Book Reviews: Madicken | Samuel August från Sevedstorp och Hanna i Hult | Stora Emilboken

Title: Madicken
Author: Astrid Lindgren

Original title: Madicken
First published: 1960
Genre: Classic, Children
Series: Madicken #1
Publisher: Rabén & Sjögren
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 184
Finished: 19/07/2022
Summary: In 1925, while on vacation with his family on the Yorkshire coast, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his favorite toy, a little lead dog he was reluctant to put down even to dig in the sand. To console and distract him, his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, improvised a story - the story of Rover, a real dog magically transformed into a toy, who, after many fantastic adventures in search of the wizard who wronged him, at last wins back his life. This charming tale is peopled by a wise old whale and a terrible dragon, by the king of the sea and the Man-in-the-Moon.

My thoughts: This is the first installment in Astrid Lindgren's classic series of books about a young girl named Madicken, who lives with her parents, little sister, and maid on Junibacken. Each chapter in this book is episodic, while still maintaining a clear timeline and details that keep each story connected. Lindgren portrays everyday life in this book, but does it in a way that feels joyous and celebratory. Madicken is sometimes a very frustrating character to follow, but she's also charming in her mischievousness and curious manner. To date, this, along with Lindgren's stories about Emil, is my favourite book by this beloved author.

Rating: 4.75/5

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Title: Samuel August från Sevedstorp och Hanna i Hult (Samuel August from Sevedtorps and Hanna in Hult)
Author: Astrid Lindgren

Original title: Samuel August från Sevedstorp och Hanna i Hult
First published: 1975
Genre: Non-fiction
Series: --
Publisher: Rabén & Sjögren
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 158
Finished: 21/06/2022
Summary: Astrid Lindgren retells the story of her parents' lives: "It is a tale of love that holds more love than what I've ever read about in books". She also writes of her childhood days in Småland in a world that is no more. She recalls the tales she heard in Kristin's kitchen. She writes about trees she remembers. She recounts the fate of Andrew Peterson, a peculiar Swedish pioneer in America. And her book ends the way it started, with a love story. This one is almost as beautiful and touching as the one about Samuel August in Sevedstorp and Hanna in Hult, but instead it follows Luise Mejer and Heinrich Christian Boie who lived in 18th century Germany.

My thoughts: I picked this up to initiate my summer study reading this year. I'm taking a course at half pace about Swedish children's book author Astrid Lindgren's literature. The majority of the literature is free to choose for myself, as long as it's by Lindgren. With this collection of short essays and writings, I managed to finish the first 158 of the 2500 pages I'm required to read for the course. It's a book that is not very typical for Lindgren - as I mentioned she's famous for her children's literature. However, that fact made this a very pleasant book to start off with, since it shows who Lindgren really was when she didn't write for children. She had other interests and things she held dear, like the story of her parents falling in love and her interest in historical common people's lives and fates. The sections that I enjoyed the most were the one about her parents (particularly the descriptions of the last 'traditional' farms in Sweden before industrialisation wrapped its claws around the farmer profession), the one where she recalls the books she loved as a child herself, and her recount about the Swedish farmer Andrew Peterson in Minnesota. A pleasant read that kept me curious about what she'd tell me about next.

Rating: 3,75/5

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Title: Stora Emilboken (The Big Book of Emil)
Author: Astrid Lindgren

Original title: Stora Emilboken
First published: 1963
Genre: Classic, Children, Historical
Series: Emil i Lönneberga #1-3
Publisher: Rabén & Sjögren
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 409
Finished: Summer 2022
Summary: The books about Emil of Lönneberga and his little sister Ida take place in Astrid Lindgren's Småland. Lindgren uses her father's childhood memories as inspiration for Emil's mischief and adventures. This omnibus contains the first three books about Emil: 'Emil i Lönneberga' (Emil of Lönneberga), 'Nya hyss av Emil i Lönneberga' (New Mischief by Emil of Lönneberga), and 'Än lever Emil i Lönneberga' (Yet Lives Emil of Lönneberga).

My thoughts: The books about Emil of Lönneberga are targeted at a very young audience, much like the books about Pippi Långstrump (Longstocking in the English translation). While the language is very simple, it reads as though it is not only directed at children, but at readers of any age. Not because it deals with any particularly adult issues or delivers mature jokes that fly over the heads of children. Nothing of the sort, and yet it feels worth reading even as an adult, without the purpose of introducing a child to literature. These three books brought back memories from my own childhood - of watching the movie adaptations and being scared senseless by Emil's raging but well-meaning father, Anton. The stories work together to create strong bonds between the characters and to give modern readers a glimpse of a Sweden that no longer exists, when oxen helped plow the fields and and the roads were made of only dirt and gravel. I must say, though, that I sympathise with Anton a lot more after reading the books as an adult, and that Emil makes me all the more resolute to never have children of my own.

