grant, The Jytte Borberg Prize and BG Bank’s Literature Prize to name but a few.
In April 2009 Ida Jessen was awarded the prestigeous Søren Gyldendal-Prize. Since 1958, on Søren Gyldendal’s birthday the 12th of April, the Prize has been awarded an author with a strong and distinctive work of creation. In the justification is said: Through gentle descriptions of atmosphere and conflicts and with a firm grip on the Danish language Ida Jessen shows great insight in modern individuals. Along with the honour Ida Jessen receives 200.000 Dkr.
In January 2010 Ida Jessen was awarded The Golden Laurels 2009 for her latest novel, Børnene (the Children). This is the biggest and most significant prize awarded by the Danish booksellers which also has an important impact on the Danish market.
Ida Jessen was nominated for the Prize of the Nordic Council 2010 for Børnene.
Ida Jessen's novels have been sold to a long list of publishers world-wide.
Ida Jessen has been awarded a long list of prizes and awards for her work: The Danish Art Foundation (several times), The Danish Arts Council (several times), Gyldendal’s Book Grant, The Egholt Prize, The Albert Dam Grant, The Holger Drachmann Grant, The Jytte Borberg Prize and BG Bank’s Literature Prize to name but a few.
In April 2009 Ida Jessen was awarded the prestigeous Søren Gyldendal-Prize. Since 1958, on Søren Gyldendal’s birthday the 12th of April, the Prize has been awarded an author with a strong and distinctive work of creation. In the justification is said: Through gentle descriptions of atmosphere and conflicts and with a firm grip on the Danish language Ida Jessen shows great insight in modern individuals. Along with the honour Ida Jessen receives 200.000 Dkr.
In January 2010 Ida Jessen was awarded The Golden Laurels 2009 for her latest novel, Børnene (the Children). This is the biggest and most significant prize awarded by the Danish booksellers which also has an important impact on the Danish market.
Ida Jessen was nominated for the Prize of the Nordic Council 2010 for Børnene.
Ida Jessen's novels have been sold to a long list of publishers world-wide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 12, 2022
A collection of 6 excellent short stories about womens lives at different points in time, reflections on relationships, relationships that have become distant, mothers and sons, and more. The two that really got to me (I found a frown on my face as I was reading, I couldn’t look away!) ‘December is a Cruel Month’ about a young mother who is killed at her workplace, a local shop and ‘Mother and Son’ about a mothers relationship with her eldest son who can’t hold down and job and is so disrespectful towards her yet she continues to worry and love him. I found both stories quite devastating but the whole collection is a great read.
February 9, 2022
I enjoyed Ida Jessen’s A Change of Time so much that I raced to get my hands on this collection of short stories and am delighted with it. A series of snapshots of poignant moments in women’s lives are told here with the sensitivity and intensity I expected, and deliver an emotional punch. Those that stood out for me are instances of love and care unrequited - for a husband, a son - and the pain that causes.
I was particularly taken with the first in the collection, An Excursion, in which a woman struggles in her marriage with a man turned cold and critical, understanding that it is only hope for a happier future that keeps her going.
Where did she find what it took to want to be alive?
It came from hoping, it was as straightforward as that. But her hope was not yet a bright song of spring. It was a deep bass tone that followed her around. Even when it was barely audible it was still there, at the bottom of things. If she listened only superficially, she would have thought it was grief.
If she were to be how he wanted her to be, she would ossify. He held her back. He tied her down. He obliterated her when she tried to reach out to him. Oh, how often she had imagined a life without him; no one could dream of divorce the way she could. She danced around him, pillar of wood or stone that he was; she invoked him, blamed him for the sorrows of her life, and loved him. It all came from herself, but on her own her most human characteristics would deteriorate and die. She would lose the desire to get up in the mornings and get dressed, eat, speak to others. Staying alive would be all there was left.
Without her hope she was nothing. It happened to people that they dwindled away into nothing.
The translation is immaculate and feels just right for the tone I think Ida Jessen intended.
