Hotel Silence is the story of Jónas, a man who has hit rock bottom. He is divorced. His mother is mentally declining. He has recently found out his only child is not biologically his own. Jónas begins to contemplate and plan his suicide. During the planning, he becomes afraid that his daughter will be the one to find his body. Because of this, he decides it will be best to kill himself abroad. Jónas could then have his body shipped back to his homeland of Iceland without scarring anyone he loves. Jónas chooses to travel to an unnamed country that has been torn apart by war. He books himself into Hotel Silence with the intention of killing himself during his stay. However, as Jónas begins to grow close with the siblings that run the hotel and learn more about this war-torn country, he finds that maybe his life still has a purpose after all. 

I think something got lost in translation. This is such a fantastic storyline and, with the awards Hotel Silence has won in its native language, I have a feeling that the novel is much better in Icelandic. The current summary calls it "heartwarming" and "delightful", but I didn't get that feeling at all. Rather, the story felt bleak with the occasional moments of happiness. 

I also found the writing style to be confusing as well. There were times when Ólafsdóttir would go on and on about certain topics, then skim over the bits I would have liked embellished. I also didn't find the main character be appealing at all. I did, though, find myself enjoying May and Fifi. I thought the siblings were fantastic and had a great purpose within the story. Again, maybe some of this was lost in translation.

If you can read Icelandic, might I suggest that you read Hotel Silence in its original language. I have a feeling you will get more out of it than I did with this English translation.

I thought this book was really interesting. It was a little slow at some parts, which made it difficult to read sometimes. However, I really enjoyed the plot as well as the writing style. The main character, Jonas, had such a unique yet familiar personality. It is a really good story about loss and love.

Hotel Silence tells the story of a middle-aged divorcé, Jónas Ebeneser, as he struggles to find the purpose of life. After learning that his daughter is not his blood, Jónas feels that he has lost his only reason to live. Deciding his fate, he books a plane ticket to an unnamed war-torn country in the process of rebuilding itself. Choosing the Hotel Silence as his final destination, Jónas becomes acquainted with the staff and soon begins helping around the hotel with small repairs. As his generosity and skill spreads past the hotel walls, Jónas starts to wonder if there is more hope and purpose in his seemingly dreary life than he originally thought.

I think the premise of this book is a great one--a man on a journey of self-discovery grappling with what it means to fully exist. The author did a great job of conveying the despair that Jónas was sinking in. However, I had a hard time with how it was written. A lot of it felt almost dreamlike--which was perhaps the point, but it didn't really work for me. I found many of the exchanges of the characters unrealistic and didn't feel particularly attached to anyone. Also, it was an overall depressing read--I guess I was expecting a little more whimsy. Maybe not the best book to start off the New Year with, but I liked where the author was going with it and would recommend it to those who enjoy a more brooding story of self-exploration. I think readers who loved the writing styles of Exit West and/or Dinner at the Center of the Earth would find this right up their alley.

3.5 stars

This is very different from my usual reads. It tells the story of Jónas Ebeneser, a 49 yr. old man who has (in his eyes) lost everything. The last straw was learning from his ex-wife that he’s not the father of his adult daughter. Now living in a tiny flat, he calmly decides there is no reason for him to go on living. 

He’s always been a quiet, insular man. After selling his business, his only job these days is visiting his elderly mother. “I don’t know who I am. I’m nothing & I own nothing”.  As Jónas considers his options he concludes it would be better for him to end things in a foreign country. 

This is the first part of the book & there’s a dreamy, almost surreal feel to it. The prose is poetic & non-linear as Jónas reminisces about his life & the people who have crossed his path. Despite how it may sound, there’s not a drop of self-pity or drama in Jónas’ character. He’s simply reached a point where he has no purpose.

The second part of the story moves to a small village in an unnamed country that is slowly rebuilding after a long war. Jónas takes a room at the Hotel Silence which is decidedly worse for wear. It’s run by a young sister & brother who are determined to bring it back to its former glory. After he makes some small repairs to his own room, he becomes the hotel’s resident handyman. Word spreads quickly & it’s not long before other villagers come knocking. 