Rating: 4,75

Book reviews: Bridge to Terabithia | A Midsummer Night's Dream | The Wind in the Willows

Title: Bridge to Terabithia
Author: Katherine Paterson
Original title: Bridge to Terabithia
First published: 1977
Genre: Middle grade, Fantasy
Series: --
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: Paperback
Pages: 179
Finished: 25/07/2020
Summary: Jess Aarons' greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in his grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new girl boldly crosses over to the boys' side and outruns everyone. That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. Together they create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits.

My thoughts: I read this during the 2020 Reading Rush for the challenge to read a book that's inspired a movie I've already seen. I've seen the movie several times and it's one that I actually quite like. Somehow I'm always weeping at the end of it, despite knowing the plot inside out by now. Sadly, the movie is better than the book in this case. I just think the adaptation to the screen really brings out the emotions and visuals that this story needs. In book form, I didn't get the same experience. I don't mean to say that it's poorly written, but the movie had my expectations high and they were not met. Had I read the book first, I'd have had no interest in seeing the movie after. Things I liked about the book are Jess' relationship to his sisters, and the stern teacher. I did not like the style of the illustrations.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Author: William Shakespeare
Original title: A Midsummer Night's Dream
First published: 1595
Genre: Classic, Play, Comedy
Series: --
Publisher: Avenel Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 20
Finished: 26/07/2020
Summary: Demetrius and Lysander both want Hermia but she only has eyes for Lysander. Bad news is, Hermia's father wants Demetrius for a son-in-law. On the outside is Helena, whose unreturned love burns hot for Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander plan to flee from the city under cover of darkness but are pursued by an enraged Demetrius (who is himself pursued by an enraptured Helena). In the forest, unbeknownst to the mortals, Oberon and Titania (King and Queen of the faeries) are having a spat over a servant boy. The plot twists up when Oberon's head mischief-maker, Puck, runs loose with a flower which causes people to fall in love with the first thing they see upon waking. Throw in a group of labourers preparing a play for the Duke's wedding (one of whom is given a donkey's head and Titania for a lover by Puck) and the complications become fantastically funny.

My thoughts: I read this for the 2020 Reading Rush for the challenge to read a book with a cover that matches the colour of my birth stone (emerald). I read "The Comedy of Errors" earlier this year and found it rather humorous. This one? Not so much. Perhaps I missed the comedic point of it all. Oh well. At least it was easy to keep up with the characters and plot, which was a bit more difficult in "The Comedy of Errors" (with two pairs of characters sharing the same two names). To me, this wasn't a very engaging or fun play. I didn't care what the ending would be. I understand that it's a big classic, and I hope I enjoy his other works more.

Rating: 2,75/5

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Title: The Wind in the Willows
Author: Kenneth Grahame
Original title: The Wind in the Willows
First published: 1908
Genre: Classic, Childrens
Series: --
Publisher: Wordsworth
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Finished: 26/07/2020
Summary: Spring is in the air and Mole has found a wonderful new world. There's boating with Ratty, a feast with Badger and high jinx on the open road with that reckless ruffian, Mr Toad of Toad Hall. The four become the firmest of friends, but after Toad's latest escapade, can they join together and beat the wretched weasels?

My thoughts: I read this during the 2020 Reading Rush for the challenge to read the first book I touched. This was the first one I touched in a secondhand store. I unfortunately had to stress through this one a bit, as I had to squeeze it in together with some of the Shakespeare play on the final day of the Reading Rush. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant book to stress through. It's quite what I expected it to be. It neither surprised me nor let me down. The characters were rather cute and nice, though I hated Toad, that little fu**er, and the story was one with a clear moral to teach. I wish Toad was never even introduced in the story and that we'd only get to read about the calm and pleasant adventures of Mole and Ratty. Begone, Toad!!! Very cute illustrations as well.

Rating: 3,25/5

Book reviews: Matilda | Mor gifter sig | All the Light We Cannot See

Title: Matilda

Author: Roald Dahl
Original title: Matilda
First published: 1988
Genre: Children, Fantasy
Series: --
Publisher: Puffin
Format: Hardback
Pages: 232
Finished: 17/02/2019
Summary: Matilda is a brilliant and sensitive child, but her parents think of her only as a nuisance. When one day she is attacked by her odious headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, Matilda suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to avenge herself!

My thoughts: Roald Dahl has written some of the best children's books out there, amongst them "The Witches" and "BFG". As a child, I used to love the movie "Matilda", which I'd watch at my friend's house next door. I was now tempted to read the book, as I'm going to watch the musical adaptation of the story live in Malmö next month. The book was quite what I expected; quirky and fun. Yet, it didn't live up to my expectations. I didn't fall for this as much as I did for his other works, and perhaps that is due to my age. Most likely it is; alas, that doesn't change my perception of the work, sadly. I did enjoy it, and the illustrations were lovely (as expected of Quentin Blake), so it lands on a middle rating for me.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: Mor gifter sig (Mother Gets Married)
Author: Moa Martinson
Original title: Mor gifter sig
First published: 1936
Genre: Classic
Series: Mia #1
Publisher: Natur och Kultur
Format: Hardback
Pages: 284
Finished: 23/02/2019
Summary: Mother gets married and Mia can’t imagine what good that will do. Her stepfather belongs to the category of adults who don’t think a seven year old child understands more than a three months old pig. Why women want a beautiful man who makes them pregnant is one of life’s great mysteries, which even Mia’s gifted mind fails to solve. Mia’s mother struggles to put food on the table, and the best thing in the world is a home with blue flowers on a chalked mantelpiece. But every time the adults bicker and fight, it leads to new and painful departures.

My thoughts: This is a Swedish proletarian classic from the interwar period. This period is said to be the golden age of the proletarian literature of Sweden, which was why this book was assigned for me and my classmates in Swedish class. 
It was a meh book. It was under 300 pages, but felt like it was over 500. Really, it was better than I expected, but it just didn't invoke any emotions in me, which I would have wished for it to do. It's cool to read fiction that accurately portrays Sweden in different time periods, though. So that's something. So: not a great book for me, but(!) an important piece of literature nonetheless.

Rating: 2/5

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Title: All the Light We Cannot See

Author: Anthony Doerr
Original title: All the Light We Cannot See
First published: 2014
Genre: Historical
Series: --
Publisher: Scribner
Format: Hardback
Pages: 531
Finished: 22/02/2019
Summary: Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance.

My thoughts: In honour of the annual book sale, I read a book that I bought on last year's sales. This was the one!
This was a Big Book™ in more than one way. As is expected of a book set during World War 2, this was heavy on the feels. I did some research to make sure Doerr wrote this story with historical accuracy, which he did, and that’s great. It gives me respect for him; that he’d take so much time to research these things. The book feels very realistic. We get to see the war from the eyes of a French girl (Marie-Laure) who becomes victim of Nazi Germany’s occupation of France, and of a young German boy (Werner) who joins Hitler’s forces to avoid a lifetime working in the mines. Both these perspectives are so interesting and gave me a new insight to the war that I didn’t have before. Werner’s story, especially, had a strong impact on me, because seeing Nazi Germany from the inside was frightening. Marie-Laure’s character was also written very well; her blindness added an unexpected element to the reading experience. Other than these two protagonists, we meet a bunch of other characters, who seemed realistic and who all had their own story that were definitely worth following. It’s strange how good writing can make a reader both love and hate a Nazi character.

All in all, it was a long and good read, but now I need to read some lighter fiction for a while.

Rating: 4,5/5

Book review: The Little Prince | Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close | Ett öga rött | Alice in Wonderland

Title: The Little Prince
Author: Antione de Saint-Exupéry
Original title: Le Petit Prince
Genre: Children, Classic
Series: ---
Publisher: Wordsworth Editions
Format: Paperback
Pages: 109
Finished: Early 2016
Summary: A pilot crashes with his plane in the middle of the desert. Expecting to be miles away from civilizations, he is shocked to meet a little boy there, a little prince.

My thoughts:
Did you know this book is one of the five most sold books in the world? Or so Wikipedia tells me, at least. Impressive, isn't it? Just under it is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Most sold, amongst the purely fictional works (or the Bible would've won), is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
The Little Prince was written by a French pilot, such as the main character of the story, whose name was Antione de Saint-Exupéry. This story was released for the first time in 1943, about a year before he and his plane disappeared somewhere. Rather ironic, when you think about it.
So I adored this little book. It's so quirky and I love the fun illustrations that come with it. It's been a while now since I read it, so I don't remember much, but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and it wouldn't surprise me if I were to reread it again in the future.

