Jon Fosse's latest novel, Vaim, is a bewildering yet strangely beautiful tale of love, identity, and the blurring of reality. At just under 120 pages, this slender volume is a stark contrast to Fosse's earlier septology, Septology (2019-2021), which clocked in at over 800 pages and told a single story spanning three volumes.
Vaim follows Jatgeir, a quiet and introspective man living alone in his deceased parents' house. His life is marked by solitude and longing, as he recalls his "secret love" from his youth, Eline, who has now called upon him to rescue her from her fisher husband. However, this could be the start of a romance were it not for Fosse's signature ambiguity.
As Jatgeir navigates the complexities of his relationships with Eline and his friend Elias, the narrative veers wildly between moments of tenderness and scenes of eerie uncertainty. The lines between reality and fantasy are constantly blurred, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of truth. Even time becomes fluid, as scenes are juxtaposed without clear chronology.
Fosse's prose is disarmingly simple yet palpably powerful. His descriptions of everyday life – a plate of meatballs, a suitcase comparison between American and European styles – serve as a counterpoint to the fantastical elements of his story. It is in these quiet moments that Fosse reveals the depth of human emotion.
The result is a novel that feels both profoundly personal and unsettlingly mystical. As Jatgeir himself hopes will be inscribed on his tombstone, "All was strange," so too does this reader's experience of finishing Vaim. How can prose so straightforward and ordinary pulse with such feeling? How can it evoke the vast, elemental landscapes of Norway with such precision?
Ultimately, Fosse's Vaim is a strange miracle – a work of fiction that is both bewilderingly opaque and profoundly affecting. It invites readers to surrender to its mysteries and immerse themselves in its hypnotic rhythms.
Vaim follows Jatgeir, a quiet and introspective man living alone in his deceased parents' house. His life is marked by solitude and longing, as he recalls his "secret love" from his youth, Eline, who has now called upon him to rescue her from her fisher husband. However, this could be the start of a romance were it not for Fosse's signature ambiguity.
As Jatgeir navigates the complexities of his relationships with Eline and his friend Elias, the narrative veers wildly between moments of tenderness and scenes of eerie uncertainty. The lines between reality and fantasy are constantly blurred, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of truth. Even time becomes fluid, as scenes are juxtaposed without clear chronology.
Fosse's prose is disarmingly simple yet palpably powerful. His descriptions of everyday life – a plate of meatballs, a suitcase comparison between American and European styles – serve as a counterpoint to the fantastical elements of his story. It is in these quiet moments that Fosse reveals the depth of human emotion.
The result is a novel that feels both profoundly personal and unsettlingly mystical. As Jatgeir himself hopes will be inscribed on his tombstone, "All was strange," so too does this reader's experience of finishing Vaim. How can prose so straightforward and ordinary pulse with such feeling? How can it evoke the vast, elemental landscapes of Norway with such precision?
Ultimately, Fosse's Vaim is a strange miracle – a work of fiction that is both bewilderingly opaque and profoundly affecting. It invites readers to surrender to its mysteries and immerse themselves in its hypnotic rhythms.
I just finished reading Vaim by Jon Fosse and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it 
. The way he weaves together reality and fantasy is like, woah 
! It's like he takes these simple everyday moments and amplifies them into this huge emotional landscape 
. And the ambiguity? It's like, intentionally confusing 
, but in a good way? I mean, I love how it makes me question what's real and what's not, but also how it forces me to be present with the story 
.
It's like butter for your soul 
! So smooth and simple, yet still packed with this depth of emotion. I mean, who needs fancy language when you've got something as powerful as human feeling? 
That's what this book feels like to me! It's like a big ol' hug from the universe, but with a side of existential dread 
This new novel by Jon Fosse is giving me all the feels! I mean, I love how concise it is - 120 pages? That's like a breath of fresh air after those massive Septology novels. But what really got me was how Fosse plays with reality and fantasy. It's like you're walking on eggshells trying to figure out what's real and what's just Jatgeir's imagination running wild 
.
The way he weaves together love, identity, and reality is just trippy. I mean, who needs a clear timeline when you can jump back and forth between moments like that? 
And the writing itself? So simple yet so powerful, it's like he's speaking straight to your soul. 
The way he describes everyday life, like eating meatballs or packing a suitcase... it's just so relatable! 
But at the same time, there's this whole other world of fantasy and mysticism that'll leave you wondering what's real and what's not. It's like trying to read between the lines of your own mind! 
. and then there's this friend elias who's just...there? 
. honestly, i need some time to process this book...
. Like, how does someone write a story that's so simple yet so powerful at the same time? The way he blurs reality and fantasy is like nothing I've ever seen before 
. It's like you're walking on eggshells with every sentence wondering what's real and what's not 
. His inner turmoil is so relatable, it made me feel all the feels 
. I need to reread this book a million times to try and decipher the meaning behind it 
...anyone else read it? 
I'm still trying to process the ending of Vaim... like, what just happened?! 
, and I'm still reeling from the experience 
️. And I love how he keeps us guessing with that signature ambiguity – it's like trying to solve a puzzle while also enjoying the ride 
.
. And have you ever noticed how sometimes the most ordinary moments can be the most extraordinary? Like, who needs grand landscapes when you can describe a plate of meatballs or a suitcase 
?
. It's like Fosse is speaking directly to our hearts, saying "All was strange" – and we're like, " amen to that" 
. I don't know how he does it, but this Vaim business is a true marvel 
.
.
.
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. his writing's all about stripping away the noise and getting to the heart of human emotion, which is both beautiful and unnerving at the same time 