What do you think?
Rate this book
حكايات إلين: قبضة أو قلب
لم يكن التغيّر فوريًا، ليس قبل الصفحة العشرين، ثم لاحظتْ بغتةً شيئًا فيما يحيط بها، سكونًا حادًا غير معتاد، أو أنها أضواء الشمال على الخليج الصغيرة. كانت تلك اليقظة جديدةً عليها، اخترقتْ لامبالاتها، واستمرّت هي في الكتابة، كتبتْ حتّى لم يعد هناك سوى فراغ صغيرة. بحجم قبضة أو قلب تقريبًا، وصارت تتنفّسٍ بشكل مختلف. اختفى ذلك الصوت، المُختنق، الصافر. ارتخى حلقها.
238 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2017
83 people are currently reading
2,308 people want to read
About the author
Kristín Eiríksdóttir
19books92followersKRISTIN EIRIKSDOTTIR (b.1981) made her mark on the literary scene in a big way with her collection of short stories, Doris Dies in 2010.
Critics agreed that a new, fully-fledged author had arrived with one of the most significant works of fiction of the year.
Her voice is strong and importunate � one of the most original of her generation.
Critics agreed that a new, fully-fledged author had arrived with one of the most significant works of fiction of the year.
Her voice is strong and importunate � one of the most original of her generation.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
September 24, 2019
I recently read The Glass Woman, which was set in Iceland, and lamented wanting to read more books set in Iceland. Imagine my surprise when I picked up A Fist or a Heart, now an award-winning novel set in Iceland.
Elin Jonsdottir, in her early seventies, is living a lonely life in Reykjavik. She makes props for crime movies. Elin’s interest is piqued by Ellen Alfsdottir, also a bit of a loner, as well as playwright and daughter of a writer. These two have a connection, but only one remembers how.
Elin and Ellen have much in common, and they begin to share and find that connection. The only thing is Elin is beginning to lose her connection with reality at the same time.
It’s no wonder A Fist or a Heart has won literary accolades. The writing in itself is a loving, living, breathing work of art. Then we have the characters who made me feel so much empathy I could cry when I reflect on the emotions in me brought out by them and their stories, sorrows, and strengths.
Overall, A Fist or a Heart is a slim narrative but one that is filled with feeling and beauty above all else. It’s quite literary and while it may not be for everyone because of that, A Fist or a Heart is a unique and indelible story.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog:
Elin Jonsdottir, in her early seventies, is living a lonely life in Reykjavik. She makes props for crime movies. Elin’s interest is piqued by Ellen Alfsdottir, also a bit of a loner, as well as playwright and daughter of a writer. These two have a connection, but only one remembers how.
Elin and Ellen have much in common, and they begin to share and find that connection. The only thing is Elin is beginning to lose her connection with reality at the same time.
It’s no wonder A Fist or a Heart has won literary accolades. The writing in itself is a loving, living, breathing work of art. Then we have the characters who made me feel so much empathy I could cry when I reflect on the emotions in me brought out by them and their stories, sorrows, and strengths.
Overall, A Fist or a Heart is a slim narrative but one that is filled with feeling and beauty above all else. It’s quite literary and while it may not be for everyone because of that, A Fist or a Heart is a unique and indelible story.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog:
March 21, 2025
Why I chose to read this book:
1. I think I saw it as a GR recommendation, and since I like stories set in Scandinavia (in this case, Iceland), I added it to my WTR list; and,
2. March 2025 is my "E and F Authors" Month!
Praises:
1. the setting Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is featured nicely; and,
2. the two MCs, Elin and Ellen (similar names!) have an interesting connection.
Niggles:
1. from the first page, I could tell that 's writing style would take some getting used to, requiring from me a great deal of concentration, even though it's a short read. It's a very literary piece of work that was difficult to decipher at times; and,
2. I was hoping that the last 10-20 pages would answer my questions and provide some closure. Instead, I was more confused than ever! Did I miss something?
Overall Thoughts:
Written in a very unique voice, I know some readers would love this story, but trust me, it's not for everyone.
I'm obviously too literal a reader for this work. It wasn't for me.
1. I think I saw it as a GR recommendation, and since I like stories set in Scandinavia (in this case, Iceland), I added it to my WTR list; and,
2. March 2025 is my "E and F Authors" Month!
Praises:
1. the setting Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is featured nicely; and,
2. the two MCs, Elin and Ellen (similar names!) have an interesting connection.
Niggles:
1. from the first page, I could tell that 's writing style would take some getting used to, requiring from me a great deal of concentration, even though it's a short read. It's a very literary piece of work that was difficult to decipher at times; and,
2. I was hoping that the last 10-20 pages would answer my questions and provide some closure. Instead, I was more confused than ever! Did I miss something?
Overall Thoughts:
Written in a very unique voice, I know some readers would love this story, but trust me, it's not for everyone.
I'm obviously too literal a reader for this work. It wasn't for me.
January 18, 2023
2023’ün ilk önerisi; Yumruk Yahut Yürek.
Kitabın ilk sayfasını okuduğumda anlamıştım onu çok seveceğimi ve sevdiğim ölçüde de ters yüz olacağımı. Soğuk, mesafeli, boşluklu karakterler aracılığıyla, basit hayatın içinden bir mesele, öyle canlı sahnelerle anlatılmış ki, bitirdiğimde hikayenin içinden çıkacağım diye üzüldüm.
