The Greenhouse Audiobook

" I feel like translated fiction can be awfully hit or miss - usually more of a result of the translation, than the original work. This translated novel I thought was smoothly written, and very interesting. I really enjoyed reading it, but it felt more like half a novel than a full novel because the ending was just lacking. Everything about it felt unfinished, other than the relationship between father and daughter. The ending did not satisfy me, and some of the more fantastic healing elements were mentioned repeatedly, but never went anywhere. The main character, Lobbi, was very feminine, and I felt like the explanations for this was more superficial than well grounded. But the biggest problem I had with it, was that the book lacked a sense of setting. The monastic town was well drawn out, but not having a country or town name even was a bit frustrating. And I wouldn't have known that Lobbi started his journey in Iceland had it not been for the back of the book! It distracted me throughout the book. It was very interesting, but too unresolved for me to really like it. "

" I was surprised by what I felt was an abrupt ending, but it wasn't a horrible way to end the book. Perhaps I wasn't ready to let Lobbi's story go. "

" I've read several Nordic authors the last few years so I was looking forward to expanding out to Icelandic authors. However, I was disappointed with this novel; more specifically, with the translation. Phraseology was often clumsy, especially the vernacular. I think some of the other more negative reviews may be due to the fact that the translation is awkward or downright incorrect. The story was a nice one, but I felt it could have been developed a little more. "

" Thoroughly enjoyable. A quiet book - the kind in which it is easy to lose yourself, and return to whenever you find a stolen moment. "

" Simple yet deep. I loved the budding father daughter relationship between Lobbi and his baby daughter Flora Sol. Translated from Icelandic. "

" I worried at first that The Greenhouse was about to descend into Euro-nihilism ala The Stranger, but the book took a turn for the better at about the 40% mark. Ethereal and touching. "

" Like many reviewers on Amazon, I dowloaded this book because it was free. But what a little gem it turned out to be. "

" Excellent. Such a strange, disembodied voice that the narrator has, and yet completely engaging. A story that's left me uplifted and a bit heartbroken, yes, simultaneously. "

" Funny, yet touching. Honestly I liked 99% of this book higher than I'm rating it, I knocked one star off because I really disliked the end. "

" Great book, well written and not pretentious. It did take me a little while to get into it and to bond with the main character but once there I couldn't put the book down. "

" If you can get past the slightly odd structure of multiple very very short chapters, this is a really beautiful and affecting story about finding fulfillment in the simplest things in life. "

" This was a very gentle story, but it kind of fizzed out with no conclusive ending. "

" I loved this book, but the translation/editing was a little rough. "