Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (2310)

Content

Lullaby Girl

Aly Sidgwick

6.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Who is the Lullaby Girl? Found washed up on the banks of a remote loch, a mysterious girl is taken...

David McK (3425 KP) rated The Last Kingdom - Season 5 in TV

Sep 3, 2023 (Updated Sep 3, 2023)

Based on a 13-run series of novels by UK author Bernard Cornwell (now living in America), The Last Kingdom - both books and series - is set in and around the time of Alfred the Great and his descendants, and follows the exploits of Saxon born but Danish raised Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

Each series of the TV show adopted roughly 2 of the novels so - if memory serves - that means that this series covers the events of 'Warriors of the Storm' and 'War of the Wolf'.

For some reason, however - and unlike the earlier Sharpe series (also based on novels by Cornwell) I struggled to get into this one, taking roughly a year and a bit to watch a 10 episode series.

I'm not sure why, but it just didn't help with me.

Mores the pity.

Kudos

Hazel (1853 KP) rated Mirror, Shoulder, Signal in Books

Dec 7, 2018

Mirror, Shoulder, Signal

Dorthe Nors | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry

6.3

(3 Ratings)

Book Rating

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Shortlisted for The Man Booker International Prize 2017, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a piece of Danish literature by Dorthe Nors, translated into English by Misha Hoekstra. It has a tragicomic nature, introducing the 40-year-old Sonja, a woman who is trying but failing to move in the right direction.

Sonja is the type of character full of flaws that readers will recognise in themselves. Although she has successfully become self-employed, translating crime novels from Swedish into Danish, Sonja feels she has not accomplished anything in life. Despite one unlucky attempt at love, Sonja has remained single, moving to Copenhagen in an attempt to find herself. Determined to earn her driving licence Sonja braves the lessons in the busy city, however, she cannot handle gear changes. In other areas of her life, she tries weekly massage therapy and attempts a meditation exercise. Unfortunately, Sonja remains apathetic to the whole scenario and would rather be somewhere warm eating cake.

Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a cleverly crafted title that makes repeat appearances throughout the narrative. The three words are instructions that Sonja repeats as a mantra each time she pulls away from the curb in her instructor’s car. The majority of the book takes place during these lessons, or, if not there, face down on Ellen’s massage table.

Sonja’s narration constantly varies between the present and memories from her childhood. A particular focus is the recollection of events involving her sister Kate. They may not have been close when they were young, but now it is almost impossible for Sonja to contact her sister. It is as though Sonja has been alienated from her own family.

Embellished with sexual innuendos, poor attempts at humour fail to bring any excitement to the story. There is no clear plot. At the beginning, readers may wonder if she will earn her driver’s licence – she does not – find love – she does not – find herself – she does not. What, then, was the point of this novel? Apart from a suggestion of future happiness in the final chapter of the book, there is no sense of resolution.

The issue with some translated stories is the loss of original intent and meanings. This does not seem to have been much of a problem in this instance; however, the translator has not been entirely successful in converting the Danish into a naturally flowing English.

Overall, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a bit of a disappointment, especially because it has been shortlisted for such a prestigious prize. Since the prize is meant to be awarding the author for continued creativity and contribution to fiction, it makes you wonder what critics saw in this novel to believe it stood a chance at earning the honour.