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Available
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Publication
Amsterdam Lebowski Publishers 2018
User reviews
LibraryThing member Kristelh
Translated: Torbjørn Støverud and Michael Barnes
Review: The story is of two adult siblings living in a rural setting, Norway, though I don’t think it actually ever says it is Norway so this story could occur anywhere. There are two withered aspen in front of their place that others in the area
First sentence It was evening.
Last words. How big or small that bird was, you couldn't really tell.
The story is about death; the woodcock, the aspen tree. The landscape is a big part of the writing.
My Opinion: Very Good
Review: The story is of two adult siblings living in a rural setting, Norway, though I don’t think it actually ever says it is Norway so this story could occur anywhere. There are two withered aspen in front of their place that others in the area
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refer to as Mattis and Hege. The two siblings. Mattis doesn’t know what this means. It is obvious that Mattis is a grown man but he thinks like a child. Mattis has some kind of cognitive disability. I think he might be considered autistic in this day but when this story is set, he is thought of as ‘simple’. Mattis has some misconceptions and feels others make fun of him. He has a lot of anxiety. We only see Hege from Mattis perspective and by what she says. Hege is growing old, she is trying to care for them by knitting sweaters. They must be in a tourist area. It's very quiet and beautiful. Mattis enjoys sitting on the water in his leaky boat lost in his thoughts. First sentence It was evening.
Last words. How big or small that bird was, you couldn't really tell.
The story is about death; the woodcock, the aspen tree. The landscape is a big part of the writing.
My Opinion: Very Good
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LibraryThing member BayardUS
Having read The Ice Palace last year, I may have gone into The Birds with unrealistic expectations. In The Ice Palace Vesaas captured childhood better than nearly any other book I've read, communicating the beauty and mystery that every day seemed to contain when I was a kid. It was also a powerful
The Birds does not capture the mind of a developmentally disabled character as The Ice Palace captured childhood. Mattis is an interesting character, to be sure, and the best parts of the book are the passages depicting how he sees the world as governed by omens and forces that other people don't notice, or even if they do notice they fail to understand. At the same time we can see how Mattis plays a role in deciding what the signs actually mean, creating a dynamic between man and the natural world that magnifies the importance of both the setting and the characters of this story. Nevertheless, the depiction of Mattis did not strike me as true to life in the same way as Unn and Siss did in The Ice Palace. Mattis' worldview lends itself to the creation of symbols, for instance, suggesting that Vesaas gave Mattis some of the qualities he possesses for the sake of narrative complexity instead of out of a desire for a fully fleshed-out and consistent character.
Besides Mattis, other characters are comparatively simple, as the reader is not given access to the thoughts of anyone else. The story itself isn't as tight as The Ice Palace, which I found much more engrossing. Here the story includes multiple incidents where Mattis tries to interact with other characters, with varying success, and while I understand the purpose of these segments, they slowed down the book and the flow of the work suffered because of it. Thanks to the rather blatant symbols Vesaas scatters throughout the book it's pretty clear what is going to happen long before you reach the final pages (the general ending, at least).
As you can probably guess from my review thus far I'd recommend starting with The Ice Palace before giving The Birds a read, since that work is truly something special while this one I'd say is just okay.
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story, with not a wasted word.The Birds does not capture the mind of a developmentally disabled character as The Ice Palace captured childhood. Mattis is an interesting character, to be sure, and the best parts of the book are the passages depicting how he sees the world as governed by omens and forces that other people don't notice, or even if they do notice they fail to understand. At the same time we can see how Mattis plays a role in deciding what the signs actually mean, creating a dynamic between man and the natural world that magnifies the importance of both the setting and the characters of this story. Nevertheless, the depiction of Mattis did not strike me as true to life in the same way as Unn and Siss did in The Ice Palace. Mattis' worldview lends itself to the creation of symbols, for instance, suggesting that Vesaas gave Mattis some of the qualities he possesses for the sake of narrative complexity instead of out of a desire for a fully fleshed-out and consistent character.
Besides Mattis, other characters are comparatively simple, as the reader is not given access to the thoughts of anyone else. The story itself isn't as tight as The Ice Palace, which I found much more engrossing. Here the story includes multiple incidents where Mattis tries to interact with other characters, with varying success, and while I understand the purpose of these segments, they slowed down the book and the flow of the work suffered because of it. Thanks to the rather blatant symbols Vesaas scatters throughout the book it's pretty clear what is going to happen long before you reach the final pages (the general ending, at least).
As you can probably guess from my review thus far I'd recommend starting with The Ice Palace before giving The Birds a read, since that work is truly something special while this one I'd say is just okay.
