by Niviaq Korneliussen
“The island has run out of oxygen. The island is swollen. The island is rotten. The island has taken my beloved from me. The island is a Greenlander. It’s the fault of the Greenlander.”
When one thinks of Greenland the mental image is likely to be of a remote Arctic landscape shaped by glaciers, or perhaps one of a lonely Inuit hunter dressed in caribou skin clothing driving a dog sledge through icy winds. Indeed, this vast non-continental island with mountainous icebergs has the world’s sparsest population with only the occasional village of colourfully painted wooden cottages dotted along its west coast. There are, however, a handful of large urban areas, including Nuuk, the capital city, with its apartment blocks, industrial buildings and avant-garde architecture.
It is here author Niviaq Korneliussen has set her tale of love, lust, despondency and queer life. At weekends her wild, narcissistic young Greenlanders hook up with friends, meet lovers and indulge in one-night stands. They become drunk in downtown bars, get stoned at house parties, and generally desensitize themselves from overwhelming emotional issues – probably not so very different from young people the world over.
Its edgy characters include Fia who splits with her long-term boyfriend and becomes infatuated with Sara – although, the latter is really in love with Ivik who struggles with gender dysphoria. There’s Inuk, who almost loses his sanity questioning what it means to be a Greenlander and Arnaq, a manipulative, bisexual partygoer with a troubled past. We experience the same events, in turn, from each person’s perspective.
Crimson may sound amusing, but it isn’t. Quite the reverse. It is dispiriting and joyless, its protagonists resentful and discontented with their claustrophobic lives, but it is also a fearless work of modern literature. A sort of Greenlandic Trainspotting for the 21st century, but without the humour. The Guardian named it one of its top ten modern Nordic fiction books, and I can appreciate its reasons for doing so. While it may be self-absorbed, it is also original, inventive and touchingly courageous.
Korneliussen was born in Nuuk, South Greenland in 1990 and studied Psychology at Aarhus University in Denmark before spending a year in California as an exchange student. She started writing in 2013 and won many writing competitions in her homeland, where this novel was first published under the title of HOMO sapienne. She translated it herself from Greenlandic to Danish.
Many thanks to Virago for providing an advance review copy of this title.
Categories: LGBTQ, Translated Literature
This book sounds like an absolute confrontation.
In many ways it is, Emily. Although, some of it arises from the characters being Greenlanders and struggling to break out of its traditionalist confines.
Update: I did some digging around because this really sounds intriguing to me. The English version of this will be released in January 2019 as Last Night in Nuuk. Thought I’d toss that out there in case anyone else is interested.
Many thanks indeed, Emily. It is being published in the UK tomorrow under the title of Crimson.
Indeed? Must be a regional lock. The US has to wait again. lol
The Crimson apparently comes from the 1968 pop song Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells (Joan Jett and the Blackhearts also had a hit with it in the early ’80s, Cher in the ’90s and there are numerous other cover versions). The song actually makes an appearance in the book’s narrative!
That makes sense. Wonder why they changed the name for the American release. But then, I never get that sort of thing between UK and US releases. They should match!
A friend of mine was the copy editor for this book. She warned me about the joylessness although, like you, she also thought it was an impressive piece of fiction. Perhaps best read when cheerful!
I believe you’re right, Susan. While it isn’t uplifting fiction, it’s fresh and honest.
What a beautifully written review! It sounds like a dark but compelling book x
Thank you, India. You sum it up well.
I have to confess this wouldn’t be my usual fare but it does sound like quality writing. Perhaps something to read at the height of summer rather than the depths of winter…
I must confess, it made me feel rather glum – but it was absorbing.
Glum and gloomy is okay if you find something that resonates with you when you read this kind of novel. Not everything has to be uplifting.
I suppose, if I’m honest, it reminds me somewhat of my adolescent angst (believe it or not I can remember those days). I can cope with only so much gloom but I’m glad I read this book. I think it may well resonate with certain readers.
Well I like the song from 1968 (I have a bit of a thing about that year of extraordinary political hope), but I’m not sure I’d enjoy this book. I once saw a television programme about Greenland though and it occurs to me that it left the European Union in the 1980s. Perhaps the identity turbulence relates to economic and cultural isolation. In other words, it seems that Crimson may be on its way to the UK by next Halloween! Adolescent angst is more dramatic than middle-aged angst, and I’m always amazed by the stoicism of British youth under the Conservative coalition. Thanks for an interesting and illuminating review.
Thank you, John. We could certainly do with another 1968!
Just the very facymt that it is set in Greenland makes me want to read it. It’s a country I know nothing about.
That was a big enticement for me too, Cathy.
Definitely intriguing, though not my usual fare. I’ll keep an eye on it!
Not exactly my usual fare either, Ola, but I like to throw something different into the pot every so often! 🤣
The thought of nihilistic young adults doesn’t fill me with joy, but this does sound very well-written and I don’t think I’ve read a Greenlandic author before, so I will look out for this one!
Greenland was the initial attraction for me. It’s certainly a bit different. I’m not sure that I would seek out her work again but it was worth reading.