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The Boy Who Slept in the Snow (Joel Gustafsson #3)
Joel is growing up. He is getting interested in girls. Just look at his New Year’s resolutions: 1 — to see a naked lady; 2 — to toughen himself up so that he can live to be a hundred; and 3 — to see the sea. They all look pretty impossible for a motherless boy in Northern Sweden. Especially as his sailor dad is keen to drown his sadness in drink, and all the local matrons ...more
Paperback, 160 pages
Published
October 2nd 2007
by Andersen Press Ltd
(first published 1996)
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Catherine Woodman
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The third in the trilogy about Joel, a 12 year old boy in rural 1950's Sweden (Mankell himself??). This continued to be an odd series from the start to the finish. Joel is not all that likable, nor is his father a model parent (by any means)--in this one he starts to proposition women, and seeing his father as competition. His father also lapses into drinking in this one, and you start to see why Joel has this pseudo-adult persona--he had to take it on. I liked this series over all but I wou...more
Henning Mankell, the successful adult mystery writer, is trying his hand at the lucrative young adult market. While the writing in When Snow Fell is evocative and beautiful, it is hard to imagine young readers engaging with this book. Additionally, the setting is the 1950s in a small town in northern Sweden, not a sure-fire attention grabber. Thirteen-year-old Joel Gustafson celebrates his own personal New Year’s Eve when the first snowfall of winter comes with resolutions and all. As always, th...more
Thirteen-year-old Jacob lives in small-town 1950s Sweden with his father, a sailor turned logger, in this coming-of-age tale. Jacob is forced to be his "own mother," as he puts it, responsible for the shopping, cooking, and cleaning, as his mother left several years ago. By the end of the story, Jacob has learned a bit about growing up, and a bit about how to still be a kid. Very well written, though the translator's choices seemed odd at some points.
Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
On the first snowfall of the year, 14-year-old Joel always makes his New Year's resolutions.
This year he's made three: live to be 100, patch up his relationship with his father, and see a girl naked.
Life keeps getting in the way, however, of him reaching his goals. His father is a lumberjack who goes on drinking binges and seems unhappy with life. His mother abandoned them years ago. To add to his plate, he's trying to navigate...more
On the first snowfall of the year, 14-year-old Joel always makes his New Year's resolutions.
This year he's made three: live to be 100, patch up his relationship with his father, and see a girl naked.
Life keeps getting in the way, however, of him reaching his goals. His father is a lumberjack who goes on drinking binges and seems unhappy with life. His mother abandoned them years ago. To add to his plate, he's trying to navigate...more
I have been reading a few books from Swedish authors. This is a young adult book, imaginative and dark with the central character seeming more innocent than I expect a thirteen year old to be. Like me he was born in 1945. I also read Italian Shoes by Henning Mankell, a story about an isolated retired doctor. Mankell gives a good sense of location and creates vivid characters.
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I don't think I was the target audience for this book. Joel's quest to see a naked woman didn't really do a lot for me but his relationship with his father and friends felt authentic.
I'm enjoying this coming of age series of novels about a young boy growing up at the end of the 1950's in a small town in rural Sweden.
Short coming of age novel about a Swedish boy in a small village during the 1950's. Funny and sad and enjoyable.
written for teenagers - but a great short read - Scandinavian setting tremendous, and good humour
i enjoyed it big time......
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Henning Mankell is an internationally known Swedish crime writer, children's author and playwright. He is best known for his literary character Kurt Wallander.
Mankell splits his time between Sweden and Mozambique. He is married to Eva Bergman, Swedish director and daughter of Ingmar Bergman.
Series:
* Kurt Wallander
*Linda Wallander
*Sofia
*Joel Gustaf...more
More about Henning Mankell...
Mankell splits his time between Sweden and Mozambique. He is married to Eva Bergman, Swedish director and daughter of Ingmar Bergman.
Series:
* Kurt Wallander
*Linda Wallander
*Sofia
*Joel Gustaf...more
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“To grow up is to wonder about things; to be grown up is to slowly forget the things you wondered about as a child.”
—
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