Mägismaa

by Steinar Bragi, Askur Alas (Translator)

Põhjamaade parimate traditsioonide järgi kirjutatud psühholoogilises põnevikus lähevad kaks meest ja naist mööda Islandit reisima. Nad suunduvad saare asustamata keskossa. Kui Hrafn ja Egill on lapse¬põlvesõbrad, siis Anna ja Vigdis alles saavad lähemalt tuttavaks. Mõnusalt ja helgelt alanud matk võtab õudusunenägu meenutava pöörde, kui rännuseltskond keset üüratut liivikut, suurt mittemidagit, udus ja pimedas autoga vastu üht maja sõidab. Varsti ei saa enam keegi aru, mis on reaalne, mis mitte. Kas kummalised võõrustajad, kes neid sisse kutsuvad, on ikka olemas? Kas must lõppematu liivik, kindlust meenutav talu ja kõik muu tõesti eksisteerib? Ja kas keegi saab üldse kariloomi keset liivakõrbe pidada? Kui ei, siis mida need loomad seal teevad?

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Crime, Nordic Noir

230 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Steinar Bragi Guðmundsson (who publishes under his first two names only) has a BA in Literary Studies and Philosophy from the University of Iceland. His first published work was a volume of poetry, Svarthol (Black Hole), which came out in 1998. Since then he has written several books, both poetry and novels.

Reviews

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Los lectores desprevenidos e ingenuos como yo, amantes incondicionales de los oscuros y helados escenarios de las novelas nórdicas, de su regocijante crueldad y de la tenaz autodestrucción de sus personajes, se encontrarán, ciertamente, desorientados: El silencio de las tierras altas no es un thriller psicológico clásico. No, no. Ni un policial. Ni una novela de terror/horror paranormal. Ni un poema. Ni un compendio de mitología islandesa. No es nada de eso. O, tal vez, sea un poco de todo.

Dos parejas realizan un viaje por las volcánicas tierras altas islandesas. Todo sale mal y tienen un accidente. Terminan en casa de una pareja de ancianos rarísimos que no parecen felices de recibirlos pero tampoco tienen opción. Los muchachos no soportan permanecer ni un minuto más en un lugar donde el GPS no te habla y quieren volver a la civilización. Pero, por una u otra razón, no pueden....El horror está servido y sus miedos más irracionales y primitivos comienzan a hacerse realidad.

La premisa no es mala. Lo indefinible es lo que viene después: La irrupción desordenada de los elementos fantásticos, los cabos sueltos y la horrible sensación de que uno se perdió algo o no está a la altura de la historia. Tuve esta desesperante sensación desde la mitad del libro en adelante. No sé, para mí que hay demasiados fantasmas sobrevolando las misteriosas tierras altas de Islandia.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Icelandic horror story is set against the stark, evocative backdrop of the volcanic desert. In the first couple of chapters, a group of four friends on a road trip crash their car in the middle of nowhere. So begins a tale of terror in one of the remotest, most forbidding landscapes imaginable, told alongside a journey through the histories of these four characters.

We start with Hrafn, the driver, a rich kid who's lived a wild and glamorous life but, underneath it all, is profoundly troubled. His friend Egill is a sort of cut-rate version of Hrafn: not as rich, not as deep, not as smart, he comes off as the most unpleasant of the lot, and has a tumultuous relationship with his girlfriend Anna. She's a journalist, initially introduced as a caricature – the bubbly airhead – but later revealed to be much more complex than she appears, perhaps the most interesting figure in the story. Finally, there's Vigdís, Hrafn's therapist girlfriend. Undoubtedly the heroine, she is introspective, intelligent and mature, a sort of mother to the group.

The first 85% of the book is excellent. Hrafn, Vigdís, Anna and Egill are 'rescued' by an elderly woman and her virtually mute husband. Brought to stay at a boarded-up farmhouse, they discover the strange couple barricade their doors at night. Several efforts to leave prove futile, and they always seem to be brought back to the house. It turns out the friends have taken this trip together on impulse; now they're forced to spend so much time together, tempers begin to fray, and old tensions resurface, particularly between Hrafn and Egill. Things get even more creepy when the two men and Vigdís walk to the next 'town' and encounter a completely deserted village, littered with the bones of birds. Meanwhile, Anna explores the house, finding a lavish library complete with that gothic mainstay – a hidden room, secreted behind a bookcase. This discovery is the catalyst for a wild theory about the couple, who become more and more sinister with every thwarted attempt the group make to leave.

