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The Blue Fox
The Blue Fox | SJON.
32 posts | 43 read | 26 to read
Winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize 'Enchantingly poetic . . . spellbinding . . . magical . . . exceptional' Independent The year is 1883. The stark Icelandic winter landscape is the backdrop. We follow the priest, Skugga-Baldur, on his hunt for the enigmatic blue fox. From there we're transported to the world of the naturalist Fridrik B. Fridriksson and his charge, Abba, who suffers from Down's syndrome, and who came to his rescue when he was on the verge of disaster. Then to a shipwreck off the Icelandic coast in the spring of 1868. The fates of all these characters are intrinsically bound and gradually, surprisingly, unravelled in this spellbinding fable that is part mystery, part fairy tale.
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review
Texreader
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Mehso-so

A hunter sets out to hunt a blue fox, a vixen. But when a blizzard arrives, rather than do the sensible thing, he keeps following the fox for which there are consequences. Meanwhile, a gentleman comes upon a simple woman who has been obviously sexually abused en route to who knows where so he takes her in and they take good care of one another. What we don‘t know until the end is who is the hunter and what is the fate of the fox. This book ⬇️

Texreader has received a major Nordic award and rave reviews. The ending left me not caring at all and why I rate it only so-so. And the references to food were yucky. Oh well. #Iceland #foodandlit 6mo
Catsandbooks That's too bad ☹️ 6mo
zezeki I've read this couple of years ago, and I was also left underwhelmed by it. 6mo
53 likes3 comments
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KathyWheeler
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Pickpick

This was a weird little book with odd formatting (at least in the ebook version.) I think I liked it. I enjoyed the fable-like quality of the story, and the interesting connection between the three main characters that we get at the end.

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Dilara
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Poetic, with a sense of place (just as well, given I read it for #FoodandLit #Iceland) but there's 1 thing that's niggling at me. The English version is about a blue fox, and the French translation, about a red fox/vixen. Looking at the Wikipedia pages for the arctic fox in both languages, I think the English is correct.

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

pic of arctic fox from Jonathen Pie @r3dmax" rel="nofollow" target="_top">https://unsplash.com/@r3dmax via wikimedia

Catsandbooks 👏🏼🇮🇸🩵 7mo
31 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Texreader
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Whenever a #foodandlit book mentions food, I have to post it. I can‘t say this Icelandic fare is very appetizing.

#Iceland @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks 🤢 7mo
39 likes1 comment
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Texreader
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41 likes1 stack add
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Dilara
Blue Fox | Sjn
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My books for #FoodandLit #Iceland: The Blue Fox from the library and 2 cookbooks from my shelves 😁
@Catsandbooks @Texreader

Texreader Yay!!! 7mo
Catsandbooks 👏🏼🇮🇸 7mo
29 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ju.ca.no
The Blue Fox | SJON.
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Best way to spend a rainy sunday: books in bed and cuddly cats. 💙
The book so far is interesting, but I‘m not far in- the story jumps from one part to the next and starting to come together - it‘s a quick and enthralling read and I think I might finish it today☺️

Soubhiville What a sweet baby! 4y
iread2much Such a cute kitty! 🐱 4y
See All 6 Comments
rabbitprincess 😻😻😻 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Such a cute little face! 😻😻 4y
MayJasper Kirby looks like a very good reading cat 😊 4y
60 likes1 stack add6 comments
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catiewithac
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I don‘t know the username of who to thank for this fun #creepychristmas box. Thank you for such a colorful box of ghouls! I‘m really excited to wear these Dia de los Muertos compression socks to work!! #CovidNurse with style!! I‘m excited to read this little book, too 🤓 Thank you for the photos of my fav vamp 🧛‍♂️ #BazPitch4ever 😍🌈😈

@teebe thank you for hosting!! 📚

teebe Looks great! It‘s from @Endowarrior21 4y
CBee A fellow Baz fan!!! Looooove him so much - can‘t wait for the next book 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 4y
Scochrane26 I love Baz! 4y
MrsGagnonreads2024 Oops I thought I put my name on it I am glad you liked it. 4y
58 likes4 comments
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Adventures_of_a_French_Reader
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Pickpick

The perfect escape

The story takes place in 1883 in Iceland during the winter. Reverend Baldur Skuggason goes hunting a blue fox. We also hear the story of Griffin B. Fridjónsson, a herbalist, and of Abba, a young woman with Down syndrome.
A bookcrush for me! The writing transported me to Iceland. Sjón built the plot perfectly so that questions pile up before finally each element finds its place. I also found this story moving. A great discovery!

10 likes1 stack add
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Ididsoidid
The Blue Fox | SJON.
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Pickpick

A quick read and worth the time, especially on a wintery day. The first section really transported me to the bitter and frosty Icelandic wilderness. The events which unfold are quite tragic but the tale manages to close on a humorous note. Heartwarming! 6/10

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UnrulySun
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Pickpick

What a beautiful and weird little book. One small passage actually brought me to tears. Evocative and unsettling.

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UnrulySun
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The creature must take care not to forget that the man is a hunter.

michellelav Welcome to litsy!! 😊😊🎉 5y
2 likes1 stack add2 comments
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DePaepe
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Earth fails,
All grows old and worn.
Flash is dust- however it's adorned.