With thanks to Archipelago via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I was particularly taken with the first in the collection, An Excursion, in which a woman struggles in her marriage with a man turned cold and critical, understanding that it is only hope for a happier future that keeps her going.
Where did she find what it took to want to be alive?
It came from hoping, it was as straightforward as that. But her hope was not yet a bright song of spring. It was a deep bass tone that followed her around. Even when it was barely audible it was still there, at the bottom of things. If she listened only superficially, she would have thought it was grief.
If she were to be how he wanted her to be, she would ossify. He held her back. He tied her down. He obliterated her when she tried to reach out to him. Oh, how often she had imagined a life without him; no one could dream of divorce the way she could. She danced around him, pillar of wood or stone that he was; she invoked him, blamed him for the sorrows of her life, and loved him. It all came from herself, but on her own her most human characteristics would deteriorate and die. She would lose the desire to get up in the mornings and get dressed, eat, speak to others. Staying alive would be all there was left.
Without her hope she was nothing. It happened to people that they dwindled away into nothing.
The translation is immaculate and feels just right for the tone I think Ida Jessen intended.
With thanks to Archipelago via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
March 6, 2023
I received this story collection from my Archipelago subscription. I enjoyed all six stories for the excellent writing and the deep penetration into the female heart and mind.
Danish writer Ida Jessen's way of approaching her characters put me in mind of the few stories I have read by Alice Munro. Now I want to read more Munro.
The subjects are the difficulties of marriage, female friendship and careers. As I finished each story I felt I knew these women intimately.
Really this was one of the best story collections I have read during this past year of delving into the short story genre.
Danish writer Ida Jessen's way of approaching her characters put me in mind of the few stories I have read by Alice Munro. Now I want to read more Munro.
The subjects are the difficulties of marriage, female friendship and careers. As I finished each story I felt I knew these women intimately.
Really this was one of the best story collections I have read during this past year of delving into the short story genre.
July 6, 2022
3.75 ⭐️
Subtle, reserved, restrained. A collection of six short stories by Danish writer Ida Jessen translated into English by Martin Aitken. Jessen gives ample space for the reader to realize the subtext and implications as well as room for interpretation with sparse minimalist strokes. The story that I was most taken by was the opening An Excursion, followed by In My Hometown. There was, however, a sameness to the awful Danish husbands that these women across a few of the stories were saddled with: helpful and competent on first encounter then turning cold and judgemental in the marriage [An Excursion, An Argument, A Postcard for Annie ]. Similarly, the wastrel (likely criminal) adult sons that the mothers fret over share some commonality in December Is A Cruel Month, Mother and Son. The cold weather, snow and ice serve as a backdrop ambience to these 'chilly' stories.
Subtle, reserved, restrained. A collection of six short stories by Danish writer Ida Jessen translated into English by Martin Aitken. Jessen gives ample space for the reader to realize the subtext and implications as well as room for interpretation with sparse minimalist strokes. The story that I was most taken by was the opening An Excursion, followed by In My Hometown. There was, however, a sameness to the awful Danish husbands that these women across a few of the stories were saddled with: helpful and competent on first encounter then turning cold and judgemental in the marriage [An Excursion, An Argument, A Postcard for Annie ]. Similarly, the wastrel (likely criminal) adult sons that the mothers fret over share some commonality in December Is A Cruel Month, Mother and Son. The cold weather, snow and ice serve as a backdrop ambience to these 'chilly' stories.
February 26, 2023
A quiet, subtle and deeply insightful book of short stories from Danish writer and translator Ida Jessen. The stories portray women facing common struggles in various types of interpersonal relationships - friend, mother, spouse, and daughter. The interior lives are rich and the writing is beautiful. Hopefully there are more English translations of Jessen's work to come.
February 14, 2022
Postcard for Annie Review
A Postcard for Annie is a 2013 collection of short stories by Isa Jessen, newly-translated by Martin Aitken.
As a lover of short stories written by women, about the internal turmoil of women, this unexpected collection was an absolute gem. The newly-translated collection, originally published in 2013, still feels incredibly relevant almost ten years later.