The last 15% or so, however, is terrible. I don't say that lightly: it genuinely made me feel pissed off about the time I'd invested in the rest of the story (admittedly not much time, since I found it so compelling I read it through in a matter of hours). The narrative devolves into a series of disgusting and nonsensical images. Nothing is resolved or explained. One character is horribly mutilated for no good reason I can think of, other than to provide a suitably shocking tableau.

My problems with The Ice Lands underline the division between horror fiction and the gentler type of ghost stories and creepy supernatural tales I tend to prefer. Maybe films are a little different, but when it comes to words on a page, I don't have a taste for the kind of pointless gore on display here. I don't mind stories being left open, either, but there has to be SOME elegance to it, not just a jumble of weirdness and violence. Most of The Ice Lands is riveting: the tension builds nicely, the characters are each fleshed out effectively, the story is a real page-turner. But the ending ruins much of that, and means that overall, I can't truly recommend it. Those with a stronger stomach for horror might find it more palatable.

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[Liz Barnsley]

Sadly have had to give up on this one. No rating as I didn't finish it. Its not that its badly written or anything like that but it just wasnt grabbing me at all. A little too much nothing. Although setting was a plus and well described the rest was just too, I don't like to say dull but yes. Dull.

One of those "its not you its me " moments.

[George K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Έτσι ξαφνικά, πριν από δυο-τρεις μέρες, κυκλοφόρησε στα ελληνικά ένα βιβλίο τρόμου γραμμένο από Ισλανδό συγγραφέα. Το εξώφυλλο μου κίνησε την προσοχή από την πρώτη στιγμή που το είδα, διάβασα και την περίληψη και είπα να το αγοράσω, παρά την ιδιαίτερα μέτρια βαθμολογία του στο Goodreads. Τι στο καλό, σε πολύ μεγάλο βαθμό εμπιστεύομαι τις εκδόσεις Κλειδάριθμος. Λοιπόν, οι μέτριες κριτικές που υπάρχουν στο ίντερνετ για το βιβλίο, μπορώ να πω ότι δικαιολογούνται, σε γενικές γραμμές.

Τέσσερις νέοι άνθρωποι -δυο άντρες και δυο γυναίκες-, όλα θύματα της οικονομικής κρίσης με τον έναν ή τον άλλο τρόπο, πηγαίνουν μια εκδρομή στην ενδοχώρα της Ισλανδίας, μ'ένα νοικιασμένο τζιπ. Στην μέση του πουθενά, με την ομίχλη να καλύπτει σχεδόν τα πάντα, παθαίνουν ένα ατύχημα. Θα βρεθούν μπροστά σ'ένα απομονωμένο σπίτι, όπου θα συναντήσουν ένα ζευγάρι γέρων, με ιδιαίτερα παράξενη συμπεριφορά. Στις προσπάθειές τους για να φύγουν από την ερημιά αυτή και να βρεθούν ξανά πίσω στον πολιτισμό, θα συναντήσουν ένα κάρο εμπόδια. Επίσης, θα ανακαλύψουν πολλά περίεργα και τρομακτικά πράγματα...

Λοιπόν, το βιβλίο σίγουρα δεν είναι τόσο κακό όσο δείχνει η βαθμολογία του στο Goodreads. Όμως, είναι μια μεγάλη χαμένη ευκαιρία για κάτι το ξεχωριστό. Ο συγγραφέας χτίζει μια τρομερή ατμόσφαιρα, μας γνωρίζει με σχετικά ικανοποιητικό τρόπο τους τέσσερις πρωταγωνιστές, μας προσφέρει λίγες ανατριχίλες λόγω των τοπίων, της ομίχλης και κάποιων παράξενων γεγονότων/σκηνικών, όμως στο τέλος τα γκρεμίζει όλα, μιας και δεν έλυσε πολλές απορίες και δεν εξήγησε τα γιατί και πως. Εντάξει, δεν χρειάζεται να τα ξέρουμε και όλα, ας μένουν κάποια πράγματα ανοικτά στο τέλος, αλλά εδώ δεν κατάλαβα γιατί και πως έγινε ό,τι έγινε. Στο τέλος συμβαίνουν διάφορα κουλά και μάλλον τίποτα δεν ξεκαθαρίζεται. Να φταίω μόνο εγώ; Μπα, και άλλοι αναγνώστες αναρωτιούνται...

