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The Fires
From Icelandic author Sigríður Hagalín Björnsdóttir comes a heart-wrenching thriller about a woman’s desperate quest to save the people she loves from a natural disaster.
After an eight-hundred-year slumber, the volcanoes in Iceland’s most populated region are showing signs of life. Earthquakes dominate the headlines. Echoes of the devastating eruptions in the past stir unease in the people.
Volcanologist Anna Arnardóttir has spent her entire life studying the volcanic powers under the earth’s crust, but even she cannot fathom the catastrophe at hand.
As a series of eruptions threaten most of Iceland’s population, she’s caught off her rational guard by the most terrible natural disaster of all—love. The world as she knows it is about to fall apart, and so is her heart.
Caught between the safety of a nation and her feelings for her children, her lover, and her past, Anna embarks on a dangerous journey to save the lives of the people she loves—and her soul.
After an eight-hundred-year slumber, the volcanoes in Iceland’s most populated region are showing signs of life. Earthquakes dominate the headlines. Echoes of the devastating eruptions in the past stir unease in the people.
Volcanologist Anna Arnardóttir has spent her entire life studying the volcanic powers under the earth’s crust, but even she cannot fathom the catastrophe at hand.
As a series of eruptions threaten most of Iceland’s population, she’s caught off her rational guard by the most terrible natural disaster of all—love. The world as she knows it is about to fall apart, and so is her heart.
Caught between the safety of a nation and her feelings for her children, her lover, and her past, Anna embarks on a dangerous journey to save the lives of the people she loves—and her soul.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2020
2911 people are currently reading
6151 people want to read
About the author
Sigríður Hagalín Björnsdóttir
7 books142 followersIcelandic author Sigríður Hagalín Björnsdóttir (1974) studied history in Reykjavík and Salamanca and journalism at Columbia University in New York and previously worked in Copenhagen before moving back to Reykjavík, where she lives with her husband, children, and stepchildren. Her bestselling debut, Island (2016), was nominated for the Icelandic Women’s Literature Prize in 2017. When she isn’t writing, Sigríður works as a journalist and television news anchor at the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Her highly anticipated third novel, The Fires, is a bestseller and viral hit in Iceland.
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January 11, 2023
Icelandic Volcanology 101
Review of the Amazon First Reads Kindle eBook (Jan. 1, 2023) released in advance of the official Amazon Crossing paperback/Kindle/audiobook (Feb. 1, 2023) translated by Larissa Kyzer from the Icelandic language original Eldarnir: ástin og aðrar hamfarir (The Fires: Love and Other Disasters) (2020).
[3.5]
I chose The Fires for my Amazon First Reads pick for January 2023. It was listed as a “disaster drama” and described as “heart-wrenching” in its promo synopsis. I’ve had good luck with Icelandic lit recently and also enjoyed an earlier translation by Larissa Kyzer (of Kristín Eiríksdóttir's A Fist or a Heart) so this was an instinctive choice.
My rating is a compromise as the book did deliver a very dramatic, and yes, a "heart-wrenching" conclusion. This was after about 60% of the book felt like reading a science essay about the history of Iceland's volcanoes though.
Volcanologist Anna Arnardóttir's is Iceland's leading expert on its volcanoes and sits on its Scientific Council where she is battling against the government's interference. She is obsessed with her job and somewhat distanced from her family, an issue she worries about as she herself had a somewhat dysfunctional upbringing with her mother abandoning her and her volcanologist father. Her professional and personal lives reach a crisis when eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula (the southwestern tip of Iceland, near to its capital of Reykjavik) signal an imminent disaster at the same time as Anna begins an extramarital affair.
Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula as it began erupting on March 19, 2021. Image sourced from www.VisitIceland.com.
This became a compelling read in its several final chapters, but the amount of Icelandic volcano history (which all seemed very well researched) was a bit overwhelming and somewhat repetitive. You begin to get impatient for the human drama to start. When it finally does, you can't stop reading. But how many readers will have the patience to sit through all of the earlier science lecture sections?
Trivia and Links
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
Review of the Amazon First Reads Kindle eBook (Jan. 1, 2023) released in advance of the official Amazon Crossing paperback/Kindle/audiobook (Feb. 1, 2023) translated by Larissa Kyzer from the Icelandic language original Eldarnir: ástin og aðrar hamfarir (The Fires: Love and Other Disasters) (2020).
This isn't an amusement park, I say. Volcanic eruptions are some of the most dangerous and unpredictable events on earth, we have to show them respect. - the lead character attempts to debate the government reps on the Science Council who seek to monetize volcanoes for the Icelandic tourism industry.
"Volcanoes are boring. Eruptions are boring."
I recoil, it's like she's kicked me. - the lead character's young daughter voices her opinion about her mother's job in "The Fires".
[3.5]
I chose The Fires for my Amazon First Reads pick for January 2023. It was listed as a “disaster drama” and described as “heart-wrenching” in its promo synopsis. I’ve had good luck with Icelandic lit recently and also enjoyed an earlier translation by Larissa Kyzer (of Kristín Eiríksdóttir's A Fist or a Heart) so this was an instinctive choice.
My rating is a compromise as the book did deliver a very dramatic, and yes, a "heart-wrenching" conclusion. This was after about 60% of the book felt like reading a science essay about the history of Iceland's volcanoes though.
Volcanologist Anna Arnardóttir's is Iceland's leading expert on its volcanoes and sits on its Scientific Council where she is battling against the government's interference. She is obsessed with her job and somewhat distanced from her family, an issue she worries about as she herself had a somewhat dysfunctional upbringing with her mother abandoning her and her volcanologist father. Her professional and personal lives reach a crisis when eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula (the southwestern tip of Iceland, near to its capital of Reykjavik) signal an imminent disaster at the same time as Anna begins an extramarital affair.
Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula as it began erupting on March 19, 2021. Image sourced from www.VisitIceland.com.
This became a compelling read in its several final chapters, but the amount of Icelandic volcano history (which all seemed very well researched) was a bit overwhelming and somewhat repetitive. You begin to get impatient for the human drama to start. When it finally does, you can't stop reading. But how many readers will have the patience to sit through all of the earlier science lecture sections?