This section is much more earthbound. As Jónas strolls the safe areas & meets the people, we see firsthand the physical & emotional tolls of war. A man who lived a comfortable if basic life & wants to die is suddenly surrounded by those who have nothing & fight to live. Their stories are poignant & their courage, humbling. And through no effort of his own he forms relationships. With each job, you get the sense he’s also repairing himself as he begins to feel needed & useful again. 

This is a book that will appeal to fans of literary fiction, especially if you enjoy that indefinable Scandi vibe. It’s a quiet, introspective read with several running themes. Loss, isolation, self worth, survival, love….all of these are explored through analogy & symbolism. Quotes from well know poets & philosophers take the place of chapter headers. It’s a strange, quirky & ultimately hopeful story about mending what is broken, whether it’s a chair or a human being. 

I found it an oddly peaceful, almost mesmerizing read. And in a world where people walk around with faces glued to phones & spend more time in the virtual world, its themes are hauntingly relevant.

This was a thoughtful story, and though slow-paced at times, I enjoyed it. The plot is a bit grim, but ultimately hopeful, and I will keep my eye on this author in the future.

They say it's always darkest before the dawn, but if you're going to get anything out of this potentially divisive read you sure have to let yourself in for some blackness to begin with.  Our hero has been divorced, and told his ex's daughter wasn't biologically his, is appalled at his mother drifting into mindless nothing in a care home, and wants only to borrow a gun to shoot himself.  Rather than leave a mess for his daughter to stumble on, he takes himself off to an unnamed war-ravaged city, and falls into repairing things piecemeal - both himself, and the hotel, and society.

I certainly found some merit in these pages; it's not a lengthy read, and has a lot of positivity about it come the end.  But a third of the way in, when things seemed too bleak, I really did have doubts about continuing - there is little particularly enjoyable about the bloke going through his old diaries, and considering the smallness of his lot.  Still, get through that dourness and this short novel can form a lasting picture.  It certainly can't be recommended for everyone, however.  Three and a half stars.

BROOKE’S REVIEW

This beautifully written book is the winner of the Icelandic Literary Prize - and for good reason. This tightly woven narrative follows the journey of Jónas Ebeneser, who decides to travel to a war-ravaged country to end his life. It’s the very definition of a mid-life crisis, but the story really begins when Jónas begins to find his way at the Hotel Silence. 

The characters in this book are wonderfully explored. There’s a juxtaposition between tragedy and hope that makes this novel universally appealing. I’d say this story is Iceland’s mirror to Sweden’s Ove. Fans of Fredrik Backman will enjoy this one. 

PRAISE

“Hotel Silence is one of the most human books I’ve read in a while. It reminds me of The Clown by Heinrich Boll. I loved it.” ―Daniel Wallace, author of Extraordinary Adventures and Big Fish

“Jónas Ebeneser leaves his home in Iceland for a city thousands of miles away pummeled by war and violence, now at tentative peace. He brings with him only his toolbox, scars, and grief. While he plans his suicide, the people of the town draw him out with their endless list of broken items to be fixed. With humor and simple, heart-piercing prose, Hotel Silence tells the story of a man and his past, and the community where he finds himself. Ólafsdóttir’s world is full of surprise, sadness, love, and transformation. I didn’t want it to end.” ―Bethany Ball, author of What To Do About The Solomons.

AUTHOR

Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir was born in Iceland in 1958, studied art history in Paris and has lectured in the history of art. She has published a poetry collection and several novels, including Butterflies in November, which was longlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, and The Greenhouse, which was translated into twenty-two languages, won the DV Culture Award for Literature, and was a finalist for the Nordic Council Literature Award. She currently lives and works in Reykjavik as the director of the University of Iceland’s Art Museum. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. This book will be released in early January 2018.