Γενικά, πέρασα καλά. Η γραφή μου άρεσε αρκετά (αν και ήταν κάπως... ανιαρή, που και που), η ατμόσφαιρα εξαιρετική, έτσι σκοτεινή, μουντή και γκρίζα όπως ήταν, και οι χαρακτήρες μάλλον ενδιαφέροντες αν και όχι τόσο συμπαθητικοί κατά την γνώμη μου -ο συγγραφέας ξόδεψε αρκετό χρόνο για να μας τους γνωρίσει, μερικές φορές εις βάρος της αφήγησης. Σε σημεία όμως με κούρασε, ενώ απογοητεύτηκα από τον τρόπο που έκλεισε την όλη ιστορία ο συγγραφέας. Σαν να μην ήξερε ούτε ο ίδιος τι έγινε πραγματικά...

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Μόλις έκλεισα το βιβλίο και μου έχει γεννηθεί η εξής απορία: Ήξερε, τελικά, ακόμα και ο ίδιος ο συγγραφέας τι έγινε στο τέλος;
Οι χαρακτήρες δεν θα μπορούσαν να είναι πιο αντιπαθητικοί, σε κάθε προσπάθεια να δικαιολογήσεις την συμπεριφορά τους, σε απωθούσαν ακόμα περισσότερο
Ωστόσο, ο ίδιος ο συγγραφέας χρονοτρίβησε αρκετά για να παρουσιάσει την ζωή του καθένα, με αποτέλεσμα να επιβαρύνεται η αφήγηση
Γενικά, η γραφή και η ατμόσφαιρα που δημιουργείται θυμίζει θρίλερ και σου δημιουργεί το συναίσθημα της αγωνίας
Δεν έρχεται,όμως, καμία ανατροπή, καμία κάθαρση

[Βασω Γενιτσαριδου]

Απορώ τι διάβασα. Και γιατί συνέχιζα να το διαβαζω. Επιτέλους τελείωσε

[Gopa Thampi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can only repeat a quote attributed to both Sid Ziff and Dorothy Parker: "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force".

[Calzean · Rating 1 out of 5]

This lost me. An Icelandic horror story..

It starts off OK, with 4 friends(?) driving through the desolate desert of Iceland's highlands. The description of the terrain is the highlight of the book. The flashbacks of the four were boring, how these people saw themselves as friends was never clear, three of them were narcissists driven by ego, sex, drugs and alcohol. Only Vigdis had some dignity and compassion.

But where was the horror? Who/What dunnit? Who cares?

[Magnús Jochum Pálsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

24/03/20: 01:24 am
Var að klára þessa, kominn langt fram yfir háttatímann minn. Gat ekki hætt, ég var orðinn bæði svo smeykur og spenntur. Bæti við þennan texta síðar, líklega á morgun (ef skrímslin ná mér ekki).

24/03/20: 12:20 pm
Ég stend við þessi orð að ofan þó þau séu vissulega skrifuð í eiginlegri geðshræringu. Þetta er solid hryllingssaga. Persónurnar eru misáhugaverðar en ekkert bjánalegar. Sagan er eins og Steinar Bragi sagði sjálfur uppgjör hans við hrunið og karakterarnir táknmyndir fyrir ólíka þætti þess.

Það er gott jafnvægi milli hryllings og endurminninga fólksins/samskipta þeirra. Ólíkt einhverri spænskri píu á þessu forriti fannst mér bókin alls ekki langdregin, hann byggir hægt og rólega upp ugg með lesendum áður en allt fer í fokk. Inni í sögunni eru tvær nútímadraugasögur og án þess að spoila er önnur þeirra vangefið óhugguleg.