Trivia and Links
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
January 8, 2023
This was an Amazon First Read selection for January 2023 - and it packed quite a punch. Volcanos fascinate me, but more to the point, volcanos in Iceland - a country which I've visited twice. The story revolves around a renowned volcanologist whose country is beset with an ominous rise in fumarolic gases, earthquakes and other indicators of a pending volcanic eruption. She is a scientist who doesn't much countenance feelings or emotions, in her work or her personal life, until she finds herself overwhelmed with an emotion that she cannot handle. At times, the book gets pretty technical with descriptions of magma, calderas, central volcanos, and swarms but this information helped tell the story and did not detract from it. That said, I really did not expect to get so invested in this story and found myself tearing up at the end.
January 13, 2023
To preface, I really wanted to like this book as I love disaster dramas centered around natural events and thought this was going to be a page turner. I didn’t realize the “disaster” would refer more to the protagonist’s personal life than a natural disaster. Another review mentioned that it’s 60% science, and that’s very true; it does read like a textbook at times and can be very dry. Overall, I didn’t find this story compelling. I got to 80% through the book on my kindle before there was a real volcanic event and the last 20% isn’t captivating enough to make up for the slow and tedious start. I can’t recommend this as anything more than a domestic drama with a volcanic backdrop.
Furthermore, I’m not sure if this was a choice by the author or a publishing error, but there are no quotation marks used to mark dialogue. It’s difficult to intuitively understand who is talking and when, or when it’s merely internal dialogue. I found myself rereading paragraphs trying to parse out the meaning.
Furthermore, I’m not sure if this was a choice by the author or a publishing error, but there are no quotation marks used to mark dialogue. It’s difficult to intuitively understand who is talking and when, or when it’s merely internal dialogue. I found myself rereading paragraphs trying to parse out the meaning.
January 27, 2023
TL;DR: FANTASTIC book - but would hunt Tómas for sport.
10/10 book for the volcanic science and even the majority of the characters. 0/10 for the romantic subplot. The supposed badboy bohemian love poet/photographer was just… such a deeply lame human being. Cannot emphasize that enough. Cringe to the point of making me question how an author who made such a cool story managed to look down at a draft containing this person and thought he was even remotely not-laughable.
No hard feelings to the author – the rest of the story is great and I really enjoyed it, enough to read the entire thing in one sitting, well into the night. Just, feel free to skip all the chapters/sections that have Tómas’s name anywhere near them. The rest of the story is a lovely and interesting blend of science, cultural identity, strife between theory/safety/political appearances, familial struggles, fun dialogue and backstory (especially regarding Anna’s father), and some really snappy descriptions.
I’ve seen some people complain about it being too technical, but I think it’s actually the best part of the book – the volcano info sets the stage, weaves into the characters and the identity of Iceland, is overall actually super fascinating, and makes a dauntingly-technical subject quite approachable for the average person, so they can understand the majesty of earth in an engaging fictional setting.
The main character, Anna, would just absolutely benefit from a Sassy Gay Friend in every scene involving Tómas in the middle-to-later half: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwnFE... 90% of the lines in this skit would apply to Anna verbatim.
WARNING: With that concise review concluded, I will now allow myself to get petty about it. This is my gift to me after forcing myself not to skip any page I saw the word “Tómas” on. I shouldered through just on the off chance he somehow worked a miracle and stopped being an absolute donkey.
He did not.
YOU MET HIM SUNDAY: So Anna is spontaneously, deeply in love with a guy she’s met… a handful of times? I think 3-4 in total? And for more than half of these, she thought him a disrespectful, nosy idiot? Yet somehow his lack of personal grooming, lack of respect for her boundaries, and insanely melodramatic one liners swayed her away from her husband of 20+ years?
A husband whom we have literally not heard her say a single bad thing about up to this point. The closest we get is an implied disappointment when he buys her one of the two expensive dresses she was looking at (as a lavish gift he assures her she deserves because she’s the best), and it’s the one she liked second-best. Le gasp.
He sounds absolutely fantastic, but that’s beside the point – for the story, I’d accept her drifting away from a husband she doesn’t connect with anymore or whom she dislikes, but… she doesn’t? Not a single time anywhere in the book does she say anything except how much she loves, appreciates, and relies on him. She calls him “home” in a soft, soul-deep way more than once. Not even kidding. Yet compulsively touching Tómas’s face one (1) time has unlocked the first ever Love emotion in her. She’s somehow never felt that before, ever. What she has with her husband is not love even though it clearly is in everything she says about him. But no. No, love has to make you convulse and become underweight from vomiting and stress you out and ruin your life or it isn’t real. I’m not kidding, this is in the text.
LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES: Again, not criticizing the author, because I can only assume this is Anna’s extremely messed up perspective, because I guess what she’s REALLY never felt before was mindnumbingly horny? Don’t know how she caught that bug off this guy, but whatever. She’s apparently never had a single impulsive thought in her life, so this one is kind of tearing her apart. Poor gal. Unfortunately, it’s the same kind of impulsive thought that makes you wanna stick your hand in a lava flow because it looks soft. If I was her sassy gay friend, I would remind her that she’s managed to resist that until now, so I don’t get why she can’t resist this one until the urge passes and you’re like “gosh, glad I still have my hand. I’m going back to my husband now who knows how to brush his freaking hair.” You’re a grown woman with knowledge and experience, I have no idea how you’ve never encountered an impulsive thought at least once.
It’s not even a matter of them bonding until the point where Tómas has grown on her and she’s drawn to him. She was insanely annoyed by him, they danced for five minutes while she was drunk before she was pulled away, and after sobering up and with a long time in between, she literally touches his face on a whim and falls uncontrollably in love in that exact instant. Like a lightning bolt. I wish I was exaggerating.
I could spend days unpacking why the Tómas/Anna romance is agonizingly forced, insanely rushed, and makes no sense even to the most hopelessly romantic among us.
Instead, I’ll get to what made Badboy Lamesson most painful of all:
Tómas’s famous one liners are sold as profound and insightful… yet they are exclusively boiled-down versions of really cool things the other characters said, turned into something tepid that completely misses the point. He doesn’t even reframe anything in an interesting way – literally nothing he ever says adds to the conversation. Every scene where he talks feels like you accidentally knocked over a Tickle Me Elmo and it scares the hell of out of you by randomly blurting “PLAY WITH ME,” but doing so like it’s weighty and philosophical. This dude can’t even put on a clean shirt, but he feels like he’s on verbal par with the five, triple-PhD experts who are literally in their field of expertise at this EXACT moment. Case in point:
Character: explains the intricacies, majesty, and unpredictability of volcanos in clear and understandable terms that shed light on both the unfathomed wonder and steady certainty of earth.
