Writing about characters dealing with depression or undergoing major life changes can be tricky for authors it requires sensitivity and an unflinching dedication to depicting both despair and hope. In some books, this can come off as a gimmicky way to telegraph the characters' youth, but Korneliussen doesn't overplay her techniques the varying communications all seem natural and appropriate, and never distract from the story. Korneliussen uses a variety of narrative techniques: She tells Inuk's chapter through journal entries and letters, while text messages play a large role in the final three sections. Youthful angst is well-worn territory, of course, but nothing about 'Last Night in Nuuk' is trite or overfamiliar. And crucially, they all have voices of their own - sometimes authors struggle with their characters all sounding the same that's definitely not a problem here.
They're all painfully human, fumbling through their youth and sexualities, all in vastly different ways. Each character is drawn carefully and with compassion, but Korneliussen refuses to make any of them either flawless angels or irredeemable jerks.
Youthful angst is well-worn territory, of course, but nothing about Last Night in Nuuk is trite or overfamiliar. Sara's chapter ends perfectly, with a single hashtagged phrase that's simple, but just right. The breakup leads Ivik to a startling revelation about herself, but plunges Sara into a near-suicidal depression. The last two chapters deal with a couple, Ivik and Sara, who split after Ivik stops being able to have sex with her partner, and later cheats on her with Arnaq. I was neglected and abused: that's what's wrong with everything." And what about my mother? She never protected me. She's crushed when Inuk renounces their friendship, but refuses to blame herself or her constant drinking for her missteps, complaining, "It's not my fault. Inuk's friend Arnaq, a hard-partying bisexual woman, seems incapable of making a good decision. The void in me expands." After an awkward encounter at a college party, she decides to make a change.īook Reviews In 'Paradise Rot,' Jenny Hval Traces A Surrealistic Sexual Awakening My faked orgasms get harder to believe as time goes by. Dry kisses stiffening like desiccated fish. She's in a doomed relationship with a man named Peter he's in love with her, but she's growing restless: "False smiles turning uglier. ("City" is generous it boasts a population of just under 18,000, making it smaller than towns like Milwaukie, Ore., and Pittsburg, Kan.) The book is a heartbreaking yet hopeful look at what it's like to be young and queer in one of the most isolated places in the world.Įach of the five characters in Korneliussen's novel gets their own chapter, with young Fia up first. Such is the case with the five main characters in Last Night in Nuuk, Greenland author Niviaq Korneliussen's startling and beautiful novel, set in her country's capital city. There's a lot to recommend life in a large town or small city, but there's no doubt it can get claustrophobic - familiar faces can get too familiar, and it's hard to blend into the crowd when everyone in the crowd knows who you are. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title Last Night in Nuuk Author Niviaq Korneliussen
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