Each story is horrific, albeit often in a mundane way, but I didn't get them. I got nothing from reading them except the thought, "well that's horrific." DNF, I need something else to keep on with that. ( )

Meget bedre end forventet. Jeg kan godt lide når den indre bavian stikker hovedet frem. Tak for den, Danmark Læser. ( )

This collection of short stories is powerful. Each story tells something of human even in the most boring situations of life. There is always something besides what you see. There is always a strange humanity. That most of the time is dark or simply different. ( )

This collection of short stories largely focuses on what begin as normal, regular days--and then they go off the rails. Some go off horribly and physically (Bulbjerg; Mosquito Bite), some just get away from plans in ways horrible to disappointing (Blackcurrent; Candy), others are relationship-based (Torben and Maria; The Green Darkness of the Big Trees). All are interesting, and felt very different to me than most short story collections.

Translated from Danish; the author has won some big prizes in Europe. ( )

This collection of short, wild, disturbing and often deeply ambiguous stories won Aidt the 2008 Nordic Council Prize. She plays around with the boundaries of reality and fantasy, so that characters often find themselves living out their darkest fears or most perverted desires in a frighteningly realistic setting. The mostly very short forms allow her to keep us guessing until the last page (sometimes beyond it) about the characters - is the narrator supposed to be male or female? which country are we in? are they married to each other or to someone else? whose are the children? is it all just a nightmare?

Very interesting, powerful and original writing, but not a book you would want to read just before going to bed. And it might well put you off blackcurrant jam for a long time... ( )