This was a pleasant read for the commute today.

9 likes1 stack add
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MariaW
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Pickpick

Not only listening to Icelandic music but reading Icelandic literature as well. This is one of most beautiful tales I‘ve ever read. Sjón uses the image of the blue fox to redeem the one protagonist who shouldn‘t be redeemed. The language is so beautiful, I can‘t cope. After this one I even fell more in love with Iceland.
#iceland #icelandiclit #icelandicliterature #sjon #sjón #schattenfuchs #thebluefox

Aimeesue I read that one, but in English. It was very good. Probably loses something in. Translation, though 6y
MariaW @Aimeesue I guess so, but it still was beautiful. I‘m not sure if I will be able to learn some Icelandic some time soon. 😊 6y
Aimeesue It was indeed a beautiful book! 6y
38 likes1 stack add3 comments
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MariaW
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The last light of the day was DAWNING OFF at the horizon. (...) Nothern Light‘s daughters set themselves for their wild dance of the veils.

Gosh, I really love Icelandic literature. ?❤️?#untranslatable

#iceland #icelandiclit #icelandicliterature #sjon #sjón #schattenfuchs #thebluefox

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Jokila
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minkyb Beautiful photo. 7y
Jokila Thank you @minkyb 😘 7y
33 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Kathrin
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Pickpick

Basic premises of the book: Karma is a b!tch.

Set in Iceland in the late 19th century it covers some very diverse topics, but brings it together nicely in the end. There are little Magical Realism parts, but otherwise it‘s a short historical fiction novel. I thought the writing was beautiful.

15 likes1 stack add
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azulaco
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Pickpick

Quick read, and well-written, even in translation. It takes a turn for the weird about three-quarters of the way through. I liked the way the author tied up all the parallel storylines at the end.

Cinfhen Cool looking cover 7y
16 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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readinginthedark
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I had plans to read a bunch of graphic novels today for the marathon, but a ton of my reserves came in at the library, and I‘m feeling really motivated on my challenges. Plus, look at how beautiful this is! 😍 #Iceland #readaroundtheworld

JenP Ooh, that is pretty 7y
zezeki This one has been on my TBR for quite some time, I hope to get my hands on it soon 😁 7y
readinginthedark @JenP I know! ❤️ (edited) 7y
readinginthedark @zeljka It‘s really good so far! And just over 100 not-quite-full pages, so it‘s quick reading. 7y
82 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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Currey
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Pickpick

I very much enjoyed this twisted fable. It opens with a Jack London meets Aesop tale of a hunter out to get the Blue Fox of the title and then goes backwards in time to tell a story about how a Down‘s syndrome child is both rescued by and rescues a Icelandic gentleman. Fate ties the two tales in the last section of the book. The play with Icelandic song, language and weather made for an interesting combo. #readaroundtheworld #iceland

14 likes2 stack adds
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knp4597
Panpan

Not my cup of tea; way over my head 🙇‍♀️

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2BR02B
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All told, I bought 34 books at yesterday's #booksale. Some observations from my first #HalfPriceBooks clearance event:
1. This is no place to go looking for specific titles. Fiction was sorted into hardcovers/trade paperbacks with all genres interspersed. Nonfiction was a bit better sorted, with sections like religion, science, etc.
2. The selection offered is a bit like a local thrift shop: lots of classic lit and modern classics... (cont below)

2BR02B like Kite Runner, as well as formerly trendy reads (Fifty Shades of Gray) and "fast fiction" (Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy) 7y
2BR02B 3. Resellers and collectors get there when the doors open and pick things over quite thoroughly. If you can't arrive early, the overstock boxes under the tables often contain better finds than the tables themselves. 7y
2BR02B 4. And finally, hand sanitizer is your friend. Use it well. 7y
aurora.dawn Great haul! 😊 7y
LeahBergen I'm an "under table crawler" at book sales. ? Great haul! 7y
41 likes5 comments
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Liberty
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Dewey's Readathon countdown, Day 21: The prompt is "blue." There are a LOT of books with blue covers, so I went in a different direction. #readathon #30DaysofReadathon ???

tapgurl 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 7y
GatheringBooks that‘s a lot of blue love! been meaning to read my sjon novels for awhile now. this post reminds me that i need to get cracking on those soonest. 7y
zezeki I really want to get my hands on The Blue Fox 😁😁 7y
AugustRush A very different twist of blue. 7y
tricours I read The Blue Fox when it came out and remember first finding it weird and then loving it. I need to reread it! 7y
131 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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khooliha
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Mehso-so

I enjoyed this slim novel but I don't think I could ever actually recommend it to anyone? #reviewsareamystery

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suzanne.literarylife
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An Icelandic fable meets mystery meets fairy tale. Here we go....

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AVChrista
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Just a little bedtime reading :)

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JGadz11
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Catching up on my reading this weekend! #staycation

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rayna
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Mehso-so

Though I liked the writing style in this novella set in Iceland, the complete lack of character development made it fall flat.

#sjon #thebluefox #coverart #novella