Jessen’s writing is unsentimental, but somehow filled with emotion. Her simple, sparse prose hints at so many things, and reveals tantalizingly little. In this collection, we see snapshots of difficult lives, peppered with tiny details, but leaving the reader to speculate on what the mystery maybe.
But, for me, that’s not the point of these stories. Jessen gives us a glimpse into the minds of these women. While sometimes horrific, especially in Mother and Son, often completely understandable. Jessen has succinctly captured the complexities of the female mind. But at the same time, the stories are completely engaging and entertaining. I cared about each of these women.
Story breakdown:
An Excursion - Tove, a furniture refurbisher, is stuck in a marriage with a man who turns out to be awful, expecting her to perform a role of housewife. Her best friend, Larna, is her only solace, but she has issues of her own. For me, this was a story of the hope of escape, without actually know how. Some beautiful passages about the mundanity of a failing relationship.
December is a Cruel Month - This was my favorite of the collection. A group of interwoven stories; a tragedy in a supermarket, a strange car accident, and hard work. Nothing is completely revealed, reflecting the inconclusive nature of real life.
An Argument - This one hit very close to home, with a very vivid and believable aftermath. Hints at a broken family, and an estranged son.
Postcard for Annie - A young woman tries to help an old, disheveled woman near a bus stop. Things spiral from that point onward, for various reasons. Reflecting on one’s past, and how everything eventually changes. Really quite lovely.
Mother and Son - A unfortunately believable story of the lengths parents will go to, to help their own children, and the awful things they sometimes overlook.
In My Hometown - The last story is a brief one. The narrator remembers people from the place she grew up, the couple who owned a bookshop, and a possibly-gay priest. The story doesn’t essentially “go” anywhere, but it doesn’t have to. A real beautiful glimpse into a simple life.
A Postcard for Annie is a 2013 collection of short stories by Isa Jessen, newly-translated by Martin Aitken.
As a lover of short stories written by women, about the internal turmoil of women, this unexpected collection was an absolute gem. The newly-translated collection, originally published in 2013, still feels incredibly relevant almost ten years later.
Jessen’s writing is unsentimental, but somehow filled with emotion. Her simple, sparse prose hints at so many things, and reveals tantalizingly little. In this collection, we see snapshots of difficult lives, peppered with tiny details, but leaving the reader to speculate on what the mystery maybe.
But, for me, that’s not the point of these stories. Jessen gives us a glimpse into the minds of these women. While sometimes horrific, especially in Mother and Son, often completely understandable. Jessen has succinctly captured the complexities of the female mind. But at the same time, the stories are completely engaging and entertaining. I cared about each of these women.
Story breakdown:
An Excursion - Tove, a furniture refurbisher, is stuck in a marriage with a man who turns out to be awful, expecting her to perform a role of housewife. Her best friend, Larna, is her only solace, but she has issues of her own. For me, this was a story of the hope of escape, without actually know how. Some beautiful passages about the mundanity of a failing relationship.
December is a Cruel Month - This was my favorite of the collection. A group of interwoven stories; a tragedy in a supermarket, a strange car accident, and hard work. Nothing is completely revealed, reflecting the inconclusive nature of real life.
An Argument - This one hit very close to home, with a very vivid and believable aftermath. Hints at a broken family, and an estranged son.
Postcard for Annie - A young woman tries to help an old, disheveled woman near a bus stop. Things spiral from that point onward, for various reasons. Reflecting on one’s past, and how everything eventually changes. Really quite lovely.
Mother and Son - A unfortunately believable story of the lengths parents will go to, to help their own children, and the awful things they sometimes overlook.
In My Hometown - The last story is a brief one. The narrator remembers people from the place she grew up, the couple who owned a bookshop, and a possibly-gay priest. The story doesn’t essentially “go” anywhere, but it doesn’t have to. A real beautiful glimpse into a simple life.
April 26, 2022
A Postcard for Annie is a woman-centric short story collection that paints a portrait of women at the edge of change. They are teetering between inertia and motion, trying to hold on to a love that remains unfulfilled.
