Animal Life

A Novel

By Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Translated by Brian FitzGibbon

This is the fifth novel by Auður that I’ve read; she is one of the most-respected modern Icelandic authors. This book consists of vignettes and ruminations of a middle-aged midwife in Reykjavík.

In the days leading up to Christmas a terrible storm races towards Reykjavík. Midwife Dómhildur delivers her 1,922th (typo?) baby. She has inherited an apartment full of memories from her grandaunt, also a midwife, who had a reputation for her unconventional methods. Dómhildur’s paternal side was filled with undertakers causing her to have a deeper perspective on the coming and goings of life. Dómhildur discovers decades worth of letters and manuscripts hidden amongst her grandaunt’s clutter. Her anxious meteorologist sister and her curious new neighbor compound things as Dómhildur digs into her grandaunt’s archive and discovers strange and beautiful reflections on birth, death, and human nature. And, like the previous Icelandic book I just read, there is a playlist!

And, as far as plot is concerned, that’s it, but plot is not the point of this book. I’ll let you discover these subtle truths for yourself, it would be a literary crime to quote them out of context. I will say, however, that the text is firmly grounded in the City of Reykjavík; with a decent map you could exactly follow her on her trips throughout the city. This evoked strong memories in me; something that a casual reader might not share. Aside from the aforementioned typo, FitzGibbon’s translation is fine, even poetic at times.

Qualified recommendation, if you liked her other works, you’ll love this. If you like plot-driven novels you might pass this one by.