Home | Books By Year | Books from 2010


Hrafnaspark

Buy Hrafnaspark now from Amazon

First, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the book. And once you've experienced the book, tell everyone what you thought about it.

Wikipedia article




'Hrafnaspark' is a short Icelandic young adults' novel by Eysteinn Bjrnsson.Reykjavk: Ormstunga, 2010; ; 9979631023. Its title is a pun: 'hrafnaspark' means 'scrawl', but literally means 'ravens' kick', while the main character is called Hrafn, whose own name means 'raven'. It was voted one of rborg library's most popular children's books in 2011.

Plot summary



Hrafn gets into an argument with a history teacher at school over the legitimacy of Western imperialism, specifically in relation to the Vietnam War and Iraq War. Appalled at his teacher's right-wing views and callous treatment of Hrafn, Hrafn and a friend break into the school at night while high on ecstasy and vandalise the history classroom (particularly by writing on the walls, hence the novel's title). They are caught and Hrafn is suspended from school. He is unwilling to talk to his parents so his left-leaning grandfather invites him to come out and stay at his cottage in the country. Hrafn agrees. While there, Hrafn goes out for a walk, injures himself, and is rescued by his grandfather; both nearly die of exposure. On their safe return home and recovery, Hrafn's grandfather reminisces about his own youthful misadventures and helps Hrafn arrive at a philosophical position on his left-wing resistance. Hrafn decides to return to school; the novel closes with the characters admiring the Northern Lights.

Criticism



The novel's sympathetic account of Hrafn's left-wing views and rage at society has been read as a response to the 20082011 Icelandic financial crisis.Helga Birgisdttir and Mara Bjarkadttir, 'Kreppa slenskum barnabkum: Hugleiingar um barna- og unglingabkur rsins 2010', 'Spssan', Spring 2010, 37--40 (p. 39).

References



Category:Icelandic-language novels

Category:Icelandic books

Category:Icelandic novels

Category:Young adult novels

Category:Novels set in high schools and secondary schools

Category:2010 novels

Category:2010 children's books

Buy Hrafnaspark now from Amazon

<-- Return to books from 2010



This work is released under CC-BY-SA. Some or all of this content attributed to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1111005113.