Animal Life by Audur Ava Olafsdottir

ANIMAL LIFE by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir (translated by Brian FitzGibbon) is set in Iceland and relates the story of Domhildur, a fourth-generation midwife (literally “mother of light”), and the people (new parents, an Australian tourist) she meets. Domhildur is named for a great aunt from whom she has inherited an apartment and copious writings. The novel reflects on their relationship and her aunt’s observations such as: “‘You realize, Dyja dear,’ my great aunt once said to me, ‘that what doesn’t happen is no less important than what does happen.’” There is actually relatively little active dialogue in the text (the great aunt’s voice is heard through her writings or, like the grandmother’s, through reminiscences; a sister’s voice appears often in the recounting of past phone conversations) and that adds to the uniqueness of this somewhat meandering, but very appealing, text. The Economist concluded its recent review of ANIMAL LIFE by describing this novel as “a tranquil yet compelling meditation on life and death, darkness and light, from a reliably thought-provoking novelist.” Yes, indeed: Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir is a winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize and the Icelandic Literary Prize.