Eirıksdóttir 81 doğumlu bir yazar. Birçok türde eser vermenin avantajını kullanmış romanda. Oyun yazarlığından olsa gerek diye düşündüm; sayfa sayfa canlandı giysiler, mekan, karakter gözümde. Yine öykü yazabilmesi, kendi içinde küçük kurgular oluşturup, bütünü akıllıca bölmek konusunda epey işe yaramış gibime geldi.
Ve geleyim beni en etkileyen kısma; Romanın ismi öyle bir yerde çıktı ki karşıma, bir yerlerde içimde bir alan açıldı sanki, yumruk yahut yürek gibi bir alan.
Bir önemi var mı bilmiyorum ama 2017 İzlanda Edebiyat ödülüne layık görülmüş bir roman olduğunu da ekleyeyim.
Tavsiye ediyorum.
Kitabın ilk sayfasını okuduğumda anlamıştım onu çok seveceğimi ve sevdiğim ölçüde de ters yüz olacağımı. Soğuk, mesafeli, boşluklu karakterler aracılığıyla, basit hayatın içinden bir mesele, öyle canlı sahnelerle anlatılmış ki, bitirdiğimde hikayenin içinden çıkacağım diye üzüldüm.
Eirıksdóttir 81 doğumlu bir yazar. Birçok türde eser vermenin avantajını kullanmış romanda. Oyun yazarlığından olsa gerek diye düşündüm; sayfa sayfa canlandı giysiler, mekan, karakter gözümde. Yine öykü yazabilmesi, kendi içinde küçük kurgular oluşturup, bütünü akıllıca bölmek konusunda epey işe yaramış gibime geldi.
Ve geleyim beni en etkileyen kısma; Romanın ismi öyle bir yerde çıktı ki karşıma, bir yerlerde içimde bir alan açıldı sanki, yumruk yahut yürek gibi bir alan.
Bir önemi var mı bilmiyorum ama 2017 İzlanda Edebiyat ödülüne layık görülmüş bir roman olduğunu da ekleyeyim.
Tavsiye ediyorum.
August 26, 2023
İskandinav edebiyatıyla ilişkimi derinleştirme girişimlerim çerçevesinde okuduğum, İzlandalı yazar Kristín Eiríksdóttir'in kitabı "Yumruk Yahut Yürek"te aradığımı tam olarak bulamadım maalesef. Biraz da üzüldüm çünkü aslında çok daha iyi olma potansiyeline sahip ve çok parlak kısımları olan bir kitap olduğunu düşünüyorum.
Yetmişli yaşlarının başındaki dekor tasarımcısı Elin Jonsdottir isimli bir kadın ile 19 yaşında bir genç kız olan ve yazdığı ilk oyunla dikkat çeken Ellen Alfsdottir'in hayatlarının kesişmesiyle başlıyor hikaye. Her iki kadın da yalnız, yurtsuz, köksüz, her ikisinin de ciddi travmaları var ve hayatla ilişkilenmekte ciddi güçlük yaşıyorlar. Anlatıcımız Ellin hikaye ilerledikçe gerçeklikle ilişkisini yitirmeye başlıyor. Yalnızlığı öyle derin ki, onu girdiği yerden çıkarabilecek kimse yok etrafında.
Elin'in nevrozu derinleştikçe, roman iyice müphem bir hale bürünüyor ve açıkçası bence buralarda baştaki gücünü yitiriyor. Ayrıca bu iki kadının hikâyesi tam ne çerçevede beraber anlatılmış, onları birbirine bağlayan ip nedir, onu da anlayamadım. (Bir somut olay var bağlayan, evet, ama insan onun ötesinde bir şeye ihtiyaç duyuyor romanın çatısının daha sağlam olması için.)
İskandinav edebiyatının ufak ufak tanımaya başladığım o soğuk, mesafeli ama insanın etine işleyen üslubu, tüm kelimelerine sinmiş hüzün ve yalnızlık hali burada da var; ki zaten sahiden çok güzel yazılmış bir metin bu. Ama işte her iyi yazılmış metin, iyi birer roman olamayabiliyor. Sanırım buradaki sorun da biraz bu.
Yine de yalnızlığa dair şu çok sevdiğim pasajı şuraya iliştireyim: "Mağazadan çıkabilmek için, o koca labirentin tamamını baştan yürümek zorunda kaldım. Bu muazzam, alakasız alanda ortadan kaybolmadım, daha ziyade büyüdüm. Yüzler kafamda bulandı, kendi yüzümle karıştı. Aklımı kaybetmek, yıkılmak, sinir nöbeti geçirmek: Bunlar sevdikleri olanların ayrıcalığı. Ben sırada bekledim ve içinde ölmeyi planladığım yatağın parasını ödedim. Alacakaranlıkta eve kadar araba sürdüm."
PS: Bunu seven Audur Ava Olafsdottir'in Sessizlik Oteli'ne bayılır. Benzer bir janr ama çok çok daha iyi bir örnek o kanımca.
Yetmişli yaşlarının başındaki dekor tasarımcısı Elin Jonsdottir isimli bir kadın ile 19 yaşında bir genç kız olan ve yazdığı ilk oyunla dikkat çeken Ellen Alfsdottir'in hayatlarının kesişmesiyle başlıyor hikaye. Her iki kadın da yalnız, yurtsuz, köksüz, her ikisinin de ciddi travmaları var ve hayatla ilişkilenmekte ciddi güçlük yaşıyorlar. Anlatıcımız Ellin hikaye ilerledikçe gerçeklikle ilişkisini yitirmeye başlıyor. Yalnızlığı öyle derin ki, onu girdiği yerden çıkarabilecek kimse yok etrafında.
Elin'in nevrozu derinleştikçe, roman iyice müphem bir hale bürünüyor ve açıkçası bence buralarda baştaki gücünü yitiriyor. Ayrıca bu iki kadının hikâyesi tam ne çerçevede beraber anlatılmış, onları birbirine bağlayan ip nedir, onu da anlayamadım. (Bir somut olay var bağlayan, evet, ama insan onun ötesinde bir şeye ihtiyaç duyuyor romanın çatısının daha sağlam olması için.)
İskandinav edebiyatının ufak ufak tanımaya başladığım o soğuk, mesafeli ama insanın etine işleyen üslubu, tüm kelimelerine sinmiş hüzün ve yalnızlık hali burada da var; ki zaten sahiden çok güzel yazılmış bir metin bu. Ama işte her iyi yazılmış metin, iyi birer roman olamayabiliyor. Sanırım buradaki sorun da biraz bu.
Yine de yalnızlığa dair şu çok sevdiğim pasajı şuraya iliştireyim: "Mağazadan çıkabilmek için, o koca labirentin tamamını baştan yürümek zorunda kaldım. Bu muazzam, alakasız alanda ortadan kaybolmadım, daha ziyade büyüdüm. Yüzler kafamda bulandı, kendi yüzümle karıştı. Aklımı kaybetmek, yıkılmak, sinir nöbeti geçirmek: Bunlar sevdikleri olanların ayrıcalığı. Ben sırada bekledim ve içinde ölmeyi planladığım yatağın parasını ödedim. Alacakaranlıkta eve kadar araba sürdüm."
PS: Bunu seven Audur Ava Olafsdottir'in Sessizlik Oteli'ne bayılır. Benzer bir janr ama çok çok daha iyi bir örnek o kanımca.
May 11, 2020
This novel is an insightful psychological study of two lonely and eccentric individuals with a tenuous grip on their sanity. The protagonist and narrator Elín Jónsdóttir, is a theatre and movie prop creator in her late sixties. One of the latest projects in which Elín is involved is the production of a new play by a teenage writing prodigy - Ellen Álfsdóttir. Ellen happens to be the daughter of a famed playwright with whom Elín was acquainted. Elín, who has spent all her life pushing people away from her, now seems strangely drawn to the disturbed teenager and starts following her. The narrative is purportedly written by the older woman, and it alternates between her reminiscences, written in the first person, and scenes involving Ellen, written in the third person and incorporating poems Ellen wrote.
The scant plot details of A Fist or A Heart (such as they are) are revealed slowly and tantalisingly. In this respect, I found the novel gripping and atmospheric. On the other hand, I cannot say I “loved� the book. My reservations were two.
The novel is built on a premise of ambiguity. It is quite clear, that Elín and Ellen are meant to be reflections of each other. Both are lonely, both had an upbringing with an ‘absent� father, both had problematic relationships with their respective mothers. In a way, Ellen’s mother Lilya could be read as yet another aspect of one composite character. By the end of the book, however, the ambiguity is taken to extremes. As Elín becomes more and more confused, it’s not even clear whether what we’ve learnt about the (younger) Ellen or, for that matter, Elín herself, should be taken at face value. Has Elín made up everything? Is Ellen partly or completely the product of Elín’s imagination? These questions (and other, less important ones, which also remain unanswered) kept bothering me after I finished the book. I’m sure some would hold this in the book’s favour. I’m more conservative in that respect and prefer greater “closure�.
My second reservation, although less central to the novel, I found possibly more troubling. Throughout the book there are frequent references to violence and violent acts. Elín’s props are, more often than not, meant for some Nordic crime film or shocking play: the grisly list includes severed limbs, decaying corpses, scarred bodies, a doll to represent an abused minors. In what is quite a short book, there is also a chapter about quite a stomach-churning episode of sexual violence (no further details here to avoid ‘spoilers�) and a sub-plot involving an unlikely meeting with a serial killer. I’d like to think that I’m not a squeamish reader (I’ve read my share of horror stories), but I did feel that these unsavoury details were not essential to the novel.
Reservations aside, I am still pleased at the opportunity of discovering a new author in her English language debut, and (given it’s unlikely I will ever learn Icelandic) I will seek out translations of Kristín Eiríksdóttir’s other works once they � hopefully � become available.
The scant plot details of A Fist or A Heart (such as they are) are revealed slowly and tantalisingly. In this respect, I found the novel gripping and atmospheric. On the other hand, I cannot say I “loved� the book. My reservations were two.
The novel is built on a premise of ambiguity. It is quite clear, that Elín and Ellen are meant to be reflections of each other. Both are lonely, both had an upbringing with an ‘absent� father, both had problematic relationships with their respective mothers. In a way, Ellen’s mother Lilya could be read as yet another aspect of one composite character. By the end of the book, however, the ambiguity is taken to extremes. As Elín becomes more and more confused, it’s not even clear whether what we’ve learnt about the (younger) Ellen or, for that matter, Elín herself, should be taken at face value. Has Elín made up everything? Is Ellen partly or completely the product of Elín’s imagination? These questions (and other, less important ones, which also remain unanswered) kept bothering me after I finished the book. I’m sure some would hold this in the book’s favour. I’m more conservative in that respect and prefer greater “closure�.
My second reservation, although less central to the novel, I found possibly more troubling. Throughout the book there are frequent references to violence and violent acts. Elín’s props are, more often than not, meant for some Nordic crime film or shocking play: the grisly list includes severed limbs, decaying corpses, scarred bodies, a doll to represent an abused minors. In what is quite a short book, there is also a chapter about quite a stomach-churning episode of sexual violence (no further details here to avoid ‘spoilers�) and a sub-plot involving an unlikely meeting with a serial killer. I’d like to think that I’m not a squeamish reader (I’ve read my share of horror stories), but I did feel that these unsavoury details were not essential to the novel.
Reservations aside, I am still pleased at the opportunity of discovering a new author in her English language debut, and (given it’s unlikely I will ever learn Icelandic) I will seek out translations of Kristín Eiríksdóttir’s other works once they � hopefully � become available.
April 1, 2021
Elín, Miscellaneous
Review of the Audible Audio English translation edition (2019) of the Icelandic original "Elín, ýmislegt" (Elín, miscellaneous) (2017)
This was quite a mysterious story with an older theatre/film props maker named Elín who becomes somewhat obsessed with a younger playwright named Ellen whom she once met earlier in life (the specific incident is not revealed until towards the end). During this time she is also re-examining her own life after being prompted by receiving several file boxes of her archives (one of which is labelled with the Icelandic title of the book Elín, miscellaneous).
Elín tells of her interactions with Ellen in the forward plot which is related to the production of a play and in the flashback plot she reminisces about her own earlier life, primarily about a work-related trip to Thailand which had an unexpected traumatic twist. In the forward plot there are also occasional glimpses of Ellen's life which often retell the story from the younger woman's point of view. These segments could be viewed as if Elín was writing a novel about Ellen.
I was quite engrossed by A Fist or a Heart and I was particularly impressed with the handling of the changes in perspective, the roles and the life experiences. The English translation title has its own mysterious quality (the size of the heart muscle in humans is often compared to the size of the fist) with its evocations of violence & power vs. love & warmth. I'm usually not a fan of changing book titles in translation, but this seemed a good choice over the somewhat generic word "miscellaneous." The translation by Larissa Kyzer read very smoothly.
I listened to the audiobook edition narrated by Janet Metzger and her narration was excellent, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend the audio version alone as I found I did need to refer occasionally to a print version to keep myself oriented. The similarity of the names Elín and Ellen (and there is even a reference to neighbour named Helen late in the book) frequently caused me to lose my focus and to wonder where I was in the story. This blurring effect in the audio is possibly an unexpected bonus in the author's questioning of identity.
Review of the Audible Audio English translation edition (2019) of the Icelandic original "Elín, ýmislegt" (Elín, miscellaneous) (2017)
This was quite a mysterious story with an older theatre/film props maker named Elín who becomes somewhat obsessed with a younger playwright named Ellen whom she once met earlier in life (the specific incident is not revealed until towards the end). During this time she is also re-examining her own life after being prompted by receiving several file boxes of her archives (one of which is labelled with the Icelandic title of the book Elín, miscellaneous).
Elín tells of her interactions with Ellen in the forward plot which is related to the production of a play and in the flashback plot she reminisces about her own earlier life, primarily about a work-related trip to Thailand which had an unexpected traumatic twist. In the forward plot there are also occasional glimpses of Ellen's life which often retell the story from the younger woman's point of view. These segments could be viewed as if Elín was writing a novel about Ellen.
I was quite engrossed by A Fist or a Heart and I was particularly impressed with the handling of the changes in perspective, the roles and the life experiences. The English translation title has its own mysterious quality (the size of the heart muscle in humans is often compared to the size of the fist) with its evocations of violence & power vs. love & warmth. I'm usually not a fan of changing book titles in translation, but this seemed a good choice over the somewhat generic word "miscellaneous." The translation by Larissa Kyzer read very smoothly.
I listened to the audiobook edition narrated by Janet Metzger and her narration was excellent, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend the audio version alone as I found I did need to refer occasionally to a print version to keep myself oriented. The similarity of the names Elín and Ellen (and there is even a reference to neighbour named Helen late in the book) frequently caused me to lose my focus and to wonder where I was in the story. This blurring effect in the audio is possibly an unexpected bonus in the author's questioning of identity.
August 22, 2019
This is the first book that I read by Kristín Eiríksdóttir and I was surprised how much I could relate to what she talked about as Elín or as Ellen in her thoughts of different characters that she developed in her story. These thoughts have also come to me with taking care of my 104 year old father-in-law. Her fears with Ellen with people in general I can see in other people and wonder if they see their world in a different light than I do. I've had several strokes and have these funny feeling when I am in particular situations. She has her characters wonder about people and has them followed by Elín. And has Elín totally lost within herself at the end of the story. I would recommend that the people in my blog read this story to see how much empathy they have with the characters.
October 15, 2020
So, I finished this book (3.5 rounded down) and didn't quite get it and like it but saw some glowing reviews so thought I should read it again. I admit I sort of skimmed it at first because I wasn't fond of the voice or the story. So I missed some important plot lines. Subtle. Very subtle, but there.
Iceland author Eiriksdottir is incredibly talented. I just couldn't warm up to her characters or her voice fully. Or the plot. However, there was much to admire and ponder. It's an exploration of how trauma can prevent humans from reaching their full potential personally and professionally. The main character Elin is almost a hermit. She makes props that include some gory and disturbing elements of the body: severed hands, dead children. Perhaps it is this that makes her attracted to a serial killer. I won't say more on that.