Tómas: No, you don’t get it, dude. Mother Nature is, like, chaos, bruh.
Everyone else (I wish): GOD, shut up, Tómas, that’s literally what they just said.
Or, later on:
Character: explains that nature is often the very art that poetry aims to capture, and geoscientists have the unique privilege of being able to feel it beneath their very feet and interact with it firsthand.
Tómas: Nah, but, like, poetry is good, yo.
Character (I wish): …that’s what I just said. But stupider.
Tómas: Nah, man, we’re monkeys if we don’t devote all our time to thinking up adjectives about it in dark, moldy studio apartments instead! Except me. I go click with my camera in a dirty studio apartment and that makes me vastly more interesting than all of you.
Everyone else: Guys, I don’t think Tómas knows how to read. His only possible saving grace is that we’re in a lava field, maybe he inhaled too much CO2 and thinks “pudding” is an acceptable response to everything.
Tómas: Pudding.
Anyways, great book. I would just like to petition that the next edition provides all characters with a plunger-gun they can fire at Tómas’s face, fully encasing it, every time he tries to speak. He can then muffled-scream and fight with it in the background while the other characters get on with their conversations. I would immediately vote this book of the year and a literary treasure if so.
10/10 book for the volcanic science and even the majority of the characters. 0/10 for the romantic subplot. The supposed badboy bohemian love poet/photographer was just… such a deeply lame human being. Cannot emphasize that enough. Cringe to the point of making me question how an author who made such a cool story managed to look down at a draft containing this person and thought he was even remotely not-laughable.
No hard feelings to the author – the rest of the story is great and I really enjoyed it, enough to read the entire thing in one sitting, well into the night. Just, feel free to skip all the chapters/sections that have Tómas’s name anywhere near them. The rest of the story is a lovely and interesting blend of science, cultural identity, strife between theory/safety/political appearances, familial struggles, fun dialogue and backstory (especially regarding Anna’s father), and some really snappy descriptions.
I’ve seen some people complain about it being too technical, but I think it’s actually the best part of the book – the volcano info sets the stage, weaves into the characters and the identity of Iceland, is overall actually super fascinating, and makes a dauntingly-technical subject quite approachable for the average person, so they can understand the majesty of earth in an engaging fictional setting.
The main character, Anna, would just absolutely benefit from a Sassy Gay Friend in every scene involving Tómas in the middle-to-later half: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwnFE... 90% of the lines in this skit would apply to Anna verbatim.
WARNING: With that concise review concluded, I will now allow myself to get petty about it. This is my gift to me after forcing myself not to skip any page I saw the word “Tómas” on. I shouldered through just on the off chance he somehow worked a miracle and stopped being an absolute donkey.
He did not.
YOU MET HIM SUNDAY: So Anna is spontaneously, deeply in love with a guy she’s met… a handful of times? I think 3-4 in total? And for more than half of these, she thought him a disrespectful, nosy idiot? Yet somehow his lack of personal grooming, lack of respect for her boundaries, and insanely melodramatic one liners swayed her away from her husband of 20+ years?
A husband whom we have literally not heard her say a single bad thing about up to this point. The closest we get is an implied disappointment when he buys her one of the two expensive dresses she was looking at (as a lavish gift he assures her she deserves because she’s the best), and it’s the one she liked second-best. Le gasp.
He sounds absolutely fantastic, but that’s beside the point – for the story, I’d accept her drifting away from a husband she doesn’t connect with anymore or whom she dislikes, but… she doesn’t? Not a single time anywhere in the book does she say anything except how much she loves, appreciates, and relies on him. She calls him “home” in a soft, soul-deep way more than once. Not even kidding. Yet compulsively touching Tómas’s face one (1) time has unlocked the first ever Love emotion in her. She’s somehow never felt that before, ever. What she has with her husband is not love even though it clearly is in everything she says about him. But no. No, love has to make you convulse and become underweight from vomiting and stress you out and ruin your life or it isn’t real. I’m not kidding, this is in the text.
LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES: Again, not criticizing the author, because I can only assume this is Anna’s extremely messed up perspective, because I guess what she’s REALLY never felt before was mindnumbingly horny? Don’t know how she caught that bug off this guy, but whatever. She’s apparently never had a single impulsive thought in her life, so this one is kind of tearing her apart. Poor gal. Unfortunately, it’s the same kind of impulsive thought that makes you wanna stick your hand in a lava flow because it looks soft. If I was her sassy gay friend, I would remind her that she’s managed to resist that until now, so I don’t get why she can’t resist this one until the urge passes and you’re like “gosh, glad I still have my hand. I’m going back to my husband now who knows how to brush his freaking hair.” You’re a grown woman with knowledge and experience, I have no idea how you’ve never encountered an impulsive thought at least once.
It’s not even a matter of them bonding until the point where Tómas has grown on her and she’s drawn to him. She was insanely annoyed by him, they danced for five minutes while she was drunk before she was pulled away, and after sobering up and with a long time in between, she literally touches his face on a whim and falls uncontrollably in love in that exact instant. Like a lightning bolt. I wish I was exaggerating.
I could spend days unpacking why the Tómas/Anna romance is agonizingly forced, insanely rushed, and makes no sense even to the most hopelessly romantic among us.
Instead, I’ll get to what made Badboy Lamesson most painful of all:
Tómas’s famous one liners are sold as profound and insightful… yet they are exclusively boiled-down versions of really cool things the other characters said, turned into something tepid that completely misses the point. He doesn’t even reframe anything in an interesting way – literally nothing he ever says adds to the conversation. Every scene where he talks feels like you accidentally knocked over a Tickle Me Elmo and it scares the hell of out of you by randomly blurting “PLAY WITH ME,” but doing so like it’s weighty and philosophical. This dude can’t even put on a clean shirt, but he feels like he’s on verbal par with the five, triple-PhD experts who are literally in their field of expertise at this EXACT moment. Case in point:
Character: explains the intricacies, majesty, and unpredictability of volcanos in clear and understandable terms that shed light on both the unfathomed wonder and steady certainty of earth.
Tómas: No, you don’t get it, dude. Mother Nature is, like, chaos, bruh.
Everyone else (I wish): GOD, shut up, Tómas, that’s literally what they just said.
