Book Reviews: Gul Utanpå | The Invention of Hugo Cabret | Kirke

Title: Gul utanpå (Yellow on the outside)
Author: Patrik Lundberg
Original title: Gul utanpå
First published: 2013
Genre: Biography
Series: --
Publisher: Rabén & Sjögren
Format: Paperback
Pages: 249
Finished: 27/05/2019
Summary: All his life, Patrik Lundberg has been called "Chinese fucker". He was adopted from South Korea in 1983. He was sent halfway across the globe and landed in the middle of the Swedish idyllic small town Sölvesborg. There, he grew up in an ordinary dysfunctional family and was raised like any other Swedish boy. 24 years later, he travels back to his country of birth. There, he becomes "the awesome guy" -  the westerner that all the girls want. He's spoken to in Korean and is faced with a culture that he's only ever read about. Most of all, he's looking for his biological parents. But will he find them?

My thoughts: I believe this is the first real biography that I’ve ever read. I got a copy of this from a library because I’d turned 18 (a sort of birthday gift), but I’d heard about it before, since I’d been to one of the author’s lectures. My impression of his as a person and the narrative he has in the book are very similar, which I’d say is good for a biography. As is to be expected, the story is very personal/private-ish, so we get pretty close to Lundberg throughout the story. To me, it meant a lot to read a biography centered around adoption to the western world, since I’ve met a decent amount of children who’ve had that fate. “Gul utanpå” gave me a new perspective that I find really valuable and will keep in mind in the future.

Rating: 4/5

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Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Author: Brian Selznick
Original title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret
First published: 2007
Genre: Historical, Middle Grade
Series: --
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: Hardback
Pages: 525
Finished: 24/06/2019
Summary: Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.

My thoughts: A peculiar "little" book that I've wished to get my hands on for quite some while now. I was stoked to find it not-so-hidden-away in a secondhand shop and immediately lunged for it (only half metaphorically). "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is half written, half drawn in beautiful full page illustrations which tell parts of the story themselves. To me, it was this special way of storytelling that really made it good for me. I already knew the plot by heart; having seen the film several times before, and having my teacher read it out loud to the class in middle school. I enjoyed it a lot and basically flew through the whole thing.

Rating: 3,75/5

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Title: Kirke
Author: Madeline Miller
Original title: Circe
First published: 2018
Genre: Fantasy, Historical
Series: --
Publisher: Wahlström & Widstrand
Format: Paperback
Pages: 407
Finished: 12/07/2019
Summary: In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

My thoughts: Circe, Circe, Circe… How should I even begin? Well, maybe like this:
“Kirke” (or “Crice” in English) is like a warm cup of Earl Grey tea on a misty winter morning. It is like the first red leaf of autumn, the last snowdrop of spring, and the first mighty thunder of a storm. Eager, persistent, intense. While reading it, I often found the need to take a step back to process what I’d taken in, and each time I returned it was like inhaling the first breath of salty ocean breeze when exiting the car by the beach, over and over again. Following Circe is sometimes bitter, sometimes triumphant, but always refreshing and exciting. Wherever the book wanted to take me, I gladly followed; I soon learnt that it had much more to offer than I’d at first thought. “Kirke” is filled to the brim with, as others have mentioned before me, female power, though also with intrigue, learning, and cultural history (which someone as thirsty for knowledge as me appreciates). I should be mentioned that you don’t need to have any deeper knowledge of Greek mythology when going into this book; just lean back, relax, and enjoy Madeline Miller’s captivating style and ingenious storytelling. So if you’re curious, don’t hesitate! “Kirke” is a book that you’ll surely remember.


(this book was sent for me to review by Bokus, where you can soon find the Swedish translation released!)

Rating: 4,5/5