Paralleling Elin is Ellen, who could be a younger version of Elin. Who should have been her child, perhaps. They are both not "made for this world." Their lives cross multiple times, yet because of their limitations they never form a relationship that could have saved them both and enriched their lives. That's my take on this book, anyway.
"In Romania, there are living stones that grow and multiply. Every breath takes three days and they move less than an inch a month, but they breathe. They move." An allusion to Elin/Ellen and their struggles to get through each day. Not a happy ending, for these two, though some hope for the younger Ellen.
This is a smart book that has to find its readers.
Iceland author Eiriksdottir is incredibly talented. I just couldn't warm up to her characters or her voice fully. Or the plot. However, there was much to admire and ponder. It's an exploration of how trauma can prevent humans from reaching their full potential personally and professionally. The main character Elin is almost a hermit. She makes props that include some gory and disturbing elements of the body: severed hands, dead children. Perhaps it is this that makes her attracted to a serial killer. I won't say more on that.
Paralleling Elin is Ellen, who could be a younger version of Elin. Who should have been her child, perhaps. They are both not "made for this world." Their lives cross multiple times, yet because of their limitations they never form a relationship that could have saved them both and enriched their lives. That's my take on this book, anyway.
"In Romania, there are living stones that grow and multiply. Every breath takes three days and they move less than an inch a month, but they breathe. They move." An allusion to Elin/Ellen and their struggles to get through each day. Not a happy ending, for these two, though some hope for the younger Ellen.
This is a smart book that has to find its readers.
March 12, 2020
Hef lesið hana tvisvar áður og núna hlustaði ég á hana í upplestri höfundar. Fyrst þegar ég las hana varð ég fyrir vonbrigðum, fannst hún endasleppt og undarlega samsett. Í annað sinn tók ég eftir alls konar hlutum sem ég hafði ekki séð í fyrsta skiptið. Núna í þriðja sinn finnst mér hún eiginlega mögnuð.
Stíllinn er knappur og ótrúlega myndrænn, fullur af fallegum sjónarmiðum og lýsingum. Óáreiðanleiki sögumanns, endurtekningar í frásögn hans og gloppur í minni eru vel uppbyggð. Bókin er líka að vissu leyti bútasaumur af ferli Kristínar; blanda prósa, ljóða, myndlistar og leikhúss.
Persónurnar standa vel út. Henni tekst líka að gera Elínu ótrúlega sympatíska og viðkvæma en samt undarlega og dálítið fráhrindandi í afstöðu sinni til annara. Hinar persónurnar eru ekki síðri, Ellen og móðir hennar eru brilljant. Leikstjórinn fangar vel þennan týpíska karl sem fær snillingsstimpilin og talar aðra niður til að upphefja sjálfan sig og halda valdinu.
Ég mæli sérstaklega með hljóðbókinni í upplestri Kristínar. Textinn fær annan tón og mér fannst hann verða fyndnari en þegar ég las hana.
Stíllinn er knappur og ótrúlega myndrænn, fullur af fallegum sjónarmiðum og lýsingum. Óáreiðanleiki sögumanns, endurtekningar í frásögn hans og gloppur í minni eru vel uppbyggð. Bókin er líka að vissu leyti bútasaumur af ferli Kristínar; blanda prósa, ljóða, myndlistar og leikhúss.
Persónurnar standa vel út. Henni tekst líka að gera Elínu ótrúlega sympatíska og viðkvæma en samt undarlega og dálítið fráhrindandi í afstöðu sinni til annara. Hinar persónurnar eru ekki síðri, Ellen og móðir hennar eru brilljant. Leikstjórinn fangar vel þennan týpíska karl sem fær snillingsstimpilin og talar aðra niður til að upphefja sjálfan sig og halda valdinu.
Ég mæli sérstaklega með hljóðbókinni í upplestri Kristínar. Textinn fær annan tón og mér fannst hann verða fyndnari en þegar ég las hana.
February 3, 2023
2.5/5
Okurken de bitirdikten sonra da ne hissedeceğimi bilemediğim kitaplardan birisi daha. Benzer olan iki farklı kadının yollarının kesişmesi üzerinden ilerleyen bir yapı var. Doğrusu ne karakterleri ne de onları bağlayan (aslında çok da bağlayamayan) hikayeyi sevdim. Hoş yazarın derdi de hikaye anlatmaktan ziyade karakterlerin psikolojilerine odaklanmak. Öyle olunca da ya daha derin karakterler ya da daha keskin bir final aradı gözüm. En beğendim şey yazarın atmosfer kurma becerisi ve kitabın sonuyla bunu desteklemesi oldu. Ayrıca çeviride de aksayan tercihler olduğunu düşünüyorum.
Okurken de bitirdikten sonra da ne hissedeceğimi bilemediğim kitaplardan birisi daha. Benzer olan iki farklı kadının yollarının kesişmesi üzerinden ilerleyen bir yapı var. Doğrusu ne karakterleri ne de onları bağlayan (aslında çok da bağlayamayan) hikayeyi sevdim. Hoş yazarın derdi de hikaye anlatmaktan ziyade karakterlerin psikolojilerine odaklanmak. Öyle olunca da ya daha derin karakterler ya da daha keskin bir final aradı gözüm. En beğendim şey yazarın atmosfer kurma becerisi ve kitabın sonuyla bunu desteklemesi oldu. Ayrıca çeviride de aksayan tercihler olduğunu düşünüyorum.
March 13, 2020
by , translated by Larissa Kyzer, is the winner of the 2017 Icelandic Literary Prize, the 2018 Icelandic Women’s Literature Prize, was nominated for the 2019 Nordic Council Literature Prize, and was the recipient of several other awards.