Or, later on:
Character: explains that nature is often the very art that poetry aims to capture, and geoscientists have the unique privilege of being able to feel it beneath their very feet and interact with it firsthand.
Tómas: Nah, but, like, poetry is good, yo.
Character (I wish): …that’s what I just said. But stupider.
Tómas: Nah, man, we’re monkeys if we don’t devote all our time to thinking up adjectives about it in dark, moldy studio apartments instead! Except me. I go click with my camera in a dirty studio apartment and that makes me vastly more interesting than all of you.
Everyone else: Guys, I don’t think Tómas knows how to read. His only possible saving grace is that we’re in a lava field, maybe he inhaled too much CO2 and thinks “pudding” is an acceptable response to everything.
Tómas: Pudding.
Anyways, great book. I would just like to petition that the next edition provides all characters with a plunger-gun they can fire at Tómas’s face, fully encasing it, every time he tries to speak. He can then muffled-scream and fight with it in the background while the other characters get on with their conversations. I would immediately vote this book of the year and a literary treasure if so.
January 6, 2023
The Fires Were Extinguished...
No spoilers. DNF. This was 1 of 2 Amazon First Reads novels I selected for the month of January 2023. Because I abandoned this novel after the first 15% I almost decided it wasn't fair to leave a review...
But wait!...
While it is possible that there may be a market for this kind of story, it just wasn't for me and I really felt a responsibility to inform others to help them choose a more interesting Amazon First Reads novel...
The relating of the story was so factual that I rechecked the novel's description to verify that it was indeed fiction based on real facts and not some textbook account of some sort about volcanic action in Iceland. But I must say that first 15% was brutal! I like to read for relaxation...
... and this felt more like a stressful and very technical newscast or geography lesson...
I had an ominous feeling that I'd made a bad choice when the book started by front-loading the cast of characters. I've personally never experienced a successful novel that started out that way.
At 15% I became bored with the facts and figures about the undersea volcanic action in that part of the world. That coupled with whole conversations that took place without quote marks and identifying who was speaking.
As I said, I quit reading after 15% because I was bored to tears. 2 stars for the obvious research that went into the story. Was just very dry and uninteresting.
No spoilers. DNF. This was 1 of 2 Amazon First Reads novels I selected for the month of January 2023. Because I abandoned this novel after the first 15% I almost decided it wasn't fair to leave a review...
But wait!...
While it is possible that there may be a market for this kind of story, it just wasn't for me and I really felt a responsibility to inform others to help them choose a more interesting Amazon First Reads novel...
The relating of the story was so factual that I rechecked the novel's description to verify that it was indeed fiction based on real facts and not some textbook account of some sort about volcanic action in Iceland. But I must say that first 15% was brutal! I like to read for relaxation...
... and this felt more like a stressful and very technical newscast or geography lesson...
I had an ominous feeling that I'd made a bad choice when the book started by front-loading the cast of characters. I've personally never experienced a successful novel that started out that way.
At 15% I became bored with the facts and figures about the undersea volcanic action in that part of the world. That coupled with whole conversations that took place without quote marks and identifying who was speaking.
As I said, I quit reading after 15% because I was bored to tears. 2 stars for the obvious research that went into the story. Was just very dry and uninteresting.
January 3, 2023
This wasn't quite the tense disaster book I had thought it would be, but more the story of Anna, who happens to be an expert in Volcanology. Anna was raised by a neglectful mother who suffered with mental illness, and a father who seemed to enjoy being a parent most when Anna took an interest in his work. Hard not to see how Anna's career started. She married more for stability than anything else, and with her husband and two children lives a secure if somewhat mundane life. That life is turned upside town by her falling in love for the first time in her 40's, and between the volcanic eruptions/earthquakes and her affair, Anna's life is total chaos.
The author clearly did a lot of research, as there is a lot of science in this book. Too much for me, I found it kind of a slog to get through the technical parts and skimmed those chapters. In the last 20% of the book, everything hits the fan and it made for some anxious reading. I was not prepared for that ending, it was gut wrenching.
The author clearly did a lot of research, as there is a lot of science in this book. Too much for me, I found it kind of a slog to get through the technical parts and skimmed those chapters. In the last 20% of the book, everything hits the fan and it made for some anxious reading. I was not prepared for that ending, it was gut wrenching.
April 18, 2024
4.5
Veľmi originálne a fascinujúce spojenie vedy a literatúry v jednej knihe. Hlavná postava, vulkanologička, skúma celý život prírodné živly, je veľmi racionálna a myslí si, že ju máločo môže ešte v živote prekvapiť. No občas to vybuchne, keď to najmenej čakáte. Kniha sa zamýšľa nad morálnymi i praktickými otázkami ako prežiť katastrofy, tie živelné aj tie vo vzťahoch. Napriek tomu, že dej je v istých aspektoch pomerne predvídateľný, autorke sa podaril napísať príbeh, ktorý čitateľa dokáže pohltiť a záver je hodný pomenovania psychotriler.
Keby som si z nejakej knihy chcela vypísať veľa "citátov," tak by to bola práve táto. Myšlienky z tejto knihy by sa hodili aj na maturitné témy, no uznajte, napr.: " Bez vědy jsme jen nevzdělaná zvířata vydaná napospas přírodním živlum. "
Veľmi originálne a fascinujúce spojenie vedy a literatúry v jednej knihe. Hlavná postava, vulkanologička, skúma celý život prírodné živly, je veľmi racionálna a myslí si, že ju máločo môže ešte v živote prekvapiť. No občas to vybuchne, keď to najmenej čakáte. Kniha sa zamýšľa nad morálnymi i praktickými otázkami ako prežiť katastrofy, tie živelné aj tie vo vzťahoch. Napriek tomu, že dej je v istých aspektoch pomerne predvídateľný, autorke sa podaril napísať príbeh, ktorý čitateľa dokáže pohltiť a záver je hodný pomenovania psychotriler.
Keby som si z nejakej knihy chcela vypísať veľa "citátov," tak by to bola práve táto. Myšlienky z tejto knihy by sa hodili aj na maturitné témy, no uznajte, napr.: " Bez vědy jsme jen nevzdělaná zvířata vydaná napospas přírodním živlum. "
January 8, 2023
Wow. I don't even know where to begin to unpack this. I picked this book as one of the Amazon Prime picks for January - the cover intrigued me, and the subject matter intrigued me....or what I THOUGHT the subject matter was going to be: volcanoes, an impending volcano disaster, and the effects it has on a woman and her family.