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LibraryThing member auntmarge64
I was so taken by the author's "The Ice Palace" that I immediately ordered this title, and I'm so glad I did. Vesaas's writing is exquisitely observant, and while his characters can be difficult to love, he obviously cares for them a great deal, and the reader comes to too.
Mattis, a
I'm not sure whether "developmentally disabled" is the correct description. Mattis seems to have no problem with vocabulary, but his short attention span, and the difference between what he notices and finds important and what everyone else does makes communication all but impossible. People who know him refer to him as "Simple Simon", a nickname he hates but cannot overcome. The story is told entirely from Mattis's point of view. As a reader I felt trapped along with him in his reality, with the horrifying realization that he had no way out. The decisions he makes are perfectly rational by his thinking processes, but to everyone else they are incomprehensible, and he is powerless to explain himself. All he can feel is anger. The other characters are pretty much one-dimensional background figures to the reader, just as they are to him.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Mattis is an unforgettable character because we end up in his head, being able to see how cut off from our world he is. I was astonished at how powerful the writing was, and how successfully the author put us in Mattis's place. Read this book!
Mattis, a
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"developmentally disabled" man in his late 30s, is cared for by his older sister, Hege. The two live in a ramshackle cabin in rural Norway and survive on the little that Hege can earn from knitting sweaters for a local shop. Mattis spends his time alternately pondering the wondrous things he sees about him and worrying about his inability to verbalize his thoughts, and he is constantly frustrated by his own confusion over what others find important. His inability to stop his mind from wandering makes even day-employment impossible until Hege tells him he can be a ferryman, a job for which there is no need but which he sees as an opportunity to do something he knows he can do: rowing in a straight line from place to place without his thoughts interfering. The one time he inadvertently does get a customer, it changes his life with Hege forever.I'm not sure whether "developmentally disabled" is the correct description. Mattis seems to have no problem with vocabulary, but his short attention span, and the difference between what he notices and finds important and what everyone else does makes communication all but impossible. People who know him refer to him as "Simple Simon", a nickname he hates but cannot overcome. The story is told entirely from Mattis's point of view. As a reader I felt trapped along with him in his reality, with the horrifying realization that he had no way out. The decisions he makes are perfectly rational by his thinking processes, but to everyone else they are incomprehensible, and he is powerless to explain himself. All he can feel is anger. The other characters are pretty much one-dimensional background figures to the reader, just as they are to him.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Mattis is an unforgettable character because we end up in his head, being able to see how cut off from our world he is. I was astonished at how powerful the writing was, and how successfully the author put us in Mattis's place. Read this book!
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LibraryThing member japaul22
I'm having a hard time putting my finger on just why I loved this novel so much, but it really worked for me. Vesaas is Norwegian, and I'm finding that I really enjoy the straightforward, spare, and unsentimental story telling that I generally find when reading these Scandinavian novels. They are
This is the story of Hege and Mattis, adult siblings who have lived together since their parents died when they were young. Mattis has a learning disability. He is functional, but often confused, seeing meaning in things like the flights of birds and misreading the words and actions of other people. He isn't capable of sustaining work, so Hege supports them by knitting sweaters. Hege is patient with Mattis and seems to take the time to understand his mind, but she is obviously unhappy and lonely. In the third part of the book, Mattis ferries a man, Jorgen, across the lake in his leaky boat. The man is a lumberjack looking for work who ends up living with Hege and Mattis, throwing their simple, lonely life into upheaval for Mattis and happiness for Hege.
This book was written in 1957, and I found Mattis's voice (the story is told from his point of view) to be remarkably believable and written with great insight and sympathy. Mattis's disability makes his words sometimes insightful, sometimes funny, and sometimes highly annoying. Vesaas accomplishes this with straightforward, simple language that is terse but somehow still highly descriptive.
I have another of Vesaas's books on my shelf, [The Ice Palace], and I'm looking forward to it.
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emotional, but not sentimental and I like that. This is the story of Hege and Mattis, adult siblings who have lived together since their parents died when they were young. Mattis has a learning disability. He is functional, but often confused, seeing meaning in things like the flights of birds and misreading the words and actions of other people. He isn't capable of sustaining work, so Hege supports them by knitting sweaters. Hege is patient with Mattis and seems to take the time to understand his mind, but she is obviously unhappy and lonely. In the third part of the book, Mattis ferries a man, Jorgen, across the lake in his leaky boat. The man is a lumberjack looking for work who ends up living with Hege and Mattis, throwing their simple, lonely life into upheaval for Mattis and happiness for Hege.
This book was written in 1957, and I found Mattis's voice (the story is told from his point of view) to be remarkably believable and written with great insight and sympathy. Mattis's disability makes his words sometimes insightful, sometimes funny, and sometimes highly annoying. Vesaas accomplishes this with straightforward, simple language that is terse but somehow still highly descriptive.
I have another of Vesaas's books on my shelf, [The Ice Palace], and I'm looking forward to it.
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LibraryThing member lauralkeet
Mattis lives in a remote cabin in Norway with his sister Hege. His developmental disabilities make it difficult for him to find work, and he spends most of his time in communion with nature. Hege supports them by knitting sweaters. While she cares deeply for Mattis and accepts the responsibility of
Eventually Mattis gets the idea that he could provide a service to his community by ferrying people across the lake. Despite there being no clear demand for this service Mattis is happy to spend the day rowing back and forth, and he takes pride in identifying as a ferryman. Hege is full of encouragement, welcoming this new-found time to herself. Mattis’ first customer is a lumberjack named Jorgen, whom he enthusiastically invites home for a meal. But Jorgen decides to stick around, and that was not in Mattis’ plan. Mattis is unable to make sense of this new order and, experiencing the story through his eyes, the reader must fill in the blanks. The direction of the story soon becomes apparent, and could have gone a few different ways. The ending was unexpected and left me pondering the lives of these characters beyond the final pages.
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looking after him, she can’t help resenting the impact on her lifestyle and personal freedom. Mattis picks up on some of this and fears Hege will leave him, but is unable to express this. Instead he obsesses on things he observes in the world around him, in the local village and in nature.Eventually Mattis gets the idea that he could provide a service to his community by ferrying people across the lake. Despite there being no clear demand for this service Mattis is happy to spend the day rowing back and forth, and he takes pride in identifying as a ferryman. Hege is full of encouragement, welcoming this new-found time to herself. Mattis’ first customer is a lumberjack named Jorgen, whom he enthusiastically invites home for a meal. But Jorgen decides to stick around, and that was not in Mattis’ plan. Mattis is unable to make sense of this new order and, experiencing the story through his eyes, the reader must fill in the blanks. The direction of the story soon becomes apparent, and could have gone a few different ways. The ending was unexpected and left me pondering the lives of these characters beyond the final pages.
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LibraryThing member MSarki
A very interesting story, and one with immense repercussions due to the inadequacies of language in the shortcomings of some who might matter in a world made or imagined in ways quite different than generally has been determined to be our own. But I would not call this work a masterpiece as some
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have suggested. But very well-worth the time it took for me to read it slowly. Show Less
LibraryThing member AlisonY
In typically spare Nordic literary style, The Birds is a short novel by one of Norway's most revered classic authors. The main protagonist is Mattias, a man who suffers from learning difficulties and who lives with his spinster sister Hege in a small Nordic town. Although it may not be his only
This is a very beautifully written book, but one that I found hard to enjoy at times precisely for the very reason it's such an accomplishment. Although written in the third person, Tarjei Vesaas puts us smack inside Mattias' mind; we endure his daily social struggles and awkward interactions, and the impact of the huge emotional upheaval he faces when a major change threatens to upset the normalcy that is his life with Hege.
As a reader we feel somewhat for Hege whose life has been so limited by their situation, but the real honesty is in experiencing what it's like to be Mattias. I can honestly say this is probably the first time I feel like I've had a proper insight into how a person with such a condition might feel and how they experience the world at large. Mattias was incredibly frustrating to be around at times from the third person perspective, but we also acutely feel his anxiety, his alternative way of thinking which skews the relative importance of things, and his fear.
4 stars - perhaps not the most enjoyable book I've ever read given its subject matter, but a fantastic achievement nonetheless.
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mental condition, Mattias certainly seems to display strong autistic traits. This is a very beautifully written book, but one that I found hard to enjoy at times precisely for the very reason it's such an accomplishment. Although written in the third person, Tarjei Vesaas puts us smack inside Mattias' mind; we endure his daily social struggles and awkward interactions, and the impact of the huge emotional upheaval he faces when a major change threatens to upset the normalcy that is his life with Hege.
As a reader we feel somewhat for Hege whose life has been so limited by their situation, but the real honesty is in experiencing what it's like to be Mattias. I can honestly say this is probably the first time I feel like I've had a proper insight into how a person with such a condition might feel and how they experience the world at large. Mattias was incredibly frustrating to be around at times from the third person perspective, but we also acutely feel his anxiety, his alternative way of thinking which skews the relative importance of things, and his fear.
4 stars - perhaps not the most enjoyable book I've ever read given its subject matter, but a fantastic achievement nonetheless.
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LibraryThing member billt568
A deeply uncomfortable book about a man with mild mental retardation living an isolated life in a rural Scandinavian setting with his sister. To some extent it reminds me of a 90s I Am Sam type movie, and i felt as though I perceived it as such. The last third of the book is much, much better than
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the first 2/3, which are sort of naturalistic perceptions of the world through the eyes of a man who is deeply aware of his own lack of faculties. Show Less
LibraryThing member stillatim
Considering that I don't much like narrated-from-the-perspective-of-a-person-of-limited-intelligence books (whether the person in question is a child, or, as here, an adult), I was surprised to find myself getting so much from this book. Other than the slightly pat ending, it was thought provoking,
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and moving, and avoided the overwhelming Romantic imperative to say that the only good people in the world are the people who completely and utterly fail to understand normal life, but are because of that in touch with real reality. That is not true. Rationality is good. Only a rational person could have written this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member arubabookwoman
"Now it is Night.
"What can you do when everyone around you is strong and clever?
"Will never know."
Mentally deficient Mattis lives in a cottage by a lake with his sister Hege who supports them by knitting. She occasionally sends Mattis out in search of work as a farm hand, which he dreads because he
One day Hege suggests, and Mattis agrees, that he work as a ferryman on the lake. He begins to spend his days at "work" in his rowboat on the lake, although there are never any passengers. Until one day there is. Mattis ferries Jorgen, a lumberjack, across the lake, and Jorgen becomes a boarder with Hege and Mattis. Soon Mattis begins to fear he will lose Hege to Jorgen.
This entire beautiful novel is narrated from the pov of Mattis, and Vesaas does a masterful job of channeling the mind of someone who sees the world in an entirely different way than most people. We see all Mattis's thoughts, experience nature through him, as well as sensing scorn from other people. I loved this book. Recommended for all.
4 1/2 stars
"What can you do when everyone around you is strong and clever?
"Will never know."
Mentally deficient Mattis lives in a cottage by a lake with his sister Hege who supports them by knitting. She occasionally sends Mattis out in search of work as a farm hand, which he dreads because he
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knows he is different, and will not perform up to par, no matter how hard he tries. He frequently feels people are laughing at him.One day Hege suggests, and Mattis agrees, that he work as a ferryman on the lake. He begins to spend his days at "work" in his rowboat on the lake, although there are never any passengers. Until one day there is. Mattis ferries Jorgen, a lumberjack, across the lake, and Jorgen becomes a boarder with Hege and Mattis. Soon Mattis begins to fear he will lose Hege to Jorgen.
This entire beautiful novel is narrated from the pov of Mattis, and Vesaas does a masterful job of channeling the mind of someone who sees the world in an entirely different way than most people. We see all Mattis's thoughts, experience nature through him, as well as sensing scorn from other people. I loved this book. Recommended for all.
4 1/2 stars
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The Birds by Norwegian poet and novelist Tarjei Vesaas was originally published in 1957, but due to it’s timeless subject matter, could easily have been written much more recently. Mattis, a mentally disabled man lives with his lonely sister, Hege, in a cottage on a lake. Mattis is often mocked
He is encouraged to act as a ferryman on the lake although he only ever has one customer, Jorgen, a lumberjack, that he brings home and who stays with them. Hege and Jorgen become lovers which disturbs Mattis and scares him as he feels his sister’s attention lessening and he comes up with an unusual plan to help make sense of the situation.
I loved this beautifully written, sensitive story. It is a moving portrait that has a soft sadness running through every page. There were parts where the story seemed in a lull but being given Mattis’ point of view, seeing how he processes life events and catching a glimpse of his inner world was unique and compelling. There was a feeling of inevitability as Mattis travels his own path, a simple soul in a complicated world.
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and called “Simple Simon” but with his sister to look after him and his ability to ponder and observe nature he is generally happy. His one fear is that Hege will get fed up and leave him.He is encouraged to act as a ferryman on the lake although he only ever has one customer, Jorgen, a lumberjack, that he brings home and who stays with them. Hege and Jorgen become lovers which disturbs Mattis and scares him as he feels his sister’s attention lessening and he comes up with an unusual plan to help make sense of the situation.
I loved this beautifully written, sensitive story. It is a moving portrait that has a soft sadness running through every page. There were parts where the story seemed in a lull but being given Mattis’ point of view, seeing how he processes life events and catching a glimpse of his inner world was unique and compelling. There was a feeling of inevitability as Mattis travels his own path, a simple soul in a complicated world.
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Awards
Notable Books List (1969)
Language
Original language
Norwegian
Original publication date
1957
ISBN
9048844827 / 9789048844821