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Visning
Nittitallet, Oslo, Cathrin og Willy, det perfekte paret, hun er art director i et reklamebyrå, han skriver filmmanuskripter. Det er kjærlighet ved første blikk, forelskelse ved andre og kjedsommelighet ved tredje når de har bodd sammen i fire år. De begynner å gå på visninger i stedet, ikke for å kjøpe bolig, men for å leke en ny og skjebnesvanger lek, helt til en av dem blir borte. Visning er en roman om å forsvinne og om å lengte.
340 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
2 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Lars Saabye Christensen
171 books614 followersLars Saabye Christensen is a gifted storyteller, a narrator who is imaginative, but equally down to earth. His realism alternates between poetic image and ingenious incident, conveyed in supple metropolitan language and slang that never smacks of the artificial or forced. His heroes possess a good deal of self-irony. Indeed, critics have drawn parallels with the black humour of Woody Allen. But beneath the liveliness of his portrayal melancholy always lurks in the books.
Since his début in 1976 Saabye Christensen has written ten collections of poetry, five collections of short stories and twelve novels. His great break through came with the novel Beatles in 1984. The book store sale of over 200,000 copies of the Norwegian edition has made this one of the greatest commercial successes in Norway, and it was voted the best novel of the last 25 years by Dagbladet's readers in 2006.
Since his début in 1976 Saabye Christensen has written ten collections of poetry, five collections of short stories and twelve novels. His great break through came with the novel Beatles in 1984. The book store sale of over 200,000 copies of the Norwegian edition has made this one of the greatest commercial successes in Norway, and it was voted the best novel of the last 25 years by Dagbladet's readers in 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 4, 2016
Lettvekter. Jeg vet ikke om det er tida som har løpt fra Saabye Christensen, eller om jeg bare har lest for mange gode bøker i det siste. Denne var ok underholdning, intet mer.
August 2, 2014
I loved Maskeblomstfamilien by Saabye Christensen, but Visning just kept me constantly annoyed for the entire time I read the book - except for the first 50 or so pages, when I thought it was just dynamic. I'm not sure whether the things that annoyed me are the way they are on purpose, or if this is just a poorly written book. Saabye Christensen is one of those authors who is supposed to produce X books/5 years, so perhaps this was just a sloppy mistake? Let's hope that's it, because I've got at least one more of his books on my shelves.
First and foremost, the main character in Visning, Willy, is absolutely disgusting. This is Norway in the 90's, so why can't the guy have a normal, Norwegian name? (It does't even seem to be short for William.) Willy is a good-for-nothing freeloader, a wannabee screenwriter, living off his rich, spoiled girlfriend (and how on earth is Cathy, short for Cathrin, supposed to be pronounced in Norwegian?). She seemingly doesn't seem to mind his uselessness, praising him every time he does... well... anything. Willy knows he's a mediocre screenwriter, but he still has the audacity to be rude and demand recognition. He's generally unpleasant, behaves extremely poorly, answers 50% of all questions with a disinterested "I don't know", without bothering to help further whatever conversation he's in. He just doesn't care about anything, just seems to shrug at everything and still feel good about himself. On top of everything, he lies about most things. In short, he deserves to die.
The main character, together with all other characters in this book, constantly says "ikke sant". All the time. (Sometimes, it's "greit".) Extremely annoying. All the characters also speak the same way. Old and young. Rich and poor. I seriously wanted to tear out every page with "ikke sant" on it. All conversations are weird, stilted, and abrupt. They never, ever amount to anything. No characters can ever speak on any topic and actually finish whatever they want to say. "I don't know" kills everything, and they change direction. Everything is SO incomplete and fruitless, and it really, really frustrated me. Perhaps it's on purpose, perhaps Saabye Christensen can't write dialogue.
The girlfriend is perhaps 5% of a character. Perhaps there's some lame symbolism in how she is wasting away, growing thinner and thinner (it's repeatedly remarked upon), but she is altogether void of substance. She doesn't react to anything the way most normal people (women) would. She doesn't react to anything. Perhaps it's on purpose, perhaps Saabye Christensen can't write female characters.
The worst thing about Visning would probably be that the story is crap. It really is. A mediocre screenwriter writing a script, that we (unfortunately) get to read, and that mirrors what happens in the book. Finally, there's a movie. All very, very mediocre. Still I had to find out what happened. Big Surprise: NOTHING OF INTEREST. It's really just boring shit all the way through, with some highly improbable characters and twists and stuff thrown in: what's up with the private investigator? the old lady who found the dog? Peder Holm? Holm's replacement? Cathrin's random meltdown in the middle of the night? Willy's issue with visiting his parents? the ridiculous heron imagery?
Finally, what is wrong with these people who don't like cake? Or dogs? Or anything?