Ég ætla ekki að tjá mig um endinn. Trúlega hefði verið hægt að hafa hann öðruvísi en það má ekki láta vondan endi skemma góða sögu.

Kannski er einkunnagjöfin mín fullgjafmild en ég held samt að þetta sé fjögurra stjörnu-hryllingssaga þó hún sé ekki fullkomin.

[Anna Dalvi · Rating 1 out of 5]

It starts out well enough with a mysterious drive through the mists, and then the car hits a house.....
but I just can't care about the characters at all, so the plot disappears into the blah-blah-blah of their interactions.

[Veronika Sebechlebská · Rating 2 out of 5]

Takže máme tu dva páry. Jedna z žien je asi učiteľka. Jeden z mužov je bohatý. Ten druhý nie. Alebo naopak. Tá, čo asi nie je učiteľka, chodí s jedným z tých dvoch. Tá druhá chodí s tým druhým. Ale flirtuje s oboma. Tá druhá, myslím tá druhá druhá, tá čo asi nie je učiteľka, ale možno tiež áno, tá sa vyspí s tým, čo je alebo nie je bohatý a čo asi chodí s tou druhou, myslím s tou prvou druhou, čo možno je učiteľka. Alebo nie je. Ale ono je to aj tak jedno, lebo aj tak všetci umrú, za čo zvyšujem hodnotenie na 2 hviezdy.

[Kamilla]

Unimaginably horrible read. No likeable characters a story that lacks fright - although desperately tries to be creepy but fails big time. The story never goes anywhere, is ruined by the constant look-back at those 4 characters' lives - which I couldn't care less about and had absolutely nothing to do with anything.
I expected a good thrill as I love a good Icelandic thriller but this was a shocking disappointment. I'm stunned at how bad this book was. Pfff

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Ice Lands is the second novel by Icelandic author Steinar Bragi, a critically acclaimed poet and author in his native land. Translated by Lorenza Garcia, the novel takes as its focus two couples, all in their thirties, who have been affected by Iceland’s financial crisis. We meet reckless Egill, recovering alcoholic Hrafn, and their partners, Anna and Vigdis. The quartet decide to embark upon a camping trip; the weather and the poor visibility which it brings mean that the Jeep in which they are travelling crashes into a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. When they meet the couple who live inside said farmhouse, the premise heightens somewhat: ‘… the isolated dwelling is inhabited by a mysterious elderly couple who inexplicably barricade themselves inside every night. As past tensions within the group rise to the surface, the merciless weather blocks every attempt at escape, forcing them to ask difficult questions: who has been butchering animals near the house? What happened to the abandoned village nearby where bones lie strewn across the ground? And most importantly, will they return home?’ A Swedish publication, Corren, deemed the novel ‘Iceland’s Twin Peaks’.

The novel’s overall review score is quite poor, I felt, standing at 2.84 out of 5 on Goodreads. This made me a little sceptical, I must say, but I love Icelandic literature, and was determined to give it a fair chance. I felt a definite comradeship with all of the reviewers who have marked this a two- or one-star read quite early on, however; the dialogue is rather dull, and whilst the story is what really drives the whole onwards, it has not been overly well executed.

Bragi’s opening paragraph captures Iceland’s darkness effectively, yet rather simply: ‘Over the highlands all was still. The shadows on the horizon darkened, growing sharper against the sky, before dissolving into the night’. Sadly, the writing never really regains this quiet power, and an inconsistency is visible throughout. The prose is very much of the telling rather than the showing variety, which gives the whole an element of dullness, and which renders the reader (or rendered me, at least) rather impatient for something to happen. Bragi is very matter-of-fact, and a lot of the details discussed or included feel superfluous. It’s just quite a boring book, and excerpts of prose such as the following would encourage me to avoid the work in question: ‘Through the open door of the barn they glimpsed bales of hay wrapped in green and white plastic. In the yard in front of the barn stood a sand-blown Willys jeep. The old woman was crouching beside one of the wheels in a pair of grubby overalls, poking a tool under the body of the vehicle. Clearly she was in charge of more than the housework’.

The Ice Lands had a lot of potential, due not only to its setting, but to the intrigue of its plot. Not a great deal else occurs that is not described in the book’s blurb, and it caused this particular reader to give up around a third of the way through. Had an author such as Halldor Laxness used a similar plot in his fiction, I imagine that it would be incredibly compelling, and quite difficult to put down.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is most definitely a first for me, time for some psychological Icelandic horror. The Ice Lands follows four friends travelling across the country. They are trying to escape the daily grind of the rat race and reconnect with one another. At one point they take a wrong turn and before they know it they are hopelessly lost. From that moment on things go from bad to worse.

As the narrative unfolds, there is a slow growing sense of unease that starts to develop. There is something out there in the empty landscape. This malevolent presence appears to be watching the group. It wants Egil, Hrafin, Anna and Vigdis, and they are going to have to go through Hell if they have any chance of surviving.

The setting is one of the things I liked most about this story. Steinar Bragi does an excellent job of capturing the desolate isolation of rural Iceland. I’d imagine the seemingly endless volcanic rocks would feel disconcerting to people who are used to living in a city. The group attempt to retrace their steps, but lose all sense of direction. They are unable to rely on mobile phones or GPS. Even the sat-nav has failed so they have no idea how to get back on the road to civilisation.

In hindsight I don’t think The Ice Lands was quite what I was expecting. It is far more introspective and thoughtful. The author spends a lot of time detailing his four main characters, picking apart their lives and how they all intertwine. Every facet of their innermost thoughts and feeling are laid bare. They are a flawed bunch and there is probably just as much horror going on in their day to day lives as there is during camping trip. Bragi also uses each of his characters to explore the current shape of Icelandic society and the problems that the country faces.

I expect that this novel will split reader opinion down the middle. If I’m entirely honest I’m still not sure how I felt about it. I enjoyed the intense psychodrama of the character’s lives, but I think there probably could have been more explanation when it came to revealing exactly what was going on. There are a handful of horrific moments, which are suitably unpleasant, I just wish there had been a few more. Perhaps I’m just too jaded? I found the ending of the novel unusual. This is probably why I’m still not sure how I feel about the book as a whole. I was looking for more of a resolution to events and it didn’t quite get there. That said, I do think this book is worth a read. The characterisation is extremely good and the interactions between each of the small group’s individuals are well observed.

[Sue G · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is about four friends and a dog who are on a camping trip in the volcanic wilds of Iceland. There are tensions between the four and they see the trip as away of mending their relationships but things have already become fraught early on in the journey when they crash in the middle of nowhere. They take refuge in an isolated farmhouse occupied by a mysterious elderly couple.

The efforts to resume their journey are thwarted - they fail to leave in their jeep, or in the car they borrow from the couple and even resorting to leaving on foot they end up returning to the dark and menacing house. At the times where they have put some distance between themselves and the house they make further mysterious discoveries in the wilderness - an abandoned car, an abandoned village on a cut-off 'island'.

The inside of the house, farm and the couple are no less puzzling. They struggle to figure out the relationship between the uncommunicative man and woman, there are animals' bodies on the doorstep and a hidden room that just adds to the mysteries.

As the story unfolds the backstory of the characters comes out which casts light on them both as individuals and on the relationships between the four of them. In some ways these feel like caricatures - this isn't a criticism but it feels as if the author was using the four people to highlight some of the issues around the financial crash (the book was published in Iceland in 2011). Their lives and perspectives are quite exaggerated but their reactions to the events after they become stranded seem surprisingly relaxed.

I still don't know what to make of this book. It was part crime, part thriller, part horror and part, well, just plain weird. I was really taken in by it. I didn't particularly like the characters, but I wanted to know what happened to them (or what had happened to them). I didn't have any issues with the writing or translation. There was probably too much of the characters' backstory for me but the story was atmospheric, tense, dark - it really gripped me. But I just couldn't figure out what was going on... Since finishing the book and while writing my review I've had a look to see what other people make of the book. There is a full synopsis on Wikipedia which tells me that it 'enjoyed very positive reviews' although it seems to be struggling to do so in the English translation. Perhaps it just isn't reaching the right audience.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.

