Bjørn Larssen

This seemingly self-published book sports a madcap storyline set in a very small village in Iceland in the early 1900s The story focuses on an ornery, disheveled blacksmith (and his dog, Ragnar) and the arrival of an injured stranger (an American!). The stranger is so desperate to stay out of sight that he hands over all his cash—a considerable sum– to Gunner if only he will let him hide in his house… The madcap mystery moves back and forth from this storyline to another on set further in the past.

Larssen,the author, is Polish by birth, lives in the Netherlands, and is entranced with Iceland (as many of us are!) The book could have used some good editing in some parts but it sureIy made me laugh and keep reading. I share the sentiment of one blurber on the book’s front cover :"These strange, sad, funny, murderous people will stay with me for a long time".*

*Annie Whitehead… (mere)

This really was a delightful read! The writing style and the unique storyline is what stands out the most for me! It is a slow burn but it is worth every minute you spend reading it! Have you ever watched a movie where you had to pay attention to everything or you wont understand some of the other parts! Well that's what this book is like! You don't get a bunch of data, you get little snippets that in the end they all come together and everything falls into place! It has a great mix of mystery, drama, adventure and humor! Fabulous debut novel I can't wait to see more of Bjørn Larssen books!… (mere)

I've always been fascinated by the Northern Lights so I have to draw your attention to the amazing cover of Storytellers. If I thought that was good, there's a passage describing the aurora borealis that really took my breath away. The story isn't about the night sky though; it's just an added bonus as the scenery of Iceland is depicted by the colourful words of Bjørn Larssen.

I really like the character of Gunnar; he's a solitary chap who brews his own moonshine (his medicine) and can happily do without human interaction, after all he has his trusty dog, Ragnar, and a crazily slow moving horse with a mind of her own named Karl. Gunnar's solitude is brought to an end when he finds a man with a broken ankle and brings him home to recuperate. To pass the time, Sigurd tells Gunnar the story of Arnar who returns from America with his love Juana to set up home in Iceland. What starts as a harmless story soon takes on a sinister edge as the past and present collide.

I had no idea of the direction in which the story was going to go and, although I was a bit confused with the Icelandic character names, I have to say that I rather enjoyed it. It had an aura of possibility where anything could happen under the dancing lights of the sky; even a ginger elf started to appear and talk to Gunnar - his moonshine must be pretty potent stuff. Gunnar trying to escape the clutches of Brynhildur amused me; she has really set her sights on him and she's not a woman you can easily say no to. Other women you can't say no to are The Conservative Women of Iceland who descend on Gunnar with their bibles and crosses. No wonder the poor man drinks!

Storytellers is a very cleverly plotted dual storyline novel that shifts and blurs reality like the aurora borealis. Bjørn Larssen's words paint such a vivid picture that I had clear pictures in my mind as I was reading the book; his amazing imagination has been transferred to the page beautifully with an added sprinkling of humour that caused quite a few giggles as I was reading. If you're looking for an unusual book that doesn't fit solely in any one genre, then you've found it in Storytellers.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.… (mere)