First and foremost, the main character in Visning, Willy, is absolutely disgusting. This is Norway in the 90's, so why can't the guy have a normal, Norwegian name? (It does't even seem to be short for William.) Willy is a good-for-nothing freeloader, a wannabee screenwriter, living off his rich, spoiled girlfriend (and how on earth is Cathy, short for Cathrin, supposed to be pronounced in Norwegian?). She seemingly doesn't seem to mind his uselessness, praising him every time he does... well... anything. Willy knows he's a mediocre screenwriter, but he still has the audacity to be rude and demand recognition. He's generally unpleasant, behaves extremely poorly, answers 50% of all questions with a disinterested "I don't know", without bothering to help further whatever conversation he's in. He just doesn't care about anything, just seems to shrug at everything and still feel good about himself. On top of everything, he lies about most things. In short, he deserves to die.
The main character, together with all other characters in this book, constantly says "ikke sant". All the time. (Sometimes, it's "greit".) Extremely annoying. All the characters also speak the same way. Old and young. Rich and poor. I seriously wanted to tear out every page with "ikke sant" on it. All conversations are weird, stilted, and abrupt. They never, ever amount to anything. No characters can ever speak on any topic and actually finish whatever they want to say. "I don't know" kills everything, and they change direction. Everything is SO incomplete and fruitless, and it really, really frustrated me. Perhaps it's on purpose, perhaps Saabye Christensen can't write dialogue.
The girlfriend is perhaps 5% of a character. Perhaps there's some lame symbolism in how she is wasting away, growing thinner and thinner (it's repeatedly remarked upon), but she is altogether void of substance. She doesn't react to anything the way most normal people (women) would. She doesn't react to anything. Perhaps it's on purpose, perhaps Saabye Christensen can't write female characters.
The worst thing about Visning would probably be that the story is crap. It really is. A mediocre screenwriter writing a script, that we (unfortunately) get to read, and that mirrors what happens in the book. Finally, there's a movie. All very, very mediocre. Still I had to find out what happened. Big Surprise: NOTHING OF INTEREST. It's really just boring shit all the way through, with some highly improbable characters and twists and stuff thrown in: what's up with the private investigator? the old lady who found the dog? Peder Holm? Holm's replacement? Cathrin's random meltdown in the middle of the night? Willy's issue with visiting his parents? the ridiculous heron imagery?
Finally, what is wrong with these people who don't like cake? Or dogs? Or anything?
Want to read
April 19, 2020I don’t think I’ll ever finish this book, it is soooo boring....
This is the 2nd book in a row of 3 books I could not read in my entire life...
This is the 2nd book in a row of 3 books I could not read in my entire life...
September 23, 2014
Un scenarist ratat. Oslo. Iubita cu păr negru și gât lung. L’été indien. Incertitudine. Liniște. Gol.
Toamna lui Christensen, în Oslo-ul anilor ’90 nu este o toamnă adevărată, căci n-are nici o legătură cu anotimpul. Will și Cathrin locuiesc împreună de patru ani. Nici măcar după tot timpul acesta, el nu știe cum a reușit să pună mâna pe așa o fată extraordinară. Petrec din ce în ce mai puțin timp împreună. Zilele trec semănând una cu cealaltă, timpul se dilată în mod exagerat și liniștea dintre ei doi este direct proporțională cu gălăgia din mințile lor.
Nu știm ce părere are Cathrin, cu adevărat, despre ceea ce se întâmplă, dar ne dăm seama rapid că se plictisește. Sau poate că nu se plictisește, dar înțelege un lucru pe care Will îl observă abia când e prea târziu: e începutul sfârșitului – e-o vară indiană în relația lor, iar fiecare zi conduce spre ruginire, plictis, răceală, iarnă.
de la sursă: La grande bellezza scandinavă – SemneBune http://semnebune.ro/2014/la-grande-be...
Toamna lui Christensen, în Oslo-ul anilor ’90 nu este o toamnă adevărată, căci n-are nici o legătură cu anotimpul. Will și Cathrin locuiesc împreună de patru ani. Nici măcar după tot timpul acesta, el nu știe cum a reușit să pună mâna pe așa o fată extraordinară. Petrec din ce în ce mai puțin timp împreună. Zilele trec semănând una cu cealaltă, timpul se dilată în mod exagerat și liniștea dintre ei doi este direct proporțională cu gălăgia din mințile lor.
Nu știm ce părere are Cathrin, cu adevărat, despre ceea ce se întâmplă, dar ne dăm seama rapid că se plictisește. Sau poate că nu se plictisește, dar înțelege un lucru pe care Will îl observă abia când e prea târziu: e începutul sfârșitului – e-o vară indiană în relația lor, iar fiecare zi conduce spre ruginire, plictis, răceală, iarnă.
de la sursă: La grande bellezza scandinavă – SemneBune http://semnebune.ro/2014/la-grande-be...
December 2, 2016
Mie mi s-a parut slaba, foarte slaba. Dialogul e format din replici vagi, formate in mare parte din "de ce?", "de unde stii?", actiunea nu e chiar palpitanta, e prima carte de Christensen pe care o citesc si pot spune ca sunt dezamagita. Nu e genul de carte pe care sa n-o lasi din mana.
