She thinks more highly of snow and ice than she does of love. Danish novelist hegs first englishlanguage publication is an attempt to freeze out gorky park by moving from an intimate mystery to an everwidening circle of corruption and dangerand to even colder climes. Miss smillas feeling for snow published in america as smillas sense of snow danish. What meanings could it have beyond the literal one. Smillas sense of snow is the most exciting thriller to appear in years. To read smillas sense of snow is to be taken on a magical, nerveshattering journey from the snowcovered streets of copenhagen to the awesome beauty of the arctic ice caps. When isaiah, a 6yearold inuit boy, is killed falling off the roof of a warehouse, his neighbour smilla, a young woman who is generally misanthropic yet inclined to look out for isaiah, refuses to believe it is an accident. Sweetp first published 5 august 2012 smilla jaspersen thinks more highly of snow and ice than she does of love. Surly inuitgreenlander smilla jaspersen is a worldclass expert on ice and snow who, since emigrating to denmark, has gone on nine scientific expeditions to her homeland and published. The author peter hoeg is able to use smilla to explore complex subjects of parentchild relationships. While investigating the death of a young boy, greenlander smilla defies authorities and begins a dangerous game of catandmouse to uncover the truth. An important role in the first part of the book is played by a linguist who has a thorough knowledge of the various inuit languages and dialects, as well. An opening sequence thats a terrific hook segues into an introduction of the character of smilla jasperson, played perfectly by the lovely julia ormond. You may recall that the snow queen called the frozen lake in her icy.
The very short first chapter locates the scene in a greenlanders cemetery during the funeral for isaiah, a young inuit boy, killed by falling from the roof of a warehouse. And now smilla jaspersen is convinced she has uncovered a shattering crime it happened in the copenhagen snow. Buy smillas sense of snow by peter hoeg online at alibris. She is thirtyseven, single, childless, moody, and she refuses to fit in. Smillas sense of snow presents one of the toughest heroines in modern fiction. Its challenging because the main character, smilla, resists every attempt that the reader makes to like her. Smillas sense of snow aka miss smillas feeling for snow. Smilla qaavigaaq jaspersen, smillas sense of snow, by peter hoeg. Smilla is selfisolated, deeply unhappy, and unapproachable. However, it was smillas sense of snow 1992, a millioncopy best seller. Smillas sense of snow is a beautifully written novel that uses the crimethriller aspect as a vessel for other contemplations. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Ostensibly, smillas sense of snow is a mystery novel in which the heroine intrepidly unravels the mysterious death of an inuit child who jumps off a fivestory apartment building in copenhagen.
Smillas sense of snow is a superbly made film with one of the goofiest plots in many moons. Unlike other denselyplotted thrillers, this book rewards rereading. Smillas sense of snow is a complicated and rich novel, a fastpaced thriller, a love story, an anthropological exploration, and a philosophical treatise all in one book. Charm school dropouts lisbeth salander of the girl with the dragon tattoo and smilla qaaviqaaq jaspersen of smillas sense of snow strike me as unconventional soul sisters of the detective mystery. My other top ten books of all time are not fiction and yet smillas sense of snow has remained on the list for two decades or so. With julia ormond, jens jorgen fleischer, agga olsen, patrick field. A time best book of the year an entertainment weekly best book of the year a people best book of. Froken smillas fornemmelse for sne is a 1992 novel by danish author peter hoeg. With smillas sense of snow, his american debut following two previous books, the danish novelist peter hoeg finds his own uncommon vein in narrative. Get book recommendations, fiction, poetry, and dispatches from the. Bille augusts smillas sense of snow starts off with great promise. Based on the bestselling novel this gripping, suspenseful thriller about a headstrong woman who uses her uncanny knowledge of ice and snow to unravel a taut web of. If it bothers you when you like a song and don t know all the words to, this is not a movie for you. Each haunted by demons of the past, fiercely independent, armored in cynicism and misanthropy, they share a certain psychic landscape and.
To want to understand is an attempt to recapture something we have lost. Smillas sense of snow book halifax public libraries. Written by danish author peter hoeg, the novel was translated into english and imported to america. First published in 1992, smillas sense of snow instantly became an international sensation. She thinks more highly of snow and ice than she does of l. Smilla begins her investigation in copenhagen, where her powers of observation sharpened by her fascination with. A mystery, a love story, and an elegy for a vanishing way of life, smillas sense of snow is a breathtaking achievement, an exceptional feat of storytelling. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A weekly feature by the mixologist michael cecconi, pairing. Does the book include elements of any other genres. She lives in a world of numbers, science and memoriesa dark, exotic stranger in a strange land. It was translated into english by tiina nunnally credited as f. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading smillas sense of snow.
Smillas sense of snow npr coverage of smillas sense of snow by peter hoeg and tiina nunnally. Smillas sixyearold inuit neighbor, isaiah, manages only with a stubbornness that matches her own to befriend her. Smillas sense of snow is a 1997 germandanishswedish mystery thriller film directed by bille august and starring julia ormond, gabriel byrne, and richard harris. Jane smiley, washington post book world discuss the clash of cultures portrayed smillas sense of snowspecifically, denmarks exploitation of greenland and the inuit, and in general, the conflict between the technological culture of the west and traditional, indigenous cultures.
When caustic smilla jaspersen discovers that her neighbora neglected sixyearold boy, and possibly her only friendhas died in a tragic accident, a peculiar intuition tells her it was murder. Smillas sense of snow opens in copenhagen, denmark, the city alluded to in the section title. But dig a little deeper, and there is a character study of great sensitivity, a setting with symbolic value and profound themes about loss. When her sixyear old neighbor is killed, smilla doesnt believe it was an accident and begins her own investigation of a case that even the police dont want to get involved in. Smillas sense of snow was one of those books that has stuck with me. Snow is the possibility of a new landscape, if only until for an hour, a day, or a week.
Discuss other books you feel are comparable to smillas sense of snow. To what effect does hoeg use images of, and information about, snow and ice throughout the book. When her six year old neighbour falls to his death she is convinced that his death was the result of foul play and not an accident as the police believe. To read smillas sense of snow is to be taken on a magical, nerveshattering journey, from the snowcovered streets of copenhagen to the awesome beauty of the arctic ice caps. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Review of smillas sense of snow by danish novelist peter hoeg, about a woman in greenland and her intuitive nature of a cold snowy. Snow can be an interruption and annoyance, but it is difficult to not appreciate a childs awe for the white flakes. Smillas sense of snow greenland on location interviews. On the surface, smillas sense of snow is genre fiction. The subject matter doesnt matter in a movie nearly as much as mood, tone and style. The language varies from being impeccably moving and poetic to dark and brutal without leaving a sense of disconnection. Popular quotes i am perfectly qualified to give you an injection.
Smilla is a character than cannot be experienced in the film, since so much of the novel is in the first person. My newest literary obsession is actually not a new book at all. Based on the 1992 novel miss smillas feeling for snow this was also the title of the uk release of the film. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Smillas sense of snow 9780440218531 by hoeg, peter and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The 1997 movie starred julia ormond, gabriel byrne, robert loggia and richard harris. Smillas sense of snow is a vast and challenging book. Here is a movie so absorbing, so atmospheric, so suspenseful and so dumb, that it proves my point. Smilla, a half inuit who lives in the building and knows the boy, looks into it. Nothing in the final 30 minutes can possibly be taken seriously, and yet the movie works. Smillas sense of snow peter hoeg 1001 books to read.