Scan barcode
A review by saguaros
Sculptor's Daughter by Tove Jansson
4.0
3.5 rounded up
An interesting way to approach a memoir. Vignettes of childhood told from the perspective of a child, not as an adult remembering the past. It is surreal at times, imbued with imagination, so that a lot of the stories feel nostalgic and almost like folktales, the language both evocative and simple. I didn’t find all the stories interesting and I wish there had been more details about the period, the customs etc. There are references to war and conflict I didn’t understand (but on the other hand, it gave me something to look up and learn about), but I guess this sort of approach would have taken away from the tone Jansson was clearly going for. Perhaps I would have given it a three star if I had read it in print instead of as an audiobook, but the audiobook’s reader really create a nice vibe which reinforced the feeling of folktales and storytelling.
An interesting way to approach a memoir. Vignettes of childhood told from the perspective of a child, not as an adult remembering the past. It is surreal at times, imbued with imagination, so that a lot of the stories feel nostalgic and almost like folktales, the language both evocative and simple. I didn’t find all the stories interesting and I wish there had been more details about the period, the customs etc. There are references to war and conflict I didn’t understand (but on the other hand, it gave me something to look up and learn about), but I guess this sort of approach would have taken away from the tone Jansson was clearly going for. Perhaps I would have given it a three star if I had read it in print instead of as an audiobook, but the audiobook’s reader really create a nice vibe which reinforced the feeling of folktales and storytelling.