Legat de personaje, atitudinea lui Will mi se pare de-a dreptul stupida, Cathrin de asemenea e mai mult absenta decat prezenta in discutii, e irascibila si ofera raspunsuri nesatisfacatoare la intrebarile adresate de diferite personaje din carte. Ambele personaje sunt ca doua jucarii stricate, singura parte mai "misterioasa" sa spun asa, e cand pleaca femeia de acasa. Pana acum e printre cele mai naspa carti pe care le-am citit.
Legat de personaje, atitudinea lui Will mi se pare de-a dreptul stupida, Cathrin de asemenea e mai mult absenta decat prezenta in discutii, e irascibila si ofera raspunsuri nesatisfacatoare la intrebarile adresate de diferite personaje din carte. Ambele personaje sunt ca doua jucarii stricate, singura parte mai "misterioasa" sa spun asa, e cand pleaca femeia de acasa. Pana acum e printre cele mai naspa carti pe care le-am citit.
September 15, 2013
Har ikke lest en Saabye Christensen-roman på årevis, det var godt å komme hjem igjen. En typisk bok fra hans penn, alle de vanlige skrivetekniske elementene er på plass. Jeg lar meg lett fascinere av billige effekter, så hopping fram og tilbake i tid er gøy for meg. og ikke minst den elegante blandinga av reell handling og filmmanusskisser, der man aldri vet om skissene er basert på hendelser eller om de er tatt rett fra hovedpersonens hode.
Read
January 19, 2011starter nokså klisjemessig. Savner noksagtene til han' Lars ...
May 15, 2011
Efter at have læst "Halvbroderen" og "Maskeblomstfamilien" virker denne skuffende og overfladisk.
Den er dog ok, lidt for "newyork" til mig...
Den er dog ok, lidt for "newyork" til mig...
May 10, 2024
Jeg har egentlig alltid likt bøkene til Lars Saabye Christensen. Maskeblomstfamilien var fremragende. Men så var det Magnet, da, som var så dårlig at jeg måtte gi opp boken etter kanskje 150 sider. Nå, fire år senere, gav jeg ham en ny sjanse med Visning, som jeg har hatt liggende i femten år. Ville den falle i smak, eller ville jeg arkivere også den i papirgjenvinningen?
Dommen er at det er en god og underholdende roman, om enn noe flat og banal. Boken er lettlest, og jeg koste meg med den, så det blir en klokkeren treer på en skala fra en til fem.
Romanen handler om et ungt par som begynner å gå på visning fordi hun kjeder seg i forholdet. De knuller alltid i en av disse leilighetene, men det er lite intimitet mellom dem ellers. Og en dag forsvinner hun bare. Hun forlater deres felles hjem en morgen og kommer aldri tilbake. Det er en roman om savn og håpløshet, men også en roman om i grunnen ingen verdens ting. Pjatt på tomgang. Ellers kunne det vanket en langt bedre omtale.
Liker man forfatteren, er dette en bok man absolutt bør lese. I motsatt fall finnes det bedre ting å bruke tiden på.
Dommen er at det er en god og underholdende roman, om enn noe flat og banal. Boken er lettlest, og jeg koste meg med den, så det blir en klokkeren treer på en skala fra en til fem.
Romanen handler om et ungt par som begynner å gå på visning fordi hun kjeder seg i forholdet. De knuller alltid i en av disse leilighetene, men det er lite intimitet mellom dem ellers. Og en dag forsvinner hun bare. Hun forlater deres felles hjem en morgen og kommer aldri tilbake. Det er en roman om savn og håpløshet, men også en roman om i grunnen ingen verdens ting. Pjatt på tomgang. Ellers kunne det vanket en langt bedre omtale.
Liker man forfatteren, er dette en bok man absolutt bør lese. I motsatt fall finnes det bedre ting å bruke tiden på.
October 11, 2024
Uhyggelig godt, likte den.
June 15, 2025
Sterk 3er. En fengende historie om livet, konfliktskyhet, kjærlighet og hemmeligheter.
October 12, 2025
Og pluss i margen for de evige nikkene til Hamsun.
August 9, 2024
Snål men fengende
June 10, 2017
Årets 66. bok er "Visning" av Lars Saabye Christensen. Er ca halvveis gjennom den og er tilsvarende halvveis begeistret. Mange typiske Lars Saabye Christensen - formuleringer, smarte, skarpe og morsomt. Men føler der blir mer språklig fornøyelse her enn ren historie, for den er så langt e litt tom, syntes jeg. Det sier mye, det tenkes mye, men det skjer utrolig lite
February 17, 2014
Hørt på lydbok, men tar den med her likevell jeg.
January 15, 2023
Okei, jeg likte vel egentlig denne historien godt, selv om jeg ikke var helt sikker rett etterpå. Den føltes så tom - fra begynnelse til slutt.
men det er kanskje meningen.
men det er kanskje meningen.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews