Hjorleifsdottir Thora

A compulsive, propulsive debut about a young woman's haunting experience of love, abuse, and sex in an era of pornification by one of Iceland's most provocative writers.

Magma

Thora Hjörleifsdóttir

‘A compulsive and propulsive debut’ - Lily King ‘A luminous and poetic novel . . . [Hjörleifsdóttir] has created a whole new landscape for storytelling’ - John Freeman Twenty-year-old Lilja is in love. He is older and beautiful, a Derrida-quoting intellectual. He is also a serial cheater, gaslighter and narcissist. Lilja will do anything to hold on to him. And so she accepts his deceptions and endures his sexual desires. She rationalizes his toxic behaviour and permits him to cross all her boundaries. In her desperation to be the perfect lover, she finds herself unable to break free from the toxic cycle. And then an unexpected ultimatum: an all-consuming love, or the promise of a life reclaimed. Thora Hjörleifsdóttir explores the darkest corners of relationships, capturing an ugly, hidden nature of love. In an era of growing pornification, she deftly illustrates the failings of our culture in recognizing symptoms of cruelty. In visceral, poetic prose, translated from Icelandic by Meg Matich, Magma depicts the unspooling of a tender-hearted young woman aching to love and be loved.

Lucy Newlinds

Caridee Huang

** spoiler alert **
           It's so bitter and painful all the way to the end. But the last page opened up a door to a whole new probability of a new life and freedom. So glad to have a hopeful ending for this misery party TT

This is chock full of triggers tho, gaslighting, depression, rape, sexual violence, suicide, and idk, maybe others. Check the TWs and read at your discretion.

azliana aziz

supposed to be a 3 star but that ending ? wow what a terribly convenient cop out.

Essence

Jule

Disturbing.

I appreciate the book for what it was trying to convey. It was spot on and very very hard to listen to, even though it was only a 2 hour audio book.

Still would never recommend this to anybody. If you come across it, please make sure to check out possible content warnings. This book is very triggering.

Taous Merakchi

Stef

When you love someone that much until trapping you into abusive and toxic relationship. Ah, this lilaj short sorrowful story really beautiful in a good way. I still can't catch the ending of this book, it took me by surprise like suddenly end up here in right moment. Cuman sayang kurang panjang aja. 


"I am such an idiot. How can one person be this much of a failure? I thought I could just wait it out until I was good enough. That he'd come to love me eventually. But he just looks through me. I am transparent. I don't exist."

Inez

** spoiler alert **
           The book was actually very heavy but also light. I feel funny because the book makes feel annoyed and angry? Like, Lilja blew my mind. That one part I hate (hate meaning love) the most:

"I’m going to help him. I’ve always had it so good that it’s easy enough for me to shoulder a little of the pain he’s carried for so long. I’ll make it better."

The gaslight was So Damn Thick that I really want throw my phone away (but I love it so much so I didn't do)

Thora Hjorleifsdottir

20-year old Lilja is in love. As a young university student, she is quickly smitten with the intelligent, beautiful young man from school who quotes Derrida and reads Latin and cooks balanced vegetarian meals. Before she even realizes, she’s moved in with him, living in his cramped apartment, surrounded by sour towels and flat Diet Cokes. As the newfound intimacy of sharing a shower and a bed fuels her desire to please her partner, his acts of nearly imperceptible abuse continue to mount undetected. Lilja desperately tries to be the perfect lover, attempting to meet his every need. But in order to do so, she gradually lets go of her boundaries and starts to lose her sense of self. With astounding clarity and restraint, Hjörleifsdóttir sheds light on the commonplace undercurrents of violence that so often go undetected in romantic relationships. She deftly illustrates the failings of psychiatric systems in recognizing symptoms of cruelty, and in powerful, poetic prose depicts the unspooling of a tender-hearted woman desperate to love well.

Preye

Chills. I had chills while reading this book. I'm still reeling and havent reconciled everything I felt while reading this book. I penned down a little review on my blog, but I'm sure that in the coming weeks, I'll either revise it or reread the book and revise it. Make sure to check the trigger warnings before reading though. This book packs a punch and the author delivers.

Olivera Mitić

Teško je čitati ovakve stvari, posebno kad znaš da se nekome dešavaju svakog dana. Isto tako, nemoguće je ne saosećati sa protagonistkinjom koliko god njen način razmišljanja bio pogrešan i frustrirajući. Nije do nje, jer je isto toliko glavni lik koliko i žrtva priče, a lako je da se na njenom mestu nađe bilo ko od nas ako upozna pogrešnu osobu. 

Ocena bi bila viša da je kraj drugačiji. Ovako mogu samo da dam jednu depresivnu trojku, jer se tako osećam nakon što sam je završila. Ali čitajte ovu knjigu ili barem nešto slično. Mislim da je važno.

Magma

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