All About Books discussion

This thread is to discuss our Feb 2018 fiction read.

The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen and translated by Don Bartlett was shortlisted for the 2017 Man Booker International Prize.

Nobody can leave an island. An island is a cosmos in a nutshell, where the stars slumber in the grass beneath the snow. But occasionally someone tries . . .

Ingrid Barrøy is born on an island that bears her name - a holdfast for a single family, their livestock, their crops, their hopes and dreams.

Her father dreams of building a quay that will connect them to the mainland, but closer ties to the wider world come at a price. Her mother has her own dreams - more children, a smaller island, a different life - and there is one question Ingrid must never ask her.

Island life is hard, a living scratched from the dirt or trawled from the sea, so when Ingrid comes of age, she is sent to the mainland to work for one of the wealthy families on the coast.

But Norway too is waking up to a wider world, a modern world that is capricious and can be cruel. Tragedy strikes, and Ingrid must fight to protect the home she thought she had left behind

This book has not been translated into Italian; I see if I can find the English version in some store on line, as ebook.
Who's reading it?

I wanted to but it is not available for my Kindle and none of my area libraries have it, so unless I want to purchase the book, I won't be reading.

I would like to but I have to see if it's available through my library.

I ordered the book and hopefully it will arrive in time for this discussion.

I am interested in this too. It is available at Audible.

My library doesn't have the book. I will check the price and see if I can purchase it as this seems to be the only option for me to get the book.

This looks interesting, I see it's available on audible so I will get it there.

I will start this soon. It will be my next book. Doesn't seem like anyone is reading this! It seems like I will be reading it alone. Doesn't matter; it looks pretty interesting to me.

I’m definitely reading, Chrissie. Just need to finish my current book and I’m on night shifts at the moment so not getting much reading done this week. Hopefully will start this weekend

That is nice you will be reading it too, Heather.

I will start reading it in a few days. It is allready on my ereader

Claire. Nice.

This is not available in my library. If you all start raving about how great it is, I might buy a copy but otherwise I will be skipping this one.

Leslie wrote: "This is not available in my library. If you all start raving about how great it is, I might buy a copy but otherwise I will be skipping this one."

Smart move. I´ll be guinea pig this time around.

Yesterday, I started listening to The Unseen. The audiobook is narrated by Rachel Beresford. She put me to sleep, so I have started the whole thing over again this morning. Her tone is like a song that drones on steadily, without any ups and downs.. The words are hard to distinguish, but you must pay attention because the author gives a lot of information in just a few words. I have not come far. I think I do like how the author expresses himself.

Has anyone else started?

I hope I get used to the narration and it does not put me t sleep every time I listen. I bet this will be one of those audiobooks for which I must carefully separate my judgment of the author's words from the audiobook's narration.

Being a bit of a hermit myself, I have looked forward to the book's setting, a little island out in the wild sea. Pure heaven fo me.

Heather, can you set this up so that we can see how people who have completed the book have rated it? That is always interesting.

Slow moving at the start. Dreary. I certainly hope this improves. So far all I have is questions. I am trying to figure out what is going on. Short chapters. I have completed chapter 7.

I have done 24 chapters and it is boring me to death.

The narration is listenable now except when there is a dialog, then yo have to guess at some of the words. Luckily they are not many dialogs.

Listening to how they built a boat house, constructed a window and stuff like that is just not my cup of tea. A baby has been born, but the details there were skimpy except to say that it was difficult and the men left to get out of the way.

I love how this is a group read with one person reading it......... I hope you hear my sarcasm. Today is the 11th of February. It is not like I jumped into this right off the bat.

Here is the good thing, everybody else can skip this.

It is true that the book just might improve.

There are 53 chapters in the whole book.........

Sorry it's taken me a little while to get started. As I mentioned I was on night shifts last week and it's not the time to pick up a new book.

I started last night and I have to say I disagree with you, Chrissie. I am 120 pages in and enjoying the book. True, it's quite a quiet read but the language and descriptions of life and the island are beautiful. I've read a few books recently where the plot has not been the main focus and I seem to really enjoy them. I found myself immersed in the world.

The dialog is a bit challenging in print as well. I read somewhere than the author used a strange Norwegian dialect which is virtually untranslatable and so the translators did the best they could. I think the translation is very well done.

Heather wrote: "Sorry it's taken me a little while to get started. As I mentioned I was on night shifts last week and it's not the time to pick up a new book.

I started last night and I have to say I disagree wit..."

Heather, I am not a person who needs a plot oriented book, but I do need to feel engaged to the characters. This I do not feel in the least. In my view the nature and landscape is scarcely discussed, but I do think daily life on the island is shown. I also dislike the writing, by that I mean how things are told to the reader. I find it confusing, the time sequences are just one example. Usually what is at first unclear is later made clear as you continue.

How do you properly describe prose so others will understand? For me the prose goes a step too far....like it is trying to be deep and meaningful and lyrical, but it tries too hard.

I know Norway and the coastlines, and for me the ruggedness of the island is not properly revealed. Also, sea landscapes can be beautiful. Rarely is this beauty brought out in the book. What we are shown is the poverty and struggle imposed by the land. I want a balanced description, the good and the bad.

Heather, I do understand that you could not start over the weekend, but today is the 12th. The book was to be discussed any time in February. We are half way through the month now! Is it wrong of me to find it strange that a book chosen by the group's mods show so little interest. Excuse me if I am being too blunt.

I am totally OK with your loving the book. People want different things from books.

Chrissie wrote: "Heather wrote: "Sorry it's taken me a little while to get started. As I mentioned I was on night shifts last week and it's not the time to pick up a new book.

I started last night and I have to sa..."

I agree it is very frustrating to not have discussions with the group, but as you said the discussions are meant to over the course of the month. I am very sorry I could not start sooner but I have begun the book as soon as I could, once I had finished my previous book and completed my week of 12 hour night shifts.

If you have any ideas with how we can improve participation in group reads then we will gladly take them. We have been trying various things over the past year (including abandoning nominations and using suggestions instead which I may go back on) but if a book wins a poll we have to use it as the group read. Unfortunately the vast majority of people who voted for the book have not chosen to participate which is a problem not unique to this group. Please do suggest any books you would like to read with the group and I will make sure to include them in the nominations this month.

With regards to this book, I am also OK with you hating the book! I have to admit I don't know Norway but I do feel a sense of place from the book. As you said, people want different things but I am really enjoying the slow pace of the book and I am keen to find out what happens to Ingrid. I wouldn't say it was a 5* read for me though and I do agree with you about the prose being over-lyrical and meaningful at times.

Heather wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Heather wrote: "Sorry it's taken me a little while to get started. As I mentioned I was on night shifts last week and it's not the time to pick up a new book.

I started last night..."

I admit I was irritated, but I have cooled down. I had to let off some steam. I do understand your predicament. My recommendation would be that if group mods pick a book, several of the mods should commit themselves to reading the book at the beginning of the month. I must admit that when I chimed in and said the book was not living up to my expectations, this didn't exactly encourage other people to read it. But I had to speak the truth, me being who I am.

I agree group participation is often poor, but I am at a loss on how to improve it.

The book improves; I am nearing the end. Three or two stars is what I am debating between. I cannot disregard how I felt for the entire first half of the book. That is nice to know that on some points we totally agree. If you like it from the beginning, I think you will like it more by the end. For sure, what is well drawn is the struggle necessary to survive on the island. This comes through loud and strong.

Thank you, Chrissie. I am really grateful that you have read and commented and I do understand your frustration. Hopefully next month we will have a few more members joining in. And maybe some people will be compelled to find out what we are talking about!

I’m glad that the book has improved for you. It’s a shame the start was so disappointing.

I will try and write a review today. I did appreciate talking with YOU!

I like hearing how other people think although I must admit that rarely does that change how I feel and think about a book. I think it is wrong to deny your initial reaction to a book. If you like or dislike a book, both are fine, but what is interesting is to figure out why,

I agree. I don’t always mind reading a book I don’t like much if I can question it.

I always look forward to your reviews so I will read this one once I’ve finished the book

I have completed The Unseen.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I confess I was not immediately sucked in by the story's beginning, but I really did feel the sense of a Norwegian (or northernmost) island setting, one that would be difficult to survive in, especially if surrounded by poverty. I liked the way the dialect is translated, I was afraid it would be difficult to read and understand, but it isn't. I also have no problem with the descriptions of the coastline or the island... I haven't been to Norway, so I would not be disappointed, but it occurs to me that if you are living in the midst of your surroundings, and life is hard and a struggle, after a while the beauty of a place might not be so impressive. Familiarity breeds contempt, as the saying goes.

I checked into this thread a couple times and didn't see much activity, and then read a couple of Chrissie's comments, so I put the book aside and decided to catch up on some other reading until there was a little more activity here.

Anyway, I now have a couple books to finish before I get back to this one, but I will be back. I do like the whole atmosphere as it is being built upon over time.

Janet, on completion I gave it three stars. You get a real sense of life on the island. Definitely. The focus is on one family, you get much less sense of a community. I am sorry if I discouraged you. For me the prose is better at the end than in the beginning.

