Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir
Miss Iceland by Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir, translated from the Icelandic by Brian FitzGibbon, is a subdued, quiet novel about three close friends who are frustrated misfits in society. The setting of the novel is Reykjavik in 1963. The first-person narrator is Hekla, a young, talented writer named after a volcano. She leaves the family farm to pursue her literary dreams in Reykjavik. Her two close friends in Reykjavik play a prominent role in her life.
Hekla’s friend, Jón John, is harassed for his homosexuality, marginalized by society, and perceived as a criminal and pedophile. His dream of being a theatrical costume designer is thwarted. The only work he can find is on fishing trawlers where he suffers from sea sickness and constant harassment by the ship’s crew for being gay. He graciously welcomes Hekla into his home, buys her clothes, sews her outfits, confides in her, encourages her to write, makes no demands on her, and embraces her as a soul mate.
Hekla’s other friend is Ísey, a frustrated writer. Ísey is married, has a young baby daughter, and is pregnant with her second child. Being a wife and mother consumes her time and stifles her creativity. She is lonely and alone with her baby all day long, finding little inspiration in life. She maintains her sanity by writing imaginary conversations with strangers and recording imaginary events. Hekla provides a much-needed reprieve from her friend’s humdrum existence by showering her with library books, treats, and adult conversation.
And then there is Hekla, a gifted writer who has to combat virulent sexism. She is expected to adhere to societal norms by either becoming a wife and mother like Ísey or a sexually exploited play toy. She rejects both roles. As a talented female author, she struggles to get published in a male-dominated literary world and submits some of her work under a male pseudonym. Her relationship with her poet/boyfriend ends when he learns she is a talented writer.
The characters are well-drawn and authentic; their frustrations expressed in clear, unadorned language. The strength of the novel lies in Hekla’s voice. She maintains the tone of an emotionally detached observer, never getting upset or revealing her thoughts. Although she sympathizes with her friends’ predicaments, she doesn’t get entangled with their fate. She doesn’t judge, condemn, or criticize. Her voice is firm, straightforward, and droll. She is unruffled by the upheavals in her friends’ lives, by her jealous boyfriend, or by the harassment from male patrons while working at her waitressing job. She refuses to compromise herself, her focus being on her creative output.
The novel ends on an ambiguous note. A volcanic eruption is creating a new island, suggesting new beginnings and a transformation of the status quo. But it also ends with Hekla suggesting her former boyfriend submit her manuscript under his name to increase its chance of publication. He agrees and claims the book as his own. One wonders how much change the status quo has undergone since, once again, another man is appropriating a woman’s work.
At a time in which homophobia and sexism run rampant, this quiet, poignant tale shows the role of friendship in diminishing alienation, supporting creativity, and encouraging self-fulfillment.
Recommended.