Iceland’s Mountain Factory
Shortlisted for the Bookseller's Award 2020
Seven new graduates from a mountaineering academy in the south-east of Iceland, all with different plans for the future, are sharing a lift back towards Reykjavík when they are driven by a fierce storm to take refuge in an old Nissen hut close to the glacial lagoon of Jökulsárlón. There they decide to set up Iceland’s Mountain Factory – a free state dedicated to nature, sustainability, contentment and the fight against the destruction of the planet. They knit and brew, they go dumpster diving, they cook, they love and dream. Individually, the members of the group approach the project on their own terms, but sharing a thirst for adventure and quest for security. They also, however, belong to a wider community – this cannot be denied, and it leads to conflicts of opinion. One of the girls in the group, Emma, has already made a name for herself as an environmental activist and influencer. She regularly streams the message of the Mountain Factory live online, and has accumulated an expanding number of followers around the world.
The day that Emma is found lifeless, floating in a kayak on the lagoon, everything changes
The book is well written and well structured- a story with a message to all readers. It is the role of artists to put our times into context, and to shed light on what is difficult to grasp. Kristín Helga did a great job with this novel. She sums up the crisis of modern times in her characters. If everyone only thinks of himself how do we then solve the problems of the world?
Lestrarklefinn, Iceland
There is plenty of praise for this book but I have to stop somewhere (...) speaking of value creation, in this book there is pretty good material for a film. It's written in two timelines, we get two different perspectives - the kids and the rich - and then another plan through social media, where the fourth wall is broken. The setting is the magnificent nature of Iceland. Yes, this book will be filmed. You heard it here first
RUV, Iceland
It is so necessary to write books like this for young people (...)
Kiljan Literary Review, Iceland
Kristín Helga manages impressively to convey an important message in a spirited and stimulating manner. It’s a dramatic and emotional novel with an important voice. The characters try to live of nature while there is passionate love of life in the background and young people are trying to discover themselves.