For anyone trying to improve his or her language skills - no matter the language - listening to audiobooks is very helpful. For the next months, I am set to hone my German vocabulary and language in general therefore expect a lot of reviews of German books, particularly those in audio format.
A novel with a historical-artistic plot is a good start of my plan. Die Malerin des Nordlichts - The Painter of the Northern Lights - by Lena Johannson follows the life of Signe Munch, a bohemian young Norwegian painter, whose uncle is the famous Edvard Munch. In her circle of acquaintances there are people close to Ibsen or Hamsun and herself, she is in the forefront of the new type of women: one who is ready to fight for her freedom and independence, for her right to express herself as an artist, a woman artist.
The story starts in 1922 and continue through the War years, especially the German occupation. As Signe´s husband was involved in the Resistance and she had Jewish friends, there is also a political take on the entire situation which develops altogether with the fine debates about the struggle and tension between the society pressure and individual woman artist vows.
As a historical novel, the plot is complex and so is Signe, although I´ve rather found the other characters in the book developping mostly in her shadow, without a particular profile of themselves. The family conflicts were, in my opinion, the most interesting, with, on one side, Signe´s elegant relationship with her famous uncle, and, on the other side, the dramatic story of her mother, a writer who equally paid a price - but much higher - when under pressure to make a choice between art and family.
The social, historical and political backgrounds are important for the story, especially by the emphasis on particular episodes - women struggle, the resistance against the Nazi occupation etc.
The book is read by Christiana Puciata, an overall pleasant audio experience.
Johannson is a well known character among the knowledgeable history novels in German and I will be tempted to read more of her books, both for the topics as for the language. The language is accessible, which makes the book a recommended read to the non-speakers with an advanced knowledge looking to improve their vocabulary. Just like me.
An extra point goes to the book cover: relatable, pleasant and in sync with the overall book message. Maybe one day I will be able to write a good post about why German edition houses invest so much on creating beautiful book covers.
Rating: 3 stars
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