Monday 15 June 2015

Read - The Summer Book (#10/52)

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson is a truly delightful book.  Short and very sweet, it consists of episodes in (I think) a single summer, on a tiny Finnish island where  six year old Sophie, her father and her grandmother are spending the summer.


Originally written in Swedish, the language of the translation is perfect, and I imagine it echoes the original in style and simplicity. The landscapes and seascapes are described beautifully, and the depiction of Sophia and her grandmother, and their relationship, make them feel very real people. I found the simple, but sometimes hard way of life on the island very attractive (I have a not-so-secret yearning for isolation by the sea).

This was the second time I've read it (it was a book club book) and it won't be the last - there's more to discover in it each time, and the short chapters make it ideal for dipping in and out of. It's a great summer read. Tove Jansson also wrote A Winter Book which I haven't read yet - maybe one for later in the year (and she's the author of the Moomin books, which I loved as a child).

4 comments:

  1. Oh I loved the moomin books, I'll have to look out for this.

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    1. Oh yes, do! I really like it - I hope you do too. It's a perfect (and aptly named) book for the summer.

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  2. I know I've read The Summer Book but I can't for the life of me remember anything about it. I'm just going to have to read it again!

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    1. I think it's a book you could re-read many times over because of the way it's written and the new nuggets you can find each time - I really focused on what the grandmother was thinking and feeling as I read it this time.

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I'm not sure if anyone reads this. But if you do, and you'd like to comment, I'd get very excited. And would try to reply. Thanks!