The first hurdle was the formatting; I admittedly don't read a lot of books that have been translated, so I am not used to this, but the dialogue is not formatted in the 'normal' manner. It all runs in with the text, so I was continually re-reading the same paragraphs multiple times to make sure I didn't miss anything.
The second hurdle was how technical this was. I love science and I love learning about things like volcanoes and earthquakes, and how the earth moves and shifts to shape our lives in all manner of ways. There were times this almost felt like a white paper on some aspect of volcanology, and mixed with the wonky formatting of dialog it made it hard to follow some of the conversations.
The third and most critical hurdle, in my opinion was the main character - Anna. I could not connect with her at all, at any point in this story. Anna was selfish and self-righteous, to the point of making me very frustrated and angry with her. Normally, I like it when a character challenges me, but not in this case. I am marking the rest of this as a spoiler, so proceed with caution... it also might be a little disjointed, because I'm still trying to organize my thoughts.
The first hurdle was the formatting; I admittedly don't read a lot of books that have been translated, so I am not used to this, but the dialogue is not formatted in the 'normal' manner. It all runs in with the text, so I was continually re-reading the same paragraphs multiple times to make sure I didn't miss anything.
The second hurdle was how technical this was. I love science and I love learning about things like volcanoes and earthquakes, and how the earth moves and shifts to shape our lives in all manner of ways. There were times this almost felt like a white paper on some aspect of volcanology, and mixed with the wonky formatting of dialog it made it hard to follow some of the conversations.
The third and most critical hurdle, in my opinion was the main character - Anna. I could not connect with her at all, at any point in this story. Anna was selfish and self-righteous, to the point of making me very frustrated and angry with her. Normally, I like it when a character challenges me, but not in this case. I am marking the rest of this as a spoiler, so proceed with caution... it also might be a little disjointed, because I'm still trying to organize my thoughts.
September 22, 2025
Ég vildi að vísindin hefðu fengið meira pláss í þessari bók. Þá ekki bara vísindalegar staðreyndir um eldgos heldur að þau hefðu fléttast betur inn í frásögnina. Þetta ómerkilega framhjáhalds-storyline var orðið virkilega þreytt og fékk mig margoft til að vilja leggja bókina frá mér og sleppa því að taka hana upp aftur. Ég er ekki viss um að einhver vísindamaður, hvað þá kona, myndi haga sér svona þegar það eru raunverulegar hamfarir í gangi. Eins er alveg óþarfi að mata lesendur alveg með öllum greiningum á sögunni, maður nær því frekar snemma að hún og eldgosið séu tengd, alveg óþarfi að segja mér það þrjátíu sinnum.
March 18, 2024
Island je v nebezpečenstve, ohrozuje je sopečná činnosť, ktorú spolu s tímom odborníkov mapuje popredná islandská vedkyňa Anna.
V dňoch kedy eskalujú prírodné sily a ľudia sú vystavení nebezpečenstvu, Anna po dvadsiatich rokoch spokojného manželstva doslova vletí do vášnivého, silného vzťahu fotografom Tómasom. Sopka ničí, zem sa búri a vrie a Anna ničí svoje manželstvo a venuje sa intenzívne práci prežívaniu nového vzťahu.
Autorka v knihe venuje pozornosť odbornej terminológii a exaktným vedeckým postupom, ktoré krásne prepája s príbehom.
Island samotný vlastne nie je ani pevninou, ale kusom morského dna, ktorý vystupuje z mor na prelome tektonicých dosiek Zeme. Ani láska nie je pevnou zemou, utvára sa niekedy bez pričinenia rozumu a opantáva našu vôľu.
" Bez vědy jsme jen nevzdělaná zvířata vydaná napospas přírodním živlum. " str. 199
V dňoch kedy eskalujú prírodné sily a ľudia sú vystavení nebezpečenstvu, Anna po dvadsiatich rokoch spokojného manželstva doslova vletí do vášnivého, silného vzťahu fotografom Tómasom. Sopka ničí, zem sa búri a vrie a Anna ničí svoje manželstvo a venuje sa intenzívne práci prežívaniu nového vzťahu.
Autorka v knihe venuje pozornosť odbornej terminológii a exaktným vedeckým postupom, ktoré krásne prepája s príbehom.
Island samotný vlastne nie je ani pevninou, ale kusom morského dna, ktorý vystupuje z mor na prelome tektonicých dosiek Zeme. Ani láska nie je pevnou zemou, utvára sa niekedy bez pričinenia rozumu a opantáva našu vôľu.
" Bez vědy jsme jen nevzdělaná zvířata vydaná napospas přírodním živlum. " str. 199
December 27, 2020
Ég gat ekki lagt bókina frá mér, langaði það stundum því mér fannst stundum óþægilegt að lesa um eitthvað sem maður ímyndar sér að gæti hreinlega gerst. Mögnuð bók, sem ég hélt mér alveg fastri og framkallaði tár undir lokin
January 7, 2023
You will learn so much about volcanoes and lose any desire to ever visit Iceland.
April 29, 2024
Van egyrészt egy nagyon erős és meglehetősen egyértelmű párhuzam a regényben a természeti erők, bizonyos szempontból katasztrófák és az emberi érzelmek kiszámíthatósága és kiszámíthatatlansága között. Aztán van egy igencsak emberi, esendő történet egy határozott, érzékeny és intelligens nőről és arról hogy az élete során felgyülemlett elfojtások, veszteségek, apró megalkuvások hogyan tudnak egyik hétről a másikra szétdúlni és feje tetejére állítani egy rendezett, szervezett, biztonságos életet, ha szikrát kap a bekészített farakás. Illetve utat talál a hasadékokon át a pusztító magma - hogy inkább a könyv metaforáira támaszkodjunk. Na meg ott van annak a mélységes, zsigeri félelemnek is a társadalmi-pszichológia feldolgozása, ami nyilván minden racionális lénynek a sajátja, aki egy fortyogó vulkanikus tevékenységre épült szigeten lakik az óceán közepén. Gondolom ez amolyan teljesen hétköznapi izlandi életérzés, még modernkeletű klímaszorongás sem kell hozzá.
