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Is Mother Dead

By Vigdis Hjorth
Series: Verso Fiction
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.83 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 5,588 ratings, 658 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Is Mother Dead by Vigdis Hjorth explores themes of family estrangement and self-discovery. The story follows Johanna, an artist who returns to Norway after thirty years and tries to reconnect with her estranged mother and sister. As she delves into her past, Johanna confronts unresolved issues and questions the nature of forgiveness and identity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2999
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by complex explorations of family dynamics and enjoy stories where personal history and untold emotions intertwine. With a deep dive into a strained mother-daughter relationship, it offers compelling insights into forgiveness, memory, and identity.

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A cat and mouse game of surveillance and psychological torment develops between a middle aged artist and her aging mother, as Vigdis Hjorth returns to the themes of her controversial modern classic, Will and Testament

A cat and mouse game of surveillance and psychological torment develops between a middleaged artist and her aging mother, as Vigdis Hjorth returns to the themes of her controverdsial modern classic, Will and Testament

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

To mother is to murder, or close enough, thinks Johanna, as she looks at the spelling of the two words in Norwegian. She's recently widowed and back in Oslo after a long absence as she prepares for a retrospective of her art.

The subject of her work is motherhood and some of her more controversial paintings have brought about a dramatic rift between parent and child. This new proximity, after decades of acrimonious absence, set both women on edge, and before too long Johanna finds her mother stalking her thoughts, and Johanna starts stalking her mother's house.

Series: Verso Fiction

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  • Is Mother Dead
    "To mother is to murder, or close enough," thinks Johanna as she looks at the spelling of the two words in Norwegian. Recently widowed and back in Oslo after a long absence, she is preparing for a retrospective of her art. The subject of her work is motherhood, and some of her more controversial paintings have brought about a dramatic...
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  • Is Mother Dead
    To mother is to murder, or close enough, thinks Johanna, as she looks at the spelling of the two words in Norwegian. She's recently widowed and back in Oslo after a long absence as she prepares for a retrospective of her art. The subject of her work is motherhood and some of her more controversial paintings have brought about a...
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  • Is Mother Dead
    "To mother is to murder, or close enough," thinks Johanna, as she looks at the spelling of the two words in Norwegian. She's recently widowed and back in Oslo after a long absence as she prepares for a retrospective of her art. The subject of her work is motherhood and some of her more controversial paintings have brought about a...
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Vigdis Hjorth offers a compelling narrative about an artist, Johanna, who returns to Oslo in an attempt to reconnect with her estranged mother, exploring themes of family, obsession, and estrangement. Critics highlight the tension between Johanna's psychological turmoil and the rich, immersive narrative style, which captures the tumultuous mother-daughter dynamic with gripping intensity. Reviewers have praised the novel's psychological depth, suspense akin to a thriller, and its unflinching examination of familial ties.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781804291832

Publisher: Verso Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 October 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Verso Books

Contributors:

  • Translated by Charlotte Barslund

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 323g

Pages: 368

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Series: Verso Fiction Vigdis Hjorth

About the Author

Vigdis Hjorth is the author of over a dozen prize-winning and bestselling novels. Will and Testament sold 150,000 copies in Norway and has received several awards, including the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature and the Norwegian Booksellers’ Prize, as well as being nominated for the National Book Award and Nordic Council Literature Prize. She lives in Oslo.

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  • Is Mother Dead
    "To mother is to murder, or close enough," thinks Johanna as she looks at the spelling of the two words in Norwegian. Recently widowed and back in Oslo after a long absence, she is preparing for a retrospective of her art. The subject of her work is motherhood, and some of her more controversial paintings have brought about a dramatic...
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  • Is Mother Dead
    "To mother is to murder, or close enough," thinks Johanna, as she looks at the spelling of the two words in Norwegian. She's recently widowed and back in Oslo after a long absence as she prepares for a retrospective of her art. The subject of her work is motherhood and some of her more controversial paintings have brought about a...
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