[Beate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zwei junge Paare aus Reykjavík machen mit ihrem Jeep einen Ausflug in die raue, menschenfeindliche Bergwelt des isländischen Hochlands. Dichter Nebel zieht auf, sie kommen vom Weg ab und rammen ein Haus, das in der Einöde plötzlich wie aus dem Nichts vor ihnen aufragt. Notgedrungen müssen sie die Nacht dort verbringen. Ihr Amüsement über das ungeplante Abenteuer verwandelt sich schon bald in Unbehagen, denn ihre Gastgeber, ein verschrobenes altes Paar, benehmen sich sehr merkwürdig: Warum verbarrikadieren sie das Haus bei Einbruch der Dunkelheit wie eine Festung? Was lauert dort draußen in der Sandwüste? Und wieso haben sie so wenig Interesse daran, ihren Gästen zu helfen? Zunehmend panisch geraten die Städter miteinander in Streit, und ihre Versuche, den Weg zurück in die Zivilisation zu finden, werden immer verzweifelter. Gibt es ein Entrinnen?

Es ist schon eine Weile her, seit ich dieses Buch gelesen habe, denn leider kamen diverse Krankheiten dazwischen. Aber ich kann mich noch sehr gut daran erinnern,wie genervt ich von den Charakteren war. Da war wirklich niemand dabei, der mir als Leser sympathisch gewesen wäre. Aber gerade diese Bücher finde ich ja sehr gut, um mich abzulenken. Ich war ständig am Schimpfen.

Handlung und Schreibstil fand ich recht spannend und gut gelungen bis.... ja bis auf das Ende. Das hat leider das ganze Buch inklusive Bewertung versaut. Ohne dieses schreckliche Ende hätte das Buch von mir 4 Punkte bekommen, aber da es wirklich die ganze Geschichte versaut, kann ich jetzt leider nur noch 2 - 3 von 5 Punkten vergeben und ich habe wirklich lange über die Bewertung nachgedacht. Aber da mir ja 3/4 des Buches gefallen haben, habe ich mich für 3 Punkte entschieden. Man kann das vielleicht so erklären: Das ganze Buch handelt von Rotkäppchen und dann wird plötzlich das Ende von Dornröschen erzählt. Es hat absolut nicht gepasst und alles in Frage gestellt, was man vorher gelesen hatte. Aber auf so eine idiotische Art und Weise, dass man sich als Leser echt verarscht vorkam.

Dabei fand ich die Atmosphäre des Buches so richtig gelungen. Auch die ganzen Andeutungen, die letztendlich nie aufgelöst wurden. Oder auch die Rückblenden, die dem Leser die Charaktere näher gebracht haben und vieles von ihrem Verhalten erklärten. Ich denke, das Buch wird seine Fans haben, mich hat es leider auf den letzten 30 Seiten verloren. Schade.

© Beate Senft

[Missy (myweereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Over the highlands all was still.  The shadows on the horizon darkened, growing sharper against the sky, before dissolving into the night”

The Ice Lands by Steinar Bragi is against Iceland’s volcanic hinterlands, four friends from Reykjavik set out on a camping trip with a jeep loaded with essentials. Seeking refuge from a terrible storm they find themselves knocking on the door of a mysterious old couple in one of the most isolated places. With the darkness and the dreaded atmosphere brought about by the storm, the group find themselves questioning everything including their survival.

The cover of the book suggest that it is like Twin Peaks. While reading I did happen to make a connection and I think it’s because although this is a horror nordic noir story, the author makes the four main characters dig deep within themselves and to question how their past as brought them to this point. They rehash everything, they reflect on all the what ifs. This becomes very insightful and the supernatural elements begins to mess with theses characters.

The author does a brilliant job in bringing the claustrophobic and isolation within the writing. You do feel the surroundings closing in throughout which plays on what the characters are going through. You could see the other character being the “unknown “ and its affect is very much felt as it teases the group of friends.

For me this was an interesting read because as much as it a nordic noir story it’s more on the horror side, the setting paired with the bizarre story in the style of David Lynch is what kept me reading.