Ilyenekről szól ez a regény, és nagyon is jól szól, pedig már majdnem mégsem, mert néha fura az eszköztára. Az egyértelműsége már-már didaktikusságba csap át, a drámaisága csaknem melodrámába, szinte giccsbe. Ilyen tekintetben pengeélen táncolt nálam a szöveg, de azt kell mondjam, hogy mégis tetszett. Hatott és meghatott. Érdekelt és megérintett. És nem ez a lényeg?
Biztos benne van az is, hogy nemben, korban és foglalkozásban is egészen közel áll hozzám a nézőponti karakter, magam is nagy változásokat éltem meg a középkorúságom kezdetén, illetve eléggé foglalkoztat a life-work balance kérdésköre is, főleg olyan tekintetben hogy mennyire és hogyan érdemes erről gondolkodni, ha lényegében szétválaszthatatlan a kettő.
Úgyhogy igen, nem akarok egy darabig izlandi földrajzi neveket látni és kőzettani értekezéseket se bogarászni ennél részletesebben, de összességében nagyon jó élmény volt a Tüzek.
Ilyenekről szól ez a regény, és nagyon is jól szól, pedig már majdnem mégsem, mert néha fura az eszköztára. Az egyértelműsége már-már didaktikusságba csap át, a drámaisága csaknem melodrámába, szinte giccsbe. Ilyen tekintetben pengeélen táncolt nálam a szöveg, de azt kell mondjam, hogy mégis tetszett. Hatott és meghatott. Érdekelt és megérintett. És nem ez a lényeg?
Biztos benne van az is, hogy nemben, korban és foglalkozásban is egészen közel áll hozzám a nézőponti karakter, magam is nagy változásokat éltem meg a középkorúságom kezdetén, illetve eléggé foglalkoztat a life-work balance kérdésköre is, főleg olyan tekintetben hogy mennyire és hogyan érdemes erről gondolkodni, ha lényegében szétválaszthatatlan a kettő.
Úgyhogy igen, nem akarok egy darabig izlandi földrajzi neveket látni és kőzettani értekezéseket se bogarászni ennél részletesebben, de összességében nagyon jó élmény volt a Tüzek.
September 15, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Vildi meiri hamfarir og minna af ýktu framhjáhaldartilfinningafokki. Var að missa vitið yfir aðal persónunni sem setti allt á hliðina fyrir mann sem hún “elskar” eftir að hafa hitt hann tvisvar - HANN ER EKKI ÁSTIN ÞÍN - okei takk bless
Vildi meiri hamfarir og minna af ýktu framhjáhaldartilfinningafokki. Var að missa vitið yfir aðal persónunni sem setti allt á hliðina fyrir mann sem hún “elskar” eftir að hafa hitt hann tvisvar - HANN ER EKKI ÁSTIN ÞÍN - okei takk bless
August 18, 2023
I learned a lot about volcanoes in Iceland. I just probably won't be able to remember half of them by tomorrow. 🤣🤣
Iceland. A beautiful setting for a novel. Friends of mine went to visit and I put in on my touring list after seeing their pictures.
But the story was too slow and it only became interesting and very emotional in the last few chapters. Didn't like any of the characters.
Stirring cover art though.
Goodreads review published 17/08/23
Iceland. A beautiful setting for a novel. Friends of mine went to visit and I put in on my touring list after seeing their pictures.
But the story was too slow and it only became interesting and very emotional in the last few chapters. Didn't like any of the characters.
Stirring cover art though.
Goodreads review published 17/08/23
January 26, 2023
Text book with a side story
This book reads like a children's science book with little snippets of information off to the side of the page. The only thing that could make this story passsble is the science being sound. The story and nearly all the characters are just flat and bland like extras in a movie. The main character is a self centered adulterer who doesn't realize she is the problem in most of the story. The story sped up to a very quick personal conflict with a rushed ending. The entire book is irritating.
This book reads like a children's science book with little snippets of information off to the side of the page. The only thing that could make this story passsble is the science being sound. The story and nearly all the characters are just flat and bland like extras in a movie. The main character is a self centered adulterer who doesn't realize she is the problem in most of the story. The story sped up to a very quick personal conflict with a rushed ending. The entire book is irritating.
January 7, 2023
4.5 rounded up - I have been staring into space after reading the last 60% of this in one sitting. A beautifully translated piece of work that constantly questions morals, ethics, and human nature. I won’t shut up about this for a LONG time
AND my first Amazon first reads!
AND my first Amazon first reads!
May 25, 2023
Po dlhom čase kniha, ktorá výrazne vyniká spomedzi toho, čo som za ostatný čas čítala. Nemyslela som si, že čítať vedecké popisy o magme bude zaujímavé až napínavé. Katastrofa sa hmatateľne nachádza v každom jednom odstavci, poháňala ma v čítaní priam morbidným spôsobom. Autorka naznačuje na viacerých miestach, čo sa stane, predsa som chvíľami dúfala v iné a o sekundu zas bolestne cítila nevyhnutné. Záver je vygradovaný zvláštnym a zaujímavým spôsobom, po zatvorení knihy som mala rozorvané pocity a zároveň pokojnú dušu.
September 7, 2023
DNF @15%
I couldn't take the "style"🙄 any more. Not that the 15% of the story that I read was all that engaging either. The whole thing is stilted, flat, robotic even, removed from the reader, and it's a pain having to figure out who is saying what. Punctuation, including dialogue marks, were invented for a reason! I've read novels with this "style"🙄 before, and I think I've only ever finished one of them (unless the book was so good I didn't notice the "style").🤷🏻♂️ I'm very disappointed. I was looking forward to reading a novel about surviving a volcano eruption in the modern era.
Kobo screen shots of The Fires by Sigríður Hagalín Björnsdóttir, Larissa Kyzer (Translator)
I couldn't take the "style"🙄 any more. Not that the 15% of the story that I read was all that engaging either. The whole thing is stilted, flat, robotic even, removed from the reader, and it's a pain having to figure out who is saying what. Punctuation, including dialogue marks, were invented for a reason! I've read novels with this "style"🙄 before, and I think I've only ever finished one of them (unless the book was so good I didn't notice the "style").🤷🏻♂️ I'm very disappointed. I was looking forward to reading a novel about surviving a volcano eruption in the modern era.