•
Jessen's narratives focus on the inner life of the protagonist which let us explore the characters' psyche and in turn allows us to examine their motivation as the plot unfolds.
•
The six stories each depict a woman on the eve of transformation, grappling with a life they seem to not have full control of. Despite the contemporary setting in Denmark, they reminded me of Edna Pontellier from The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I could find pieces of her in each woman which made me enjoy this collection even more.
•
This isn't the first translation that I read by Aitken, and I am as always delighted. I look forward to devouring more books by Jessen.
•
"But as yet she was only halfway in and halfway out, her new life still much like the old. She felt awkward and embarrassed, and for the time being the joy she felt remained inside her and would not be let out."
•
"Only in moments of utter sincerity, when she was completely undisturbed, as she was now, could she acknowledge the way things stood. If she were to be how he wanted her to be, she would ossify. He held her back. He tied her down. He obliterated her when she tried to reach out to him."
•
"She took some measure of comfort in this, the knowledge that in time everything came round again, and that land would become sea, sea would become land, and the area in which she lived, though wiped away in two hundred years time, would in all probability emerge once more in ten thousand."
•
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
•
Jessen's narratives focus on the inner life of the protagonist which let us explore the characters' psyche and in turn allows us to examine their motivation as the plot unfolds.
•
The six stories each depict a woman on the eve of transformation, grappling with a life they seem to not have full control of. Despite the contemporary setting in Denmark, they reminded me of Edna Pontellier from The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I could find pieces of her in each woman which made me enjoy this collection even more.
•
This isn't the first translation that I read by Aitken, and I am as always delighted. I look forward to devouring more books by Jessen.
•
"But as yet she was only halfway in and halfway out, her new life still much like the old. She felt awkward and embarrassed, and for the time being the joy she felt remained inside her and would not be let out."
•
"Only in moments of utter sincerity, when she was completely undisturbed, as she was now, could she acknowledge the way things stood. If she were to be how he wanted her to be, she would ossify. He held her back. He tied her down. He obliterated her when she tried to reach out to him."
•
"She took some measure of comfort in this, the knowledge that in time everything came round again, and that land would become sea, sea would become land, and the area in which she lived, though wiped away in two hundred years time, would in all probability emerge once more in ten thousand."
•
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 25, 2017
Jeg er rigtig glad for, at jeg læste denne novellesamling, nu har jeg fået endnu mere lyst til at læse mere af Ida Jessen.
July 4, 2022
Reminded me in some ways of Alice Munro.
March 15, 2023
Loved the first story. Unsure about the rest of the collection.
“How horrid a life, to know only horridness. And how horrid a love.”
“How horrid a life, to know only horridness. And how horrid a love.”
November 5, 2022
This is a fantastic collection of masterfully written short stories all concerned with mapping the inner and outer contours of women in their complicated relationships to various types of men in the world: husbands, sons, lovers, etc. Jessen's interests are novel and rigorous. Be sure, this is not a "men be like but women be like" thematic gathering. The identities articulated in highly readable prose are as dark and deep as any forest. The result transcends. I have a few stories I came away particularly enthusiastic about but none of the stories here are throwaways. This would make a fantastic book club read because I'm sure readers will connect to these shorts in myriad ways.
April 16, 2014
★★★★☆ Jessen har de seneste år oversatt Alice Munro. Jeg er nettopp ferdig med Munros "For meget lykke". Felles for de to, det er ingen begynnelse, slutt eller plot, men beskrivelsen av et miljø, en atmosfære, en situasjon. De fleste novellene er lange og kan som Munros nesten leses som små romaner. Jeg skal "saftsuseme" lese mere av henne.
May 10, 2022
This collection of short stories from Denmark suggests with the first work it's going to be one of note; the story of a self-employed woman not liking at all the oppression of her picky and opinionated husband, and seemingly making an attempt at escaping the marriage, has been done countless times before, but this was a particularly readable example. The title story has a similar feel. but is darker in tone, and leaves a lot more unanswered, but it's still concerned with women, how they react to men's interest, and what they feel as relationships run their course. When you do look at a family life, it's at a mother cut to shreds by her wayward son, and you might well think having a bad marriage was child's play in comparison. We also see the typical little village's typical little secrets.
