Doghead

by Morten Ramsland

Where do I begin? This novel is translated from the Danish, and the author has been compared to John Irving. Are you tempted yet?

At first, I didn’t see the comparison to Irving, but the more I read, the more I got it. In essence, this is the story of a family. But not just any family. This is a wacky Norwegian family.

Narrated by Asger Erikkson, the novel tells the story of his parents, his grandparents, and Asger himself. We also learn about his great-grandparents. So, it’s a family saga. But it’s an incredible family saga. The narrative is full of humor and spectacular happenings and coincidences. The author’s characterizations are rich, and the relationships are amazingly intricate. Thank goodness for the family tree at the front of the book! The tree also helps with another feature of the novel: nicknames! Several characters have multiple nicknames, and those are included on the tree.

I initially compared this novel to Middlesex, based on the family saga element. But I do think it’s more like Irving—very, very funny. So worth reading!

3/18/09