Kobo screen shots of The Fires by Sigríður Hagalín Björnsdóttir, Larissa Kyzer (Translator)
December 20, 2023
Helyi idő szerint 22 óra 17 perckor kitört az a vulkán Izlandon, a Reykjanes félszigeten, amire az elmúlt hetek intenzív földmozgása alapján már számítani lehetett. Grindavik halászvárosból korábban mintegy 4000 embert evakuáltak, a közeli Blue Lagoon geotermikus gyógyfürdőt pedig bezárták – jelentette a BBC 2023. december 18-án.
Ez a valóság, nem a regény, hát gyorsan be is fejeztem az olvasást. Nem is értem, mért haladtam vele lassan, talán adagolni akartam magamnak a végére kirobbanó feszültséget. Eleve tátott szájjal bámulom Izlandot kellő távolságról, csodálom az ott élőket, íróik, zenészeik különleges látásmódját, tehetségét. A vulkánok világában ennyire nem akartam elmélyedni, de nagyon érdekes volt és csodás párhuzam a főhősnő belső világával. Heroikus küzdelem az érzelmekkel és a természeti erőkkel, a feltörő gyermekkori traumával és a lávával. Különleges, szép, mély, igaz és megrázó.
Ez a valóság, nem a regény, hát gyorsan be is fejeztem az olvasást. Nem is értem, mért haladtam vele lassan, talán adagolni akartam magamnak a végére kirobbanó feszültséget. Eleve tátott szájjal bámulom Izlandot kellő távolságról, csodálom az ott élőket, íróik, zenészeik különleges látásmódját, tehetségét. A vulkánok világában ennyire nem akartam elmélyedni, de nagyon érdekes volt és csodás párhuzam a főhősnő belső világával. Heroikus küzdelem az érzelmekkel és a természeti erőkkel, a feltörő gyermekkori traumával és a lávával. Különleges, szép, mély, igaz és megrázó.
January 28, 2024
Volcanologist Anna Arnardóttir has it all. A husband that loves her, a family that makes her happy, a beautiful, spacious house in the suburbs, and a fulfilling job. She has been fascinated by geology and volcanology since she was little. Her father was also a prominent scientist in the field. When a series of earthquakes begin, things start to get complicated.
Overall, The Fires is a good novel and a very well-researched one. But there are so many places where the story dragged. Detailed descriptions of volcanic activity are scattered all over the book. If volcanology is your thing, this is an excellent book for you. However, it contains far too much detail for the average reader. Although volcanoes are an interesting topic, these descriptions often distracted me while reading this story.
Overall, The Fires is a good novel and a very well-researched one. But there are so many places where the story dragged. Detailed descriptions of volcanic activity are scattered all over the book. If volcanology is your thing, this is an excellent book for you. However, it contains far too much detail for the average reader. Although volcanoes are an interesting topic, these descriptions often distracted me while reading this story.
September 22, 2025
kannski 2,5? ég fíla hamfara pælinguna og að setja stjórnlaust framhjáhald á par við eldgosið. ég þurfti bara að trúa aðalpersónunni betur.
September 7, 2024
Það er auðvitað fáránlegt að nákvæmlega þessi bók hafi verið skrifuð þegar hún var skrifuð. Frekar súrrealískt að lesa þessa bók og vinna við málefni Grindavíkur - nánast hver einasta persóna í bókinni gæti verið aukapersóna í mínu lífi.
January 10, 2023
4.5 stars
This was such a devastating book, and so unexpected for me. Minor spoilers to follow with major spoilers behind the tags.
I picked this up thinking it was going to be a disaster book, which it was in some respects, but what I pictured was far too small. It's a moving portrait of a woman's messy life, how she feels torn between her lover and her family, how her father's influence has shaped her, how her insistence on rationality above all else fails her. It was complex and multi-faceted, and I was really blown away by it.
I was also surprised by how much I liked it, considering how dense and science-heavy it is at times. I don't live anywhere near a volcano, so my interest in them was negligible at best, and yet I was still fascinated by everything this book had to teach me about volcanoes and how they work. Since Anna's work is so central to who she is as a person, I thought the details about volcanology went a long way toward making her characterization strong and believable.
There were two things I didn't like so much about this book, though. One was Anna's encounter with an interior designer. I understood that it was a metaphor for Anna herself and how she was living her life, but it felt weirdly out of place to me, and there are so many other details that reinforce the idea that Anna chafes against her self-imposed restraints that I didn't see the purpose the interior decorator character served. (Aside: I was weirded out by the way characters in this book open other people's unlocked doors and invite themselves on into other people's homes. That's like one of my worst nightmares.)
The other thing I disliked was Tomas. That relationship felt off to me. To me he came across as immature and controlling, and I couldn't see how he and Anna would ever work out in the real world, where you have to pay bills and do laundry and attend to any number of mundane details. I didn't find it out of keeping that Anna would be so irresponsible because of her affair, but it did bother me. I couldn't help but think of how adults will mock teenage love and infatuation, yet when Anna is pretty much in the same boat, it's meant to be this grand love affair.
This was truly a standout book for me, especially since I find a lot of the Kindle First books I get are either disappointing and just okay.
This was such a devastating book, and so unexpected for me. Minor spoilers to follow with major spoilers behind the tags.
I picked this up thinking it was going to be a disaster book, which it was in some respects, but what I pictured was far too small. It's a moving portrait of a woman's messy life, how she feels torn between her lover and her family, how her father's influence has shaped her, how her insistence on rationality above all else fails her. It was complex and multi-faceted, and I was really blown away by it.
I was also surprised by how much I liked it, considering how dense and science-heavy it is at times. I don't live anywhere near a volcano, so my interest in them was negligible at best, and yet I was still fascinated by everything this book had to teach me about volcanoes and how they work. Since Anna's work is so central to who she is as a person, I thought the details about volcanology went a long way toward making her characterization strong and believable.
There were two things I didn't like so much about this book, though. One was Anna's encounter with an interior designer. I understood that it was a metaphor for Anna herself and how she was living her life, but it felt weirdly out of place to me, and there are so many other details that reinforce the idea that Anna chafes against her self-imposed restraints that I didn't see the purpose the interior decorator character served. (Aside: I was weirded out by the way characters in this book open other people's unlocked doors and invite themselves on into other people's homes. That's like one of my worst nightmares.)
