Landscape is never corny
Prix Gens De Mer
Landscape is never corny takes us to a godforsaken place on Iceland, where a few forlorn souls work as fishermen when the weather allows it.
Halldor writes a diary; and his story is unveiled through his meetings with God, the priest, the philosopher, the cripple, the cod and love.
Sample available in English and German.
In Soga om véret, exceptional storyteller Birgisson beautifully and humorously succeeds in invoking the image of a culture in ruin and a soul in torment, in an environment that is located at both a psychological and geographical outpost of civilisation.
Karl Ove Knausgård
Fishermen, cripples, priests and cod beautifully knit together in this poetic and entertaining Icelandic tale
Bergens Tidene, Norway
Birgisson beautifully portrays a society about to disappear
Klassekampen, Norway
Birgisson has a genuine ability to absorb and use the remnants of a culture of resolution and transform it into the most noble poetry
Dag og Tid, Norway
Sparkling and full of energy; this tale about the last fishermen on Iceland beautifully takes literature down on ground level
Dagens Næringsliv, Norway
Strong emotions, grand nature, a sense of eternity
Politiken, Denmark
There is quite a bit of soul in this book
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany
Characterized by great intuition, feeling and humour.
Prix Gens De Mer Jury