Heather, how far have you come? I want to see if you too note the change in prose style at the beginning and at the end.

I definitely wanted to know more about Barbro.

About half way through still, had a super busy week and haven’t picked up a book.

Going to read a bit tonight and finish over the weekend

Heather, your job takes s much of your time, but that is normal...... I do understand . I remember when I worked. I hope that your job feels rewarding, b/c that is where you spend so many of your hours. For ME, a nurse can make such a difference for a sick person in the hospital. The doctors are just not there much of the time. What I am trying to say is that I appreciate all that nurses do, and it can be nice to get that feedback.

Anyhow, I am really curious to see if you note the difference in the first half and the second half of the book. Particularly in the writing style. For me it became clearer, leaner and more to the point which I think better fit the book.....or maybe the author's talents? I was going to say fit the island better, but actually it is not that. Figuring out why one book works and another doesn't or why one works at the end and not at the beginning is the sum of so many elements. Even if I KNOW how I am reacting, figuring out why is the hard part.

Also, for me the beginning was drawn out, detailing some events in excess. For example in the construction of windows and piers which regardless of all the words failed to see!

Janet, are you reading it? People react differently. I am hoping you love it, but I couldn't. At the book's end, I came to see good and bad things mixed together.

I’ve finally finished now. I definitely see what you mean about the change in the prose style. It makes me wonder if it a translation issue or if the author changed the prose. I think it became easier to read and more absorbing.

I have given the book 4 stars. I think the second half was not only better in terms of prose but it was a more interesting story. (view spoiler)[ I was pretty shocked when Hans died. I did not see that coming (hide spoiler)]. I am glad I read it

Also, I feel like I should mention that I’m not a nurse, actually a doctor. Although I do totally agree that a good nurse is the most important thing for a hospital patient. We have much less continuity than the nurses and I rely on them to help inform me when patients aren’t themselves or when things need doing.

I work in mainly outpatients at the moment but when I do my on calls I am guided by the excellent nurses to help me look after the patients!

Heather wrote: "I’ve finally finished now. I definitely see what you mean about the change in the prose style. It makes me wonder if it a translation issue or if the author changed the prose. I think it became eas..."

Oh, excuse me. I did not know w you were a doctor. I wonder where I got that idea that you were a nurse. Have you specialized? Thanks for straightening me out.

Oh, I am so glad you saw the difference. I agree that it i snot JUST the prose style that is different. There is more plot, much less vague philosophizing and less long drawn out constructional details which for me were boring. I failed to see these constructions in my mind's eye.

Yeah I definitely agree. I did like the first bit but the second half had more plot and I agree the talk about building was more boring earlier on in the book.

I have specialised in haematology but I’m only 6 months in to a 5 year training programme. I am very lucky to have a job I love but it does get in the way of reading and other things!

Of course you are busy! I do understand that you have little time for reading. Good luck with the continuation.

I think actually we ended up agreeing quite a bit about the book. When I give a book three stars it is a book ended up liking. Since I red so much I get VERY picky. I have so many other books to compare with.

I was impressed you gave it 3* after your earlier thoughts as I know about your ratings system. I’m glad you liked it more in the end and that you kept going.

Did you think about not finishing? I always wander with books like this that change because I do DNF books and I wonder if I’m missed some gems!

I will get back to reading it soon.

Heather wrote: "I was impressed you gave it 3* after your earlier thoughts as I know about your ratings system. I’m glad you liked it more in the end and that you kept going.

Did you think about not finishing? I..."

No, I only dump a book if I detest every second while reading it, if there isn't the slightest possibility it cannot turn around for ME. Many books do improve and it is best to judge a book as a whole. That is how I think.

I only really DNF books if I get to a stage where I avoid reading them. It tends to not be a conscious decision, more that I’ve just got so bored reading I stop picking it up!

Finally starting the audiobook now.

The audiobook didn't take that long for me, but it didn't leave me with much of an impression about it, I've forgotten it pretty quickly.

Alannah wrote: "The audiobook didn't take that long for me, but it didn't leave me with much of an impression about it, I've forgotten it pretty quickly."

It is good to find another who did not love it. I think it improves at the end so I gave it three stars. For me--the prose becomes leaner, cleaner which fits the setting better. Some things actually do happen at the end and a glimmer of hope is revealed. Otherwise it is predominantly a book about the daily rough existence on the island. Still..... I also found it repetitive, much of the writing too forced, information about some of the characters is lacking and all those details on constructions drove me batty. I understand a rating of two stars too.