The only let-down in the whole volume is not to do with the writing in the second work but how stupid everyone seems to not put two and two together. The six pieces don't sound like much, but in the parlance of filler and killer, there is very little that could be called the former – certainly quality here outdoes quantity. From a publishing house who quite routinely turns in the unreadably literary or niche or suchlike, this book is surprisingly populist, for all its Scandi-gloom and mature themes. That said, there is a richness to the approach to familiar subject matters, and many a higher-brow-than-mine taste will come away very happy to have made this purchase. Four and a half stars.
The only let-down in the whole volume is not to do with the writing in the second work but how stupid everyone seems to not put two and two together. The six pieces don't sound like much, but in the parlance of filler and killer, there is very little that could be called the former – certainly quality here outdoes quantity. From a publishing house who quite routinely turns in the unreadably literary or niche or suchlike, this book is surprisingly populist, for all its Scandi-gloom and mature themes. That said, there is a richness to the approach to familiar subject matters, and many a higher-brow-than-mine taste will come away very happy to have made this purchase. Four and a half stars.
August 15, 2023
A nice collection to ponder and reflect contemporary issues of everyday life from a middle-aged woman's (mostly) perspective. The descriptions of rural Danish towns and landscapes is captivating at times, painting a canvas of a melancholy, yet alive country. Still, I could not find too much literary depth apart from a spot-on depiction of the struggles of contemporary existence as a woman. What is more, the men are always depicted as aggressors, defiant thugs, college boys pushing for sex and sons that fail to heed their mothers. Though that may be the case with Danish men, I would not be sure that statistically all men share these attributes that the author wishes to bestow on them.
February 13, 2022
It is a lovely collection of short stories about people experiencing different situations in life.
I loved " the argument" and a " a postcard card for Annie" .
Most of the stories describe a situation that changed a person's life or that was always marked in their heads.
I loved the quick-paced writing style and how events move rapidly without missing the important parts needed to understand the story.
The only problem I had was the difficulty in reading the names of the places, otherwise the stories are very entertaining.
I loved " the argument" and a " a postcard card for Annie" .
Most of the stories describe a situation that changed a person's life or that was always marked in their heads.
I loved the quick-paced writing style and how events move rapidly without missing the important parts needed to understand the story.
The only problem I had was the difficulty in reading the names of the places, otherwise the stories are very entertaining.
October 30, 2021
Меня очень взбесила эта книжка. Мб я не улавливаю какой-то красоты из-за языка, но все истории здесь абсолютно бессмысленные и очень скучные. Даже те, где, казалось бы, есть интересная завязка, кончаются ничем. Все герои бесконечно страдают, и совершенно не умеют друг с другом разговаривать. Скука смертная
November 19, 2022
A great collection of short stories about moments in time in different women's lives. Her writing style is incredibly restrained. We rarely understand the exact motivations behind everyone's actions and feel more like a fly on the wall of a life that has been happening for some time. Would read more from her; these are all quite good.
March 8, 2022
These stories are incredibly human. Ida Jessen carefully examines the turning point in the lives of different women, focusing on the subtleties of losing control. Fleshing out their portraits in moments of crisis, Ida Jessen’s strong point is her mastery of the short story form and her use of psychological realism. We intimately know these women. We are them. We see them walking on the street.
✨We follow Tove’s sense of identity disintegrating in a toxic marriage.
✨The murder of another working late in a Co-op shatters her family and the community.
✨A middle-aged couple is haunted by their past and the passing of time.
✨Witnessing a tragic accident changes the course of Mie’s life.
✨The turbulent relationship of a mother with her son, whose outbursts of violence she manages to ignore and eclipse with her love.
✨The mystery of a recluse couple, owners of a bookshop in a small town.
Slices of life that make us ponder on our own lives. Are we in control of our destinies? How do we behave in extreme situations? Can pain be a catalyst for growth?