I found this book somewhat depressing and odd.   I can’t say that I enjoyed it.  It is not a cheerful subject.  However, it is well written and will no doubt appeal more to other readers.

I felt that for some people this could be a difficult read, however, not having come into contact or near a situation where you find that the only option is ... to book into a hotel silence. I would have to think twice about whether I would actually allow someone to read it. At times I found it sad and upsetting for this and as though the author had experienced the pain themselves?

At first glance this appears to be the story of a man who is contemplating suicide. It is oddly reminiscent of <i>A Man Called Ove</i> except that <i>Ove</i> is a warm-hearted sweet book and this story is decidedly darker.
It takes place in what I believe is a war-torn location like Bosnia or Kosovo, and quickly becomes a story of war and its aftermath and how survivors struggle to reassemble the pieces of their lives -- figuratively, and sometimes literally. 

I found the characters to be well-drawn and authentic and I appreciated the insight into a world and situation of which I have no real appreciation.

Jonas  went to Hotel Silence to commit suicide.

Jónas is 49 and divorced. and his wife  tells him that their 26-year-old daughter Waterlily is not his biological child

This is quite a poetic read and the writing is superb. The author really captures Jonas's pain and it was quite a hard read, knowing his feelings and his pain.

I adore Icelandic literature, although I do sometimes get lost in the translation as I did with this book,but that said it is a wonderful read. 

recommended

This is a strangely quiet and surreal novel that makes you feel many things as you read it. I admit to being really sad and a little depressed myself at the start. It’s not the most promising of premises is it? following a suicidal man to nowhere. But once he reaches that hotel, things change and not always in the same way you think.

It’s a story about everyone, how you feel, how life gets in the way and gets you down and how war , whether outside in the world or a powerful emotion deep inside can be an unsettling as each other. Jonas story was sad and it read more like a biography or diary as it’s often presented rather than a novel if that makes sense. I just felt sad and flat reading it but the messages from this novel are clear.The aftermath of war, hopelessness and fear are the same all over the world.Too bleak for me though.

http://www.chrisviabookreviews.com/2017/10/19/hotel-silence-2018/

I adore Icelandic literature, but have come to the conclusion that the work of Audur Ava Olafsdottir just does not work for me. I picked up Butterflies in November a couple of years ago, and ended up putting it down when I was a third of the way through. The same thing has happened with her newest novel, Hotel Silence. Despite winning the Icelandic Literary Award for Fiction in 2017, Hotel Silence did not capture my imagination. In terms of its storyline, it is not at all bad, but reading part of it has allowed me to conclude that it is Olafsdottir's writing, or perhaps the translation of it, which I do not particularly enjoy.

Based on the blurb about Hotel Silence, I was expecting a hopeful, uplifting and humorous look at midlife.  This book is something entirely different.  Jonas is a suicidal war veteran whose internal self-examination of his life to date is the subject of this book.  Dark and brooding.

This is such a quaint story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I kind of wish there had been more. Sometimes you read a book and when it ends there's a tad bit of a letdown because it's over.  This is about an older man who has reached a point in his life where he's divorced,  his mother has senile dementia,  has maybe one friend, one grown child and is very lonely. As he reminisces about his life he decides to end it but wants to go somewhere else so his daughter doesn't find his body. He picks a hotel in a war ravaged city but eventually becomes friends with the inhabitants of both the hotel and the city and starts to rethink his life. I highly recommend this book for those who want to sit back in their big comfy couch and have a reading marathon that is a feel good one.

‘’Will the world miss me? No. Will the world be any poorer without me? No. Will the world survive without me? Yes. Is the world a better place now than when I came into it? No. What have I done to improve it? Nothing.’’

When we need to place a name next to the word ‘’pessimism’’, Jonas’ will be ideal. Our main protagonist stands on a crossroads, the most crucial in his life. His marriage is broken, shadows are cast over the paternity of his beloved daughter and he feels there is no purpose left in his course on this planet. So, he decides to put an end. Permanently. To kill himself. Observing the people who marked his life for what he intends to be the last time, he decides to travel abroad to lessen the pain for his child.