[M.C · Rating 1 out of 5]

Iba a darle dos estrellas hasta el final, donde me di cuenta de la tremenda pérdida de tiempo que es leer este libro que, literalmente, no trata de nada, pero de nada nada. Desolación como la de las tierras altas de Islandia, personajes aburridos sin interés, y casi indistinguibles unos de otros, un misterio estúpido y un final surrealista que no significa nada. TOMADURA DE PELO.

[Wolf Draven · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5*

To bylo hodně psycho :))


Moje recenze: http://wolfdraven.eu/planina-steinar-...

[Kuszma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Váááá, skandináv posztmodern ökohorror* (**)!!! Két férfi és két nő kóborol az izlandi felföldön, ami struktúrájában leginkább a Hold felszínére hasonlít. Már eleve olyan viszonyban vannak, hogy akkor is kicsinálnák egymást, ha egy szimpla nappaliban kéne eltölteniük pár órát, de a helyzet ennél lényegesen rosszabb… Útjukba akadnak ugyanis vészjósló öregemberek, vészjósló sarki rókák, vészjósló homokviharok, vészjóslóan elhagyott barakktáborok, és úgy egyáltalán: minden, ami ebben a regényben felbukkan, az minimum vészjósló, de esetenként még vérzik is***.

Azért ez a könyv nem egy belezős horror, nincsenek itt zombik meg bőrmaszkos csávók láncfűrésszel, de feszültség az van dögivel. Bragi trükkje, hogy a sodró eseményfolyamot minduntalan megszakítja a szereplők bizonyos korábbi életeseményeinek leírásával, ami olyan, mint valami reklámszünet: egyrészt idegesítő, másrészt viszont van idő szusszanni egyet, mondjuk kimenni a konyhába egy dobozos sörért. Ezek az események ráadásul olyan hangsúlyosan vannak beékelve a kilátástalan felföldi bolyongás jelenetei közé, hogy bennem felmerült a gyanú, nem is horror ez, hanem szociográfia, az izlandi „sikeresek” generációjának okos bemutatása. Én amúgy is hálás voltam a betoldásokért, mert szervileg nem bírom a horrort, vonz ugyan, mint éjjeli lepkét a lámpafény, de ideges leszek tőle – most is kénytelen voltam időnként letenni, és egy kis normandiai partraszállással lenyugtatni magam. Ami, gondolom, jelzi, hogy működőképes kis mű.

* Ezt már csak azért is sietek leszögezni, mert bár Animus kiadás, és majd ugyanolyan formátumban adták ki, de nem skandináv krimi, nem és nem és nem. Szóval a polcon harmonizál mondjuk Nesbo műveivel, de azért más tészta.
** Az ökohorror kitétel meg azt jelzi, milyen jelentős szerepe van a könyv rettegésfaktorában a szereplőket körülvevő természeti környezetnek.
*** A legeslegeslegvészjóslóbb talán a könyvben egy urban legend Skimmi Stokkurról, a szellemgyerekről, aki előszeretettel látogat kétgyermekes családokat. Jájj…

[Unnur]

ég hefði nú kosið það síður að lesa þessa bók

[Raven · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a nod to Halloween, felt it right to include The Ice Lands in this wee round-up. I would probably describe this as an existential version of The Blair Witch Project, mixed up with Lost with shades of On The Road. I must confess, that for large portions of the book, including the not the most easily comprehensible ending, I was rather confused at quite what the jiggins was going on. Suffused with the dark, bleak and completely terrifying landscape of rural Iceland, and the creepy inhabitants of a house that I’m fairly sure was not constructed of gingerbread, four unwitting, and not entirely likeable egotistic individuals find themselves privy to a nightmare experience. With enough schlock horror moments to keep you on the edge of the seat, and some not always welcome diversions into the world of scientific academia which were initially quite interesting and then waned, Bragi has constructed a unique blend of traditional shocker, and highbrow horror, that chills and perplexes in equal measure. I was dying throughout for these frankly annoying characters to reach grisly ends, but did they? That would be telling. As much as I was confused by some aspects of this tale, I did make it to the end, having had a sense of enjoyment, and frustration, in equal measure. I think overall I liked it, but at times it was just a little…how can I put this… too much up itself for a totally enjoyable reading experience. Sort of recommended.

