The Blue Fox - Sjón

 

As Iceland is celebrating 80 years as a republic, we are reading texts from Iceland this year. Skugga-Baldur is about a priest and a fox hunt, but it is also a reckoning with Icelandic history. "Skuggabaldur" is the name of a fox-cat in Icelandic folklore, and in the novel, we follow Baldur Skuggason in pursuit of a talking fox. The concise language evokes the Icelandic sagas, and the vivid nature descriptions take us through the Icelandic landscape, which plays a significant role in the story.

The book has been awarded the Nordic Council Literature Prize. The motivation read:  "The Blue Fox balances skilfully on the border between poetry and prose. The novel weaves themes from Icelandic sagas, and romantic narrative art into a fascinating story in which present day ethical questions stand out."

Sjón is the pseudonym for Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson.