This is the most recent novel by this Danish author and translated into English. He is previously best known for “Miss Smilla’s Feelings for Snow” This novel follows the tortured and twisted life of clown Kasper Krone. A quic
k search of the net will reveal that this novel met with harsh criticism when it was published. There being an absence of nearly 10 years between this and his previous work called “The Woman and the Ape“. After the highly successful in “Miss Smilla’s Feelings for Snow”, the author apparently became quite private only re-emerging with “The Quiet Girl“.
The quiet girl is a complex novel not only because of the complexity of the central character Kasper Krone but the very nature of the story. Although difficult to engage it is worth persisting. The style is highly engaging but not an easy read. It will really suit lovers of conspiracy on a grand scale. The storyline touches on the supernatural and you really get a sense that the central character’s grip on reality is tenuous at best.
It doesn’t have the atmospheric sensibility of “Miss Smilla’s Feelings for Snow” , however it does make up with a lot of action. The hero Kasper Krone suffers at the hands of mysterious clergy and secret departments of the Danish police force. Some of this isn’t really satisfactorily explained in the storyline and really is at the outer limits of plausibility. This is given the contemporary nature of the story and its commentary on modern Danish society.
I mainly took this book on as I’ve just finished reading “Miss Smilla’s Feelings for Snow” and was quite taken by that work. I think it’s probably a book that I should revisit in the future as it really does need some tackling to come to grips with.