The other thing I disliked was Tomas. That relationship felt off to me. To me he came across as immature and controlling, and I couldn't see how he and Anna would ever work out in the real world, where you have to pay bills and do laundry and attend to any number of mundane details. I didn't find it out of keeping that Anna would be so irresponsible because of her affair, but it did bother me. I couldn't help but think of how adults will mock teenage love and infatuation, yet when Anna is pretty much in the same boat, it's meant to be this grand love affair.
This was truly a standout book for me, especially since I find a lot of the Kindle First books I get are either disappointing and just okay.
January 18, 2023
This book was one of Amazon Prime's Kindle First Reads for January, 2023. I chose it because my husband and I are planning a trip to Iceland in a few months, and I thought reading the book would be interesting and give me some insight into the culture.
There was some of that. There was also a lot of science-y stuff that did not interest me at all. There were a lot of vocabulary words that I did not understand, and wasn't interested enough to look up. For much of the science-based narrative, I pretty much skimmed over it. I got the general gist: Iceland is unique; the land continues to grow, change, evolve; the whole situation can be very dangerous; there are a lot of tasks geologists and other scientists need to complete in their work. Done.
Anna's personal story was much more interesting to me. It was very sad (no spoilers), and also very unfortunate. Anna made assumptions about people in her life, and decisions that I didn't agree with. Still, these chapters were the highlights for me.
Did I learn about the culture, the people of Iceland? Some. I've often wondered what it feels like to live in an island country, to live in a place with such a relatively small population and a unique language. I got a bit of that, but much of the description of daily life was pretty much Western 21st century. I guess there's something to be said for the universality of human experience.
I won't spoil the ending, but I will say I found it haunting.
I hope my vacation experience will not mirror the characters' experience.
There was some of that. There was also a lot of science-y stuff that did not interest me at all. There were a lot of vocabulary words that I did not understand, and wasn't interested enough to look up. For much of the science-based narrative, I pretty much skimmed over it. I got the general gist: Iceland is unique; the land continues to grow, change, evolve; the whole situation can be very dangerous; there are a lot of tasks geologists and other scientists need to complete in their work. Done.
Anna's personal story was much more interesting to me. It was very sad (no spoilers), and also very unfortunate. Anna made assumptions about people in her life, and decisions that I didn't agree with. Still, these chapters were the highlights for me.
Did I learn about the culture, the people of Iceland? Some. I've often wondered what it feels like to live in an island country, to live in a place with such a relatively small population and a unique language. I got a bit of that, but much of the description of daily life was pretty much Western 21st century. I guess there's something to be said for the universality of human experience.
I won't spoil the ending, but I will say I found it haunting.
I hope my vacation experience will not mirror the characters' experience.
December 14, 2021
"Święte słowo" wyjątkowo do mnie trafiło, po "Ogniach" spodziewałam się co najmniej tyle samo i niestety bardzo się rozczarowałam. Główna bohaterka i jej wielki romans trąci fałszem, peany na cześć "miłości" to wyświechtane frazesy, relacja Anny i Tomasa doprowadzała mnie do szału. Wątek katastroficzny nie uratował tej książki - nie czułam praktycznie żadnego napięcia, niepewności, budowania atmosfery. Motyw sprzecznych interesów grona naukowców i grupy polityków i PR-owców jest już tak oklepany, że czytanie opisów kolejnych spotkań i praktycznie wciąż tych samych dialogów trudno uznać za odkrywcze doświadczenie. Nawet mocne zakończenie nie pomogło. To jest po prostu słaba książka.
March 15, 2023
I was hoping to like this more, unfortunately it fell flat for me. I’m not sure if it was the translation or that it wasn’t the disaster I expected. Although there is a lot of “science” info - almost reads like a text book. The disaster is about the protagonist and her life. Definitely more of a family drama with a beautiful volcanic backdrop. Its a quick read with a pretty good ending.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reading copy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reading copy.
Read
December 2, 2022A slow burn of a book. That leads to an explosive conclusion. A question of science and or vs ethics - a volcanologist is in the path of a disaster
But will she turn to what she believes or what she hopes? The end is so emotional and wonderful!!!’
But will she turn to what she believes or what she hopes? The end is so emotional and wonderful!!!’
March 9, 2024
В целом, это даже не неожиданный конец, но почему-то он поразил меня больше всего
April 21, 2023
It's been a great many years since I last finished a book I did not like. Quite seriously, I finished this out of spite.
Because I really wanted Anna and the photographer to die horrible deaths.
The volcanology stuff was great. Loved it. And the narrator died well with the Icelandic names (mind, she's Norwegian - similar but different). If it had an actual thriller plot with survival at stake and action, this could have been a 4 or 5. Also, wow, this was published in Iceland mere months before Fagradalsfjall started erupting so relatively close to where the big one does in this book? Dang, that's well-researched.
And ... okay, neat little metaphor between the volcanoes and Ana's life going kablooey.
But OMG. The "romance."
I want to cast it into the fires.
There is nothing good about the photographer, and I wish the romance was never an element. He's a total drip and when he shows his true colors toward the end of the book and Anna finally gets disgusted, I cheered aloud.
Also, her husband? Who she talks about in nothing but glowing accolades? He certainly didn't deserve to be treated that way. And I think she knew it.
Zero stars to the romance and all of its drivel.
I'm genuinely sorry the library purchased this on my request.
Would not recommend. I'm giving it 2 stars because the prose, volcanology, and "explanatory notes" memories of her youth were good.
Because I really wanted Anna and the photographer to die horrible deaths.
The volcanology stuff was great. Loved it. And the narrator died well with the Icelandic names (mind, she's Norwegian - similar but different). If it had an actual thriller plot with survival at stake and action, this could have been a 4 or 5. Also, wow, this was published in Iceland mere months before Fagradalsfjall started erupting so relatively close to where the big one does in this book? Dang, that's well-researched.
And ... okay, neat little metaphor between the volcanoes and Ana's life going kablooey.
But OMG. The "romance."
I want to cast it into the fires.
There is nothing good about the photographer, and I wish the romance was never an element. He's a total drip and when he shows his true colors toward the end of the book and Anna finally gets disgusted, I cheered aloud.
Also, her husband? Who she talks about in nothing but glowing accolades? He certainly didn't deserve to be treated that way. And I think she knew it.
Zero stars to the romance and all of its drivel.
I'm genuinely sorry the library purchased this on my request.
Would not recommend. I'm giving it 2 stars because the prose, volcanology, and "explanatory notes" memories of her youth were good.
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