Rating: 4/5


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Title: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Author: Jonathan Safran Foer
Original title: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Genre: Contemporary
Series: ---
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 326
Finished: 23/10/16
Summary: Nine-year-old Oskar Schell is an inventor, amateur entomologist, Francophile, letter writer, pacifist, natural historian, percussionist, romantic, Great Explorer, jeweller, detective, vegan, and collector of butterflies. When his father is killed in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre, Oskar sets out to solve the mystery of a key he discovers in his father's closet. It is a search which leads him into the lives of strangers, through the five boroughs of New York, into history, to the bombings of Dresden and Hiroshima, and on an inward journey which brings him ever closer to some kind of peace.

My thoughts:
This book had me sad 4 pages in, and it had me crying by the end of it. The story is like a punch to the gut, and it left me feeling emotional and a little overwhelmed. I read this for English class. We were asked to pick one book to read for novel discussions, and I'm happy I picked this. It's a great book, really, however at times the sadness became too much. I mean, the whole book is just pages upon pages filled with tragedy and depression, though in the most beautiful way (still left me feeling hollow though). Another thing that bothered me slightly was Oscars character, and how he at times felt a bit too unreal for a 9-year-old. Even if he was special, his character was a little exaggerated at some points and it didn't feel natural. Other than that, I really recommend this book! It's not a favorite, but it's absolutely worth the read!

Rating: 3.5/5

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Title: Ett öga rött (An Eye Red)
Author: Jonas Hassen Khemiri
Original title: Ett öga rött
Genre: YA, contemporary
Series: ---
Publisher: Månpocket
Format: Paperback
Pages: 251
Finished: 23/10/16
Summary: Halim har genomskådat allt. Han har genomskådat Integrationsplanen. Han har genomskådat fiskpanettsrasismen i matbespisningen, han har kommit till insikt om hur Allahs makt hänger ihop med ödet och varför intellektuella liknar halta kameler. Tyvärr har han också genomskådat sin pappa, som har övergett Kampen och i stället bara talar om vikten av att tala bra svenska.
Men Halim har en egen plan: han ska bli Sveriges mäktigaste revolutionsblatte. En tankesultan, som knäcker koderna och får de snyggaste gussarna.

My thoughts:

(Ett öga rött translates to An Eye Red - the incorrect grammar is intentional)
So we had to read this for Swedish class, the main reason being we'd study the language of the writing, which doesn't follow the V2 rule (ah Swedish stuff I'm too lazy to explain). I had a hard time getting used to the grammar and the flow of the writing in the beginning, but I got into it pretty quickly. I found the language pretty interesting, but I had other major issues with this novel.
Firstly, the main character. Or really, it's all about the main character. His name is Halim, and he's a second generation immigrant to Sweden (don't really remember where his parents were from). That's chill, that's all cool, but the novel is in diary form and let me tell you, Halim is not holding back on the racist comments. Or the sexist and homophobic comments either. Like chill bro, learn some respect. He'd use words (in Swedish) that would be translated to fag, whore, bitch, nigger, blackhead and more. I found this offensive and was unsettled by reading it. Halim also made a lot of bad decisions which I couldn't really understand, and the way he treated the people around him was so rude. He also mentions his masturbation moments a lot. I didn't appreciate that much...
Anyway, I read it for the different grammar, not for the plot. Would not reread.

Rating: 1.5/5

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Title: Alice in Wonderland
Author: Lewis Carroll
Original title: Alice in Wonderland
Genre: Classic, fantasy
Series: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #1
Publisher: Barnes & Noble
Format: Hardback
Pages: 124
Finished: 27/10/16
Summary: Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, "and what is the use of a book," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversations?"
So begins the tale of Alice, following a curious White Rabbit down a rabbit-hole and falling into Wonderland. A fantastical place, where nothing is quite as it seems: animals talk, nonsensical characters confuse, Mad Hatter's throw tea parties and the Queen plays croquet. Alice's attempts to find her way home become increasingly bizarre, infuriating and amazing in turn.

My thoughts:

I finished the first part yesterday night, and I'll be moving on to part two, Through the Looking-Glass, and I'm looking forward to watch the movie by Tim Burton after that!
I found this book so entertaining! The illustrations are amazing, and the story is so strange and full of things to philosophise about, all the hidden meanings in the text. Seriously though, Carroll must've been high on something when he wrote this, and I love it. Alice is a little know-it-all, though I still enjoyed her character, and she's being bossed around by all the other quirky characters and it's just so fun to read. It's a short book, so I don't have much more to say about it except that you should go read it right now! It's wonderful!

Rating: 4.5/5