I really enjoy this author. After reading A Man Called Ove, and Beartown; I picked up this book, intrigued by the title. Backman's characters are so well defined and he ends his novels well, meaning that he closes most of the loose ends with a satisfying ending.. which I really appreciate.
Elsa is an almost 8 year old child, described as "different", who is deeply loved by her granny. Granny was a woman of great accomplishment who traveled the world as a surgeon. After Elsa's arrival, she puts all of her craziness and enthusiasm into teaching and "growing up" this child. Bachman makes us realize that one exceptionally supportive adult in the life of a kid can make a huge difference.
Because I am not a "fantasy" reader, I was a bit put off by the elaborate detail of the fairy tales woven throughout the story....however about 1/4 through, I realized their deep significance and all that Granny was teaching Elsa. Each island's name in the kingdom was translated into life words, like "I love", "I suffer", "I fight", "I laugh".... and each of those islands represented people in Elsa's life who she needed to understand better, so she could work through her grief at Granny's death.
I am a fan, I will continue to work through the rest of Bachman's books.
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