I hope this puts Ida Jessen on your radars.
As always, I'm leaving you with a little fragment:
📖 "And what about her? Where did her energy come from? Where did she find what it took to want to be alive? It came from hoping, it was as straightforward as that. But her hope was not yet a bright song of spring. It was a deep bass tone that followed her around."
✨We follow Tove’s sense of identity disintegrating in a toxic marriage.
✨The murder of another working late in a Co-op shatters her family and the community.
✨A middle-aged couple is haunted by their past and the passing of time.
✨Witnessing a tragic accident changes the course of Mie’s life.
✨The turbulent relationship of a mother with her son, whose outbursts of violence she manages to ignore and eclipse with her love.
✨The mystery of a recluse couple, owners of a bookshop in a small town.
Slices of life that make us ponder on our own lives. Are we in control of our destinies? How do we behave in extreme situations? Can pain be a catalyst for growth?
I hope this puts Ida Jessen on your radars.
As always, I'm leaving you with a little fragment:
📖 "And what about her? Where did her energy come from? Where did she find what it took to want to be alive? It came from hoping, it was as straightforward as that. But her hope was not yet a bright song of spring. It was a deep bass tone that followed her around."
August 22, 2022
I rarely read short stories but, being rather "stuck" on Scandinavian writers recently, I came across this book by Ida Jessen. Each story is a little gem about family, relationships, grief, contemporary life.
September 15, 2022
Other reviewers are saying how restrained the prose was like it’s a good thing? Counterpoint: restrained in that it was lacking in warmth and engagement, not unlike Danish, and Scandinavian folks at large. Boring.
January 23, 2023
Positives
Gorgeous writing - spare, precise details brought images to life
The women in these stories were all yearning for connection - they were vulnerable and sympathetic characters
Not-so-Much
Even though I had empathy for many of the characters, I didn't like many of them
Maybe reading this during a gray January colored my opinion, but I found most of the stories depressing - even when characters connected with each other their pain was still evident
Gorgeous writing - spare, precise details brought images to life
The women in these stories were all yearning for connection - they were vulnerable and sympathetic characters
Not-so-Much
Even though I had empathy for many of the characters, I didn't like many of them
Maybe reading this during a gray January colored my opinion, but I found most of the stories depressing - even when characters connected with each other their pain was still evident
April 14, 2023
A Postcard for Annie is a collection of short stories about 6 female protagonists. I enjoyed these quiet, psychological insights into the lives of Danish women. Most of these stories described strained marriages and challenging relationships with objectively terrible sons. Jessen seems to have a bone to pick with Danish men. The themes of this collection were rather dark, but due to the beautiful, detached writing style, my reaction as a reader was more cerebral than emotional.
I particularly admired how these stories depicted female friendships and how they generally take a backseat to romantic relationships. The first story in this collection was one of my favorite short stories I've read in a long time - thoughtful, engaging, gorgeously written, and full of interesting observations on romantic and platonic relationships.
This made for a terrific book club discussion.
I particularly admired how these stories depicted female friendships and how they generally take a backseat to romantic relationships. The first story in this collection was one of my favorite short stories I've read in a long time - thoughtful, engaging, gorgeously written, and full of interesting observations on romantic and platonic relationships.
This made for a terrific book club discussion.
December 15, 2020
some of the short storys were more captivating than others
January 26, 2022
Lidt kedelig, mørk, trist og omend ofte hørt, dog stadig relevant tematik.
Read
October 9, 2022Nordic housewives survive unruly children, sexless husbands, and lost loves in this spare but sympathetic set of shorts. I dug it.
April 18, 2023
Heartfelt short stories, well written, strong characters. I love it!
June 24, 2023
Sensitive stories about connection, about decorum versus compassion. Very into the small-town Danish winter settings.
January 8, 2025
Some lovely short stories in here that really make you think about life and your relationships with other people.
April 22, 2025
A sharp and devastating collection of short stories - a read for a rainy day with a cup of tea; the mood of each story is grim, banal, and persistent.
April 23, 2025
Complicated feelings and relationships!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews