This short book is more of a long parable or novella. Don't let the short length fool you — in true parable form the book is packed with meaning and room for interpretation by the reader. Like The Whispering Muse (also by Sjón), the story also has a bit of a Melville feel to it. The main character is a pastor who's hunting a mysterious blue fox. Throughout the pursuit we learn more about the hunter and his character than we do about the prey. A fascinating read that mixes an adventure story and character study. One of the three (as of now) novel's by Icelandic author Sjon that has been translated into English, this was by far my favorite. Sjon's mix of historical fiction and fantasy is common to all three of his novels, but I think I liked this one the best because it was set entirely in Iceland and had the most focused plot. As a geneticist, having a character with Down syndrome was also very nice to see. I have no idea of the blue fox is an existed Icelandic folk tale or if Sjon came up with that on his own. Still, I loved this one. A "must read" for anyone interested in Iceland, and a "should read" for anyone who just wants a good story.
Oh wow! It's like a Baricco novel sung by Sigur Rós. I'm utterly under its spell.
—modot
Fint när Baldur-Skugga* förvandlas till Skugga-Baldur.
—unkbonk
Lovely brief poem of a book. Myth and unfamiliar.
—aybe
Supringsing and fascinating, Iceland.
—jarsofclay
