A review of a Norwegian fantasybook. I decide not to change the title in English since there are no English copies and I have no clue how to change the title

Original Title: Gravbøygen våkner

English Title: this book does not exist in English

Written by: Sigbjørn Mostue

Genre: Fantasy

Written For: Children/YA

Pages: 279
Publisher: Cappelendamm

Published: 2005

My Copy: 2006 (Paperback)

I read it: May 17 - May 20, 2011

Source: From my own personal "library"

My Rate: ☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠ (6/10 Skulls)

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Another school year is over for a boy named Espen and the summer vacation has started. His mother brings him to his grandparents farm. They're gonna stay there the whole summer. His mom is worried about his gonna be bored to death at the farm. And he hasn't invited a single friend to come along. She's worried that her son doesn't have a single friend or lost his friends 'cause he spends too much time playing video games. That's why she invites Eva and her parents to stay at the farm for a while. Eva and Espen goes at the same school and his mom hates the thought of seeing her son spending the summer alone 'cause there's not much fun stuff to do at the farm either. So she thinks that Espen and Eva will become good friends.

Espen and his grandfather are good friends. They can talk about anything and everything. His grandfather is particular obsessed with the woods nearby the far. And over the years, especially lately he has changed. His family thinks that Espens grandfather is slowly changing. He isn't himself anymore and they think that he is getting sick (crazy, or call it whatever you like). Cause Espens grandfather gets angry every time Espens Uncle Svein, talks about chopping down the wood. But the grandfather doesn't want that to happen since the woods means so much to him. He doesn't want the woods to be gone and starts talking about things in the woods that makes his whole family worried.

But his grandson, Espen, is the only one who believes him and one day when Espen is taking a walk in the woods, a sudden lightening happens and he discovers a key. From the moment he takes the key, he understands what his grandfather has been talking about. In the woods, Espen meets talking little santas, talking animals, elves and a lot more. But since the woods is gonna be cut down, the elves are and other creatures in the woods, afraid that they will be in great danger and they give Espen the role to save them and the woods. If not, a scary and evil creature will wake up kill everyone in the woods, especially the elves which is the evil creature's worst enemy. Espen is the elves only hope and a little Santa named Nils will help Espen along the way. Will an ordinary boy who loves playing video games save the woods and the good creatures who lives there?

Fantasy is a genre I haven't read a lot of (but I do want to read more of). I've been reading a bit American urban fantasy (but not as much as I want to but I will do something about it, of course!), but this book by a Sigbjørn Mostue must be my first Norwegian fantasy book. It was a fun experience even though the book wasn't that original as I was hoping for. And not that exciting but still I think it was a fun read of the first book in a Norwegian trilogy in the fantasy genre. And it was also fun to read about typical Norwegian creatures that lives in the Norwegian woods (if you believe in fairy tales then...) I mean, who knows for sure what's really is in the woods, no matter which country.

This book is probably really exciting for those who are younger than me, maybe for the young readers between 10 - 14 years and who's trying to find they're favorite genre.

I think it was more of a cosy book than scary for us who is older. But I'm still curious to know what's gonna happen in the other two books and I'm sure I'll get them someday in the future. But all in all it was a fun and cosy book to read and I loved that the setting took place in the Norwegian nature.

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