[Deraina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I don´t get it why this book has so many negative comments. For me, it was a truly good horror/psychological novel, especially when you´re interested in Icelandic culture. It is eerie, creepy, disgusting, yet intriguing, I really liked the depth of the characters. Some people complain that the characters are not likeable - well, surprise, that was probably the intention. And I loved that. Four normal people with their own demons. Book characters shouldn´t always be just heroes and nice people. Be also aware that this book won´t serve you all the answers to the questions you have in the end, you have to use your brain and fantasy.

All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysterious and psychological novels, and is a bit open-minded and has a their own imagination.

[Mientras Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una historia angustiosa que hace una crítica a la vida acomodada y falta de responsabilidad
http://entremontonesdelibros.blogspot...

[Wal.li · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sandwüste

Zwei junge Paare begeben sich auf eine mehrtägige Fahrt durch das Bergland Islands. Die ersten Tage verbringen sie in guter Stimmung, doch fast schon auf dem Heimweg in die Zivilisation haben sie einen Unfall. Sie krachen mit dem Jeep in eine Hauswand. Zum Glück naheliegende Wohnhaus bewohnt und die beiden älteren Leute nehmen die vier Gestrandeten auf. Obwohl ihre Gastgeber etwas seltsam wirken, sind die beiden Paare froh, dort unterkommen zu können. Am nächsten Tag wollen sie sich das Auto des Paares leihen, um Hilfe zu holen. Peinlicherweise haben sie auch mit diesem Wagen eine Panne.

Danach wird es richtig merkwürdig, denn irgendwie schaffen die jungen Leute es nicht, ihre Zuflucht wieder zu verlassen. An jedem neuen Tag lassen sie sich etwas einfallen, gehen teilweise zusammen los oder auch getrennt. Das Ergebnis ist jedoch immer gleich, sie landen bei dem Haus der alten Leute. Was geschieht mit ihnen? Wieso können sie nicht zurück in die Zivilisation? Haben die Alten irgendwelche Absichten oder Pläne mit ihnen? Es ist doch sehr seltsam, doch welchen Grund kann es geben, die Vier fast schon gefangen zu halten? Das Ganze ist doch unheimlich.

Man fühlt sich etwas an das Blair Witch Project oder ähnliches erinnert. Junge Menschen geraten in eine eigenartige Situation, aus der sie sich nicht lösen können und die irgendwie immer unheimlicher und schlimmer wird. Insofern ist dieser Roman spannend zu lesen, doch an die wirklich unheimlichen Vorbilder kommt er nicht heran. Man vermisst eine entweder eine logische Erklärung für Teile des Geschehens oder überhaupt eine Verknüpfung zum Ende, das man ab einem gewissen Zeitpunkt, zum Glück relativ weit hinten, aber doch deutlich vor Schluss, schon erahnt. Schließlich hat man ein durchaus packendes Buch, das allerdings für einen Thriller nicht genug Logik beinhaltet, für eine unheimliche Geschichte aber einen etwas verworrenen Abschluss, dem der Aha-Effekt nicht so überzeugend innewohnt. Insgesamt eine gute Ablenkung in krisengeschüttelten Zeiten.

3,5 Sterne

[Anna Björnsdóttir]

Svo innilega ekki fyrir mig!

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dark

[kostas vamvoukakis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ούτε ο συγγραφεας κατάλαβε που θα πήγαινε η ιστορία...

[Artemiz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Minu mõtted leiate siit.

[Kerstin Gallas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehrlich gesagt hab ich die letzten 40 Seiten überhaupt nicht verstanden - alles wurde verwirrend und ich frage mich, wo genau ich jetzt was verpasst habe um das Ende zu verstehen. Dabei fand ich den Anfang und die Mitte ziemlich gut - der Autor schreibt flüssig, die Rückblenden waren interessant, der Spannungsaufbau gelungen.
Die Charaktere waren zwar alle gestört und nicht sonderlich sympathisch, aber ich fand sie authentisch.
Fazit: schade, das Ende hat vieles zerstört.