The Blue Fox by Sjón

genre: fiction

Rare as a blue fox is, the hunter is determined to make her his. Living in the wilds of 19th century Iceland, the hunter and his community scrape away at a harsh life and the skin of the vixen he hunts is highly valuable. But in this short novel, the idea of “value” is explored when a naturalist living off the land shows how he has cared for a woman he invited into his life.

I read this book without even reading the description, only knowing that it had won the Nordic Council Literature Prize, and that it would probably be depressing. I was not wrong, it is both dark and upsetting. But also, the naturalist is such an example of a compassionate heart that I can’t say that the dark overcame the light in this instance. I finished it feeling like one person can actually make a real difference in someone’s life.

I do want to give a content warning that one of the characters in this book has Down Syndrome and it is really hard to read about how the world of 1866 viewed folks who are (and this is actually a quote from the book) “made according to a different recipe from the rest of us.” The book redeems itself, in my opinion, with how it ends but it still won’t be a good choice for all readers.