The story is set in Iceland, a place of immense, wild beauty, a land of darkness and mystery. Jonas’ moos matches the melancholic nature. A nature that hides flames inside, a country of volcanoes, of fire and ice. And Jonas is like a volcano about to erupt while the series of disappointments from his own family have turned him into ice. Instead of fighting, he gets tires and tries to find the best way for his ‘’exit’’.

I read page after page waiting for Jonas’ end. I was hooked. At first, you may think that not much happens but this depends on what each reader considers as ‘’happens’’. There is not an emphasis on ‘’action’’, but on Jonas’ mental state, the state of depression that has covered his life. Reading his thoughts was an adventure in itself and Olafsdottir manages to create anticipation out of everyday interactions.

‘’Do you think you can glue back together a broken world?’’

Jonas finds himself a guest in ‘Hotel Silence’, a dilapidated hotel in a country torn and bled by war. It remains unnamed but the descriptions of the natural environment and the emphasis on a recent conflict brings many places to mind. The Balkans, the Eastern Europe, Israel, it could be anywhere and it doesn’t matter. Whatever the writer’s inspiration may have been, the setting is extremely vivid. The city is devastated, the people full of wounds that are impossible to heal, struggling to leave the past behind and rebuild their lives. Jonas becomes a part of this community.


‘’And if there was silence, you knew that itt would all start again tomorrow.’’

Mae, the young woman who runs the hotel along with her brother, is an astonishing character, the jewel of the book. Having survived a Hell on Earth, she shows Jonas that there is always something to fight form even if the tunnel seems to have no end. Mae speaks in some of the most beautiful, heartfelt quotes and provides hope and light in a dark world. The rest of the character are vivid, well-drawn and quirky enough to enjoy.

The writing is extremely interesting. There is the distinctive, minimalistic Nordic tone that never becomes dry, but contains worlds within a few short sentences, even though this is a translation.The dialogue is well-structured, the voice of Jonas is clear and complex. There are many bookish reference centred around troubled writers. In fact, books are everywhere in the story. Novels, poetry, Non Fiction. I found ‘’ Hotel Silence’’ to be much more bookish and literary than other novels which wished to be advertised as such and ended up being devoid of any significant reference. Yes, ‘Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore’’ , I am looking at you and your big, stinking pile of nothing… There are also references to the singers’ curse of ‘’27’’ and emphasis on tattoos and scars, whatever consists a tortured soul.

The ending, though...It was...I don’t even know how I feel about it...It causes questions and interpretations. You’ll have to read it to understand what I mean. It was unexpected and fitting to the tone of the story, but I can’t say that it was wholly satisfying on a personal level. In my opinion, it leaves room for a second book which I would be more than happy to read.

‘’Hotel Silence’’ is a special book. If you have an issue with so-called depressing themes, then you may find it difficult to read. However, life is full of difficult subjects and to avoid them means to live inside a pink bubble, but that’s just me. It’s special and demanding, in tone, in themes, in images and characters. It is a work that showcases -once again- why Nordic Literature is arguably the most interesting in our literary world.

Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I'm sorry to say that I couldn't get on with this book. 
 I started reading it and gave it a good go but realised that I wasn't interested in the main protagonist.  His endless deliberations about life, his rumination about his daughter, wife and friend left me cold.  
I skipped some pages to see if anything improved, read a bit about his stay in the hotel and nothing changed.
For other readers his self-doubt and angst may be of interest, but not for me.

I had such high hopes for this book. The cover is beautiful, the reviews I'd seen so far had been so positive. I really thought this would be one of those books you devour. However, I was so let down. It was a slow starter, which I allow for because not all books jump into the excitement. By 65%, I was still struggling. By the end I'd wondered why the book was written. I just didn't get it, it didn't go anywhere. I was left underwhelmed p