Who Would Like This Book:
If you adore sprawling family sagas with a dash of Scandinavian melancholy and quirky, unforgettable characters, this is your book. The Half Brother is praised for its vivid sense of place - Oslo breathes on every page - and its unflinching dives into secrecy, silence, and the emotional undercurrents within a unique, dysfunctional family. Fans of nuanced literary fiction (think Gunter Grass or Marquez) and those who love books that linger in the mind long after the final page will feel right at home.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Patience is required here! Readers who prefer tight, fast-paced stories or happily-ever-after endings may struggle with the slow-burn narrative and the book's hefty length. Some have found the plot a bit meandering, dark, or unresolved, and not everyone enjoyed the ambiguous ending. If you like everything tied up neatly, or if drawn-out domestic dramas aren’t your thing, you might find this one a challenge.
About:
The Half Brother by Lars Saabye Christensen is a gripping family saga set in post-war Oslo, focusing on the lives of two half-brothers and three generations of women who care for them. The novel delves into dark family scandals, mysterious and wounded characters, and the theme of silence after traumatic events, creating an atmosphere of intrigue and depth. The author's writing style is described as sensitive, emotional, and full of vivid descriptions that draw readers into the story, exploring themes of abuse, relationships, and the impact of the past on the present.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of mental health struggles, addiction, trauma, and family dysfunction, which may be distressing for some readers.
From The Publisher:
At the end of World War II, twenty-year-old Vera is brutally raped by an unknown assailant. From that rape is born a boy named Fred, a misfit who later becomes a talented boxer. Vera's young son, Barnum, forms a special but bizarre relationship with his half brother, fraught with rivalry and dependence as well as love. "I should have been your father," Fred tells Barnum, "instead of the fool who says he is."
It is Barnum, who is now a screenwriter with a fondness for lies and alcohol, who narrates his family's saga. As he shares his family's history, he chronicles generations of independent women and absent and flawed men whom he calls the Night Men. Among them is his father, Arnold, who bequeaths to Barnum his circus name, his excessively small stature, and a con man's belief in the power of illusion.
Filled with a galaxy of finely etched characters, this prize-winning novel is a tour de force and a literary masterpiece richly deserving of the accolades it has received.
Ratings (1)
Incredible (1) |
Reader Stats (3):
Read It (1) | |
Want To Read (2) |
What can you read after
The Half Brother?
About the Author:
Lars Saabye Christensen is Norway's leading contemporary writer. He is the author of many novels as well as short stories and poetry. Christensen has won many prizes, including the Nordic Prize 2002, the Tarj Vesaas Prize for First Fiction, the Critics Prize and the Bookseller's Prize. His writing has been published throughout Europe, in the US and in Pakistan.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