The novel unfolds in the voice of Elín Jónsdóttir, a woman in her early 70s who leads a solitary existence in Reykjavik. She makes props for theatre productions and movies. She is asked to make props for a play written by Ellen Álfsdóttir, the young, illegitimate daughter of a famous writer. Their encounter stirs up Elín’s memories of the long ago past she would prefer to keep buried.
Possibly for maternal reasons that may have something to do with their first encounter when Ellen was just two years old, Elín develops a fascination for Ellen, begins stalking her, and observes her at home with her mother. Although generations apart, the two have much in common. They are both illegitimate with dysfunctional mothers and absent fathers, live on the margins of society, and are generally misfits. And although they say a few words to each other, they never connect in a meaningful way. The novel concludes with Ellen drifting in a fog of alcohol and drugs after her mother’s abandonment, and Elín slowly deteriorating into the abyss of dementia and memory loss.
The narrative alternates between Elín’s recollections of her past, including what she remembers of being sexually assaulted as a teenager, and Ellen’s backstory told in third person. The details are revealed slowly and intermittently. Very little happens in terms of plot, but the novel is a rich psychological exploration of the two main characters, capturing their loneliness and marginalization with poignancy and sensitivity.
An atmosphere of uncertainty permeates and is reflected in the title with fist suggesting violence and heart suggesting compassion. The ambiguity and unresolved issues maybe due to Elín’s unreliability as a narrator. How much of what she describes about Ellen is accurate, and how much is simply the fabrication of a mind on the brink of losing touch with reality? When a man mysteriously appears in her home and demands the few boxes her deceased grandmother left her, she doesn’t question his right to be there. She gives him the boxes only to find them mysteriously reappear in her home later. There is no explanation as to who he is, why he is there, or why he claimed the boxes in the first place.
Kristín Eiríksdóttir is a talented writer and well-deserving of the awards and accolades she has received. Her prose is lyrical and compelling with a haunting subtext of something gone awry. The fragmentary nature of Elín’s recollections and her obsession with Ellen keep one guessing as to how much is real, how much is due to the residual impact of the traumas she experienced, and how much is the product of her oncoming dementia. It is a credit to Kristín Eiríksdóttir’s skill as a writer that she is able to portray authentic characters and sustain interest in the narrative without providing clear answers.
My book reviews are also available at
The novel unfolds in the voice of Elín Jónsdóttir, a woman in her early 70s who leads a solitary existence in Reykjavik. She makes props for theatre productions and movies. She is asked to make props for a play written by Ellen Álfsdóttir, the young, illegitimate daughter of a famous writer. Their encounter stirs up Elín’s memories of the long ago past she would prefer to keep buried.
Possibly for maternal reasons that may have something to do with their first encounter when Ellen was just two years old, Elín develops a fascination for Ellen, begins stalking her, and observes her at home with her mother. Although generations apart, the two have much in common. They are both illegitimate with dysfunctional mothers and absent fathers, live on the margins of society, and are generally misfits. And although they say a few words to each other, they never connect in a meaningful way. The novel concludes with Ellen drifting in a fog of alcohol and drugs after her mother’s abandonment, and Elín slowly deteriorating into the abyss of dementia and memory loss.
The narrative alternates between Elín’s recollections of her past, including what she remembers of being sexually assaulted as a teenager, and Ellen’s backstory told in third person. The details are revealed slowly and intermittently. Very little happens in terms of plot, but the novel is a rich psychological exploration of the two main characters, capturing their loneliness and marginalization with poignancy and sensitivity.
An atmosphere of uncertainty permeates and is reflected in the title with fist suggesting violence and heart suggesting compassion. The ambiguity and unresolved issues maybe due to Elín’s unreliability as a narrator. How much of what she describes about Ellen is accurate, and how much is simply the fabrication of a mind on the brink of losing touch with reality? When a man mysteriously appears in her home and demands the few boxes her deceased grandmother left her, she doesn’t question his right to be there. She gives him the boxes only to find them mysteriously reappear in her home later. There is no explanation as to who he is, why he is there, or why he claimed the boxes in the first place.
Kristín Eiríksdóttir is a talented writer and well-deserving of the awards and accolades she has received. Her prose is lyrical and compelling with a haunting subtext of something gone awry. The fragmentary nature of Elín’s recollections and her obsession with Ellen keep one guessing as to how much is real, how much is due to the residual impact of the traumas she experienced, and how much is the product of her oncoming dementia. It is a credit to Kristín Eiríksdóttir’s skill as a writer that she is able to portray authentic characters and sustain interest in the narrative without providing clear answers.
My book reviews are also available at
September 23, 2019
Thank you Amazon Crossing #partner for my gifted copy of A Fist or a Heart.
“Because all things come with the story, and sometimes, stories are changed by a thing.� What are stories but our memory of how something happened. But, what happens when our memory fails us? There is a deep sense of sadness in this story, as it should be when someone begins to lose their memory.
This book is perplexing at times, but is really magical in its own way. It is like an art film and is not told in the expected linear fashion. There is no speed reading this book, it needs to be taken slowly. The writing is beautiful, stark, and blunt. The writing can be crude at times and I don’t know if that is because of the translation or because it is just a different way of communicating or looking at the world. This book left me feeling the pain and despair of these characters, and in the end, a book should make you feel.
If you want a thought provoking read, then I recommend this award-winner from Iceland. 3.5/5
A Fist or a Heart comes out September 24, 2019, and is published by Amazon Crossing.
January 22, 2020
I think I was swayed by all the prize winning references into thinking that this might be a good read for me, and because I jumped at the chance to read a women writer from Iceland, however I wasn't really drawn into the story and I found there to be too much of a disconnect between the main two characters that left me wondering what it was all about. (Beyond the obvious, a young woman writes a play, the prop maker becomes a little obsessed with her, the mother of the young woman is mentally unwell, thus their roles are reversed).
I was interested in the relationship between the young playwright and her mother, although unsure why the story is narrated from the point of view of the props maker. This novel made me think I missed something and left me not really wishing to think too hard to find out what it was I'd missed.
And that sad, shocking, unexpected ending.
I was interested in the relationship between the young playwright and her mother, although unsure why the story is narrated from the point of view of the props maker. This novel made me think I missed something and left me not really wishing to think too hard to find out what it was I'd missed.
And that sad, shocking, unexpected ending.
January 27, 2023
Tüm haftamı üstümü toz gibi örten bir hüzünle geçirdim. Yalnızlık ve köksüzlükle ilgili hüzünlü bir roman. Tavsiye olunur.
January 29, 2023
"Ben de ortadan kaybolmayı çok düşündüm, ama yokluğumu fark edecek birileri olmalıydı önce."
October 22, 2019
I hit some key that took away my review. Maybe that was a sign? I was being rather critical, not in a nice way.
This is a book to decipher, not read.
I brought it home from the library, but I see that it is available through Kindle Unlimited as well if you are up for experimental writing.
Elin is introducing us to the "story" of Ellen. Elin is mature and is a prop maker for the play that is being produced, written by the young woman Ellen. Both women are loners/outsiders. Both have had slight experience with Ellen's more famous playwright father.
The book is partially avant garde poetry; it did win Icelandic Literary Prize
Library Loan
This is a book to decipher, not read.
I brought it home from the library, but I see that it is available through Kindle Unlimited as well if you are up for experimental writing.
Elin is introducing us to the "story" of Ellen. Elin is mature and is a prop maker for the play that is being produced, written by the young woman Ellen. Both women are loners/outsiders. Both have had slight experience with Ellen's more famous playwright father.
The book is partially avant garde poetry; it did win Icelandic Literary Prize
Library Loan
Read
July 23, 2023Fannst hún frábær en segi ekki meir, er að fara að ræða hana í bókaklúbbi 😎
July 13, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for a copy of this book.
When you see a book, there must be some spark that takes you in and makes you want to read it. The fact that the author is Icelandic and that the cover is so beautiful were definitely the two sparks for 'A Fist or a Heart'.
When you start reading, the characters intrigue. You get thrown some pieces of history from the author and that works both confusing and stimulating, as you really want to learn more. The problem lies in the conclusion of the story, because at that point you are still confused and not completely able to pinpoint exactly what you have been reading. The words you have been reading are a means for the author to express the mental illness that rules the world of the characters. It seems that reality is far gone at some points in the story and that probably resembles the way the characters feel.
There is no doubt about it, Kristin Eiriksdottir can write. She uses words to express, not only to tell the story. Some moments it feels like the story is not even important and you just need to enjoy the reading. The placements of the words and the rhythm in them takes you in and is in a strange way almost enchanting.
'A Fist or a heart' is a very small story, depicted in an artistic way, but it leaves you dangling with a lot of questions after finishing. You never truly get to know the characters, although you get to feel them. It is certainly not a book for everybody, but if you like out-of-the-box-reading you must give it a try.
When you see a book, there must be some spark that takes you in and makes you want to read it. The fact that the author is Icelandic and that the cover is so beautiful were definitely the two sparks for 'A Fist or a Heart'.
When you start reading, the characters intrigue. You get thrown some pieces of history from the author and that works both confusing and stimulating, as you really want to learn more. The problem lies in the conclusion of the story, because at that point you are still confused and not completely able to pinpoint exactly what you have been reading. The words you have been reading are a means for the author to express the mental illness that rules the world of the characters. It seems that reality is far gone at some points in the story and that probably resembles the way the characters feel.
There is no doubt about it, Kristin Eiriksdottir can write. She uses words to express, not only to tell the story. Some moments it feels like the story is not even important and you just need to enjoy the reading. The placements of the words and the rhythm in them takes you in and is in a strange way almost enchanting.
'A Fist or a heart' is a very small story, depicted in an artistic way, but it leaves you dangling with a lot of questions after finishing. You never truly get to know the characters, although you get to feel them. It is certainly not a book for everybody, but if you like out-of-the-box-reading you must give it a try.
December 1, 2024
Yalnızları anlatan kitaplarla farklı bir bağ kuruyorum, onlara çok da objektif yaklaşamıyorum. Bu da onlardan biri , çok sevdim. Çeviride beni rahatsız eden bazı kelime ve ifadeler oldu sadece ; mündemiç, nevzuhur, beli gelmek gibi� Bana biraz “Hızlandıkça azalıyorum� kitabını da hatırlattı, Kuzeyli yazarlar yaşlılığı ve yalnızlığı güzel anlatıyorlar bence ama genç okurlara pek de tavsiye etmeyeceğim bir kitap Yumruk yahut Yürek.
February 20, 2018
Mjög góð. Fannst Hvítfeld betri en hlakka til að lesa næstu bók.
May 4, 2020
A melancholic exploration of trauma, loneliness, obsession, and mental degradation. In beautiful prose that undulates between clarity and ambiguity, it probes and leaves one ultimately off-balance by the end, the mind whirling as the waves shift the sand.
------------------
"I’m not going to lull you to sleep with dreams—but the signs make it clear to me that the brain is not something you can touch. The same is true for all things, and that’s what this story is about."
"No one’s crazy. I mean what I say. There are so many sides to reality that, in the best-case scenario, it’s cubistic. Worst-case scenario, predictable. Never flat."
"When I’d looked up rhinos online a few days earlier, countless close-ups of wounds had come up and ever since, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about this act: ripping a horn off a rhino’s face."
"All things end in the sea, she said. In the landfill, said her mom. The landfill is in the sea, said Ellen. Then we are in the sea, said her mom. We are in the sea, said Ellen. Everything is clean in the sea, said her mom. Everything is always moving in the sea, said Ellen."
"There are so many ways to disappear. When I’ve been at my lowest, I’ve thought about how I could vanish without a trace. I didn’t want it to end with someone stumbling upon my body at the edge of a forest. A rowboat out in an open sea of sleeplessness and a shotgun report. Still, the most common, most unostentatious disappearances take place within a person. When the personality takes over the work of the soul and continues onward, fully mechanized, with the help of the body."
------------------
"I’m not going to lull you to sleep with dreams—but the signs make it clear to me that the brain is not something you can touch. The same is true for all things, and that’s what this story is about."
"No one’s crazy. I mean what I say. There are so many sides to reality that, in the best-case scenario, it’s cubistic. Worst-case scenario, predictable. Never flat."
"When I’d looked up rhinos online a few days earlier, countless close-ups of wounds had come up and ever since, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about this act: ripping a horn off a rhino’s face."
"All things end in the sea, she said. In the landfill, said her mom. The landfill is in the sea, said Ellen. Then we are in the sea, said her mom. We are in the sea, said Ellen. Everything is clean in the sea, said her mom. Everything is always moving in the sea, said Ellen."
"There are so many ways to disappear. When I’ve been at my lowest, I’ve thought about how I could vanish without a trace. I didn’t want it to end with someone stumbling upon my body at the edge of a forest. A rowboat out in an open sea of sleeplessness and a shotgun report. Still, the most common, most unostentatious disappearances take place within a person. When the personality takes over the work of the soul and continues onward, fully mechanized, with the help of the body."
December 31, 2017
Fannst sem forsendur og aðstæður sögunnar væru dálítið klisjukenndar þegar ég byrjaði, þessi klassíski íslenski mega-harmleikur � öllum líður hreinlega ömurlega, etc. � en er leið á söguna fannst mér höfundur fara vel með viðfangsefnið og meðhöndla það á listilegan hátt. Endirinn var drungalegur. Prósinn var góður. Mín helsta gagnrýni er því sú að verkið hefði mátt vera lengra. Mér fannst ég ekki kynnast persónunum nægilega vel. En það er höfundi til láðs fremur en lastar.
October 7, 2018
Las „Elínu, ýmislegt� aftur í morgun. Þetta er í fjórða sinn sem ég les bókina. Eða fimmta. Og alltaf hefur hún jafnsterk áhrif á mig. Alltaf sit ég í lokin grátbólgin. Alltaf dansa setningarnar áfram í höfðinu á mér, og maður hugsar um látlausasta og algengasta mannshvarfið, sem á sér stað innra með manni sjálfum, um áföll sem eru álög og svo margt fleira. Þetta er feikilega góð bók.
April 10, 2018
Ég var nú alveg í þann veginn að fara að gefa 2 stjörnur. Eina sem gerir það að verkum að ég gef 3 er að það vöknuðu svo margar spurningar um hvað höfundurinn er eiginlega að pæla - sem er alltaf gaman. En mér finnst þetta almennt séð alvegt ferlegt rugl og bókin eiginlega jafn leiðinleg og ég ímynda mér að leikritið sem Ellen skrifaði hafi verið.
September 26, 2022
On page three, the first of two narrators, here Elin, 60s, lonely, a prop maker who specializes in body parts, etc., states that if she doesn't tell her story no one will know it, but also that "There's a good reason why no one would write this story. Because there is no story. Just an attempt to connect signs that were conveyed in waking life and in dreams." Indeed, dreams are plentiful in this English debut of an award-winning Icelandic writer. The connections are more tenuous, hinged together perhaps by one incident that took place some years previously and put Elin at the center of a tragedy in the life of the other narrator, 19 year old Ellen, an unexpected playwright who has long lived with her artistic and mentally disturbed mother, unclaimed by her father, a famous Icelandic novelist. In the lives of both Elin and Ellen, there are past traumas, loneliness, isolation, and inabilities to connect. The connections are thin but still this short novel made for fascinating reading. Having recently returned from Iceland, it was fun to recognize places identified by the author in Reykjavik.
Read
July 15, 2023Fràbær !
Gat ekki hætt að lesa,alveg límdur
Gat ekki hætt að lesa,alveg límdur
October 16, 2023
En fin och välskriven bok med en lite annorlunda story. Här finns varsamt tecknade personporträtt som mynnar ut i en ömhet för huvudkaraktärerna och alla dessa kvinnor samt ett språk som jag gärna stannar kvar i.
August 18, 2024
Ágæt lesning en ég skildi ekki endann.
September 3, 2022
Bitvis riktigt bra!
August 16, 2023
“Aklını kaybetmek, yıkılmak, sinir nöbeti geçirmek: Bunlar sevdikleri olanların ayrıcalığı.�
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.