Bókabúð Forlagsins

Fiskislóð 39, Reykjavik

It's not exactly a nice walk from the centre to this bookstore. I thought I had landed in an American movie. 

The buildings on this peninsula are something between a warehouse and a harbor building. Every Lego plastic brick has more soul than these buildings. With one exception.

This bookshop is truly extraordinary! The high ceilings and the industrial flair have been very well integrated. It smells very new. They have also adapted the furniture very cleverly to the building and used industrial chandeliers and wooden panels. I thought it was great, even if the selection of English books is a bit limited. The selection consisted mainly of Icelandic and illustrated books and those by the author Arnaldur Indriðason. Lots of different versions of his books.

I had already bought a crime novel by this author in another bookshop, but was forced to choose another one as it simply didn't have anything else. :-)

There was a lot of choice in Icelandic and I found the selection very special. And so it was the only language I heard among the customers.

I wasn't expecting anything like this. I thought it was great!

Arnaldur Indriðason: The Girl by the Bridge

Not read yet

Bookshop: 

*****

Book: 

Eymundsson

Austurstræti 18, Reykjavik

If I remember this bookshop one day, it will be because of the range of suitcases. Well, you have to transport the books, but I still can't remember seeing this non-book item in such quantity in other bookshops.

So I affectionately call it Suitcase Café.

The range is spread over four floors, with the top floor mainly being a café and even having a terrace on the mezzanine level.

There are books there too, but browsing is nowhere near as much fun as in the Penninn Eymundsson branch.

At least the suitcases encourage you to do a lot of shopping.

Arnaldur Indriðason: Jar City

A 70-year-old man named Holberg is found dead in his apartment. On him lies a cryptic message “I am HIM”. In his drawer is a picture of a girl's gravestone.

Detective Inspector Erlendur takes on the case. He soon finds out that the dead man was a rapist. The crime took place 40 years ago. His victim had given birth to the child, who suffered from a rare genetic defect and died.

Further investigation reveals that there was another rape victim who never pressed charges. However, secrets do not always remain hidden, because the genetic defect had also hit this family hard.

“Jar City” was more like a movie I read than a book.

I found the thriller excitingly told, but I missed the effect of having to guess along with the characters.

I have to honestly admit that the many repetitions of names annoyed me a bit over time: Ellidi, Kolbrùn, Elinborg, Erlendur, Elin, Audur... :-)

Bookshop: 

***

Book: 

***

Iða Zimsen

Vesturgata 2a, Reykjavik

Directly opposite the Art Museum (with a very special canopy) is the Iða Zimsen book café.

I felt very comfortable there. A really cozy café with books all around the walls. However, you can see that the café has priority. As a result, the selection is naturally a little smaller. But it's still a lot of fun to browse around. In the short time I was in Reykjavik, I wasn't able to see much, but I would recommend this café to anyone visiting Iceland's capital.

The staff are also very friendly.

Yrsa Sigurdardottir: I Remember You

The three friends Garðar, Katrin and Lif have purchased a house in a remote location called Hesteyri at a bargain price and want to renovate it during a week in the winter season. As soon as the skipper drops the trio off at the pier, you can feel that something sinister is waiting for them in this village. Because they don't seem to be alone on the island.

Their mobile phone is not working either, so they cannot expect any help during this week.

At the same time, a policewoman is investigating an alleged suicide with the help of Dr Freyr. Little by little, it turns out that this event is connected to the disappearance of Freyr's own son. But not only that, the house in Hesteyri...

I found the thriller very well written, because I find it extremely difficult when two stories slowly come together. The author has managed this well. However, I didn't find it as creepy as advertised on the cover.

The ending is left open and could thus be the beginning of a sequel.

Bookshop: 

****

Book: 

**** 

Penninn Eymundsson

Skólavörðustíg 11, Reykjavik

My first impression on entering this bookshop was: Iceland's answer to Waterstones.

I think the size is very good and the range is well balanced, so there's something for everyone. Especially when browsing through the Icelandic books, you realize how much they like to read. Even the youngest children are introduced to this with beautiful books.

Magazines are also sold here, which could be due to the lack of newsstands.

There are chairs in the back right corner, as this bookshop also has a coffee counter.

It also has a lot of books in English, which is of course an advantage for me as a non-Icelandic speaker.

I apologize at this point for not having learned even the minimum of Icelandic. For a day-tourist, and I really was (26 hours to be exact), I think I'm excused. Unfortunately, the Madness concert was cancelled.

Anthony Adeane: Out of Thin Air

Out of Thin Air is a true story about two Icelandic criminal cases from the 1970s that remain a mystery to this day.

Two men, Gudmundur and Geirfinnur, both disappear without a trace and the bodies can never be found.

The Icelandic police, not trained for such events, handle the case in their own way. Suspects are quickly found, with one of those involved Erla even implicating and accusing her half-brother. An act that is incomprehensible. Long prison sentences are imposed and highly questionable methods of interrogation are used. Even an expert from Germany is called in, even though Iceland might have been better off asking the USA and the FBI for help because of their NATO base. 

The main suspects are petty criminals. But are they also capable of murder? Anthony Adeane narrates the events in a very impressive way, showing the sometimes impossible conclusions that were drawn. He explains the situation in Iceland at the time, which often differed from other Western European countries.

The only thing that bothers me about this book is that it is mainly about suspects and perpetrators. What about the victims and their families? How did the families fare over the years? What impact did the years of investigation have on them? What other scenarios could there have been? Are there any indications that the disappearances of the two men are not connected? Many questions remain unanswered - or perhaps have not even been asked yet...

Bookshop: 

****

Book: 

*** 

Salka

Hverfisgata 89-93, Reykjavik

Parallel to Reykjavik's shopping street is Hverfisgata, where the Salka bookshop is located.

The bookshop is beautifully furnished. However, it was dead quiet inside. The bookseller was sitting at a table with his laptop. He was also sitting there when I strolled past the building again later.

I was the only customer.

The selection is small, but it's still worth stopping by. Simply because it's a nice store.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere was a little unpleasant. It's funny that it was the only bookshop where I didn't buy a thriller or something similar. It would have been a good fit there of all places...

Halldór Laxness: Under the Glacier

Not read yet

Bookshop: 

***

Book: