Not Before Sundown

by Johanna Sinisalo | Science Fiction & Fantasy |
ISBN: 0720611717 Global Overview for this book
Registered by myntti of Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on 5/27/2004
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
8 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by myntti from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Thursday, May 27, 2004
Mikael, a young gay photographer, finds in the courtyard of his apartment block a small, man-like creature. It is a young troll. Mikael gives the troll a name, Pessi, and takes him home and hides him. The first thing Mikael does is to research everything he can about trolls from the internet, from folklore, nature journals and newspaper cuttings. What Mikael does not discover is that trolls exude pheromones that smell like a Calvin Klein aftershave and that this has a profound aphrodisiac effect on all those around him. Shooting an assignment for an ultra-hip make of jeans, Mikael finds himself fast-tracked into a dangerous liaison with Martes, the art director of the advertising agency, while others around him become obsessed with him because he carries the troll's scent. However, what Mikael fails to learn, with tragic consequences, is that Pessi the troll is the interpreter of man's darkest, most forbidden desires.

Finnish title: Ennen päivänlaskua ei voi
Translated into English by Herbert Lomas

Bookslut review
Review by Jeff Vandermeer
Review by Michael Swanwick
USA Today review

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Bookring participants: Olifant, BlossomU, MollyGrue and GoryDetails. Thank you! The book returned home safe and sound.
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23.5.2006
Bookray:
stormon, Sweden
Alvhyttan, Sweden
hshah, India

Journal Entry 2 by Olifant from Porthmadog, Wales United Kingdom on Monday, February 14, 2005
A Moominpappa card! And I have read that one, Tove Jansson's Moominpappa at Sea (Pappa Moem en de mysteriën van de zee) and loved it. Of course also looking forward to 'Not Before Sundown'. Thanks myntti!

Journal Entry 3 by Olifant from Porthmadog, Wales United Kingdom on Friday, February 18, 2005
We look at each other, me and the troll. The lamplight’s casting a pale halo around my head, and at my side Pessi is a dark silhouette. We look at each other and then at the mirror and then back at each other.

From the song Goldwing and Troll:
...he thinks and thinks: ‘Why is one the child of light, while the other loves the night?’

Interesting read. For me the story says that every human being has his dark sides, and because he is a moral being (in comparison with animals) he knows this and uses it. I also liked the form in which Sinisalo chooses to write the story: from different points of views (Angel, Palomita, Marti, Ecke and Dr Spiderman) and all the research about trolls in folktales, songs and poetry, newspapers, science, etc. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about Pessi as a chimpanzee and not as a mythical creature.

The book made me think of Peter Hoeg’s The woman and the ape.

Thanks for sharing myntti! Will send the book to BlossomU on Monday.

Journal Entry 4 by BlossomU on Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Just arrived! I am with another bookring at hands, but will start on this one when i finish it. Thanks myntti.

Journal Entry 5 by BlossomU on Monday, March 14, 2005
I just finished it, and it was pretty good. The storytelling method was unusual ( a bit like Minette Walters though she does not take it as far as JS) but keeps one interested - the drawback might be that the characters can feel a bit cold since we are only seeing some key moments of their lives. I would have enjoyed it even better if only I knew which of the historical-mythological references were true and which were totally made up, but in all the natural history created was very memorable.

Thanks for the ring myntti, book MollyGrue March 14th.

Journal Entry 6 by MollyGrue from Tacoma, Washington USA on Saturday, April 9, 2005
I do have a couple of rings ahead of this one, but I should get to it soon. Thanks!

Journal Entry 7 by MollyGrue from Tacoma, Washington USA on Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Good book. I did not know how this was going to play out, but I found it very understated and fast. I also really liked the format, though that took a bit to get used to.

Reserved for the next reader.

Journal Entry 8 by MollyGrue at In The Mail in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, May 7, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (5/7/2005 UTC) at In The Mail in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to Gorydetails. Happy reading!

DC# 03022940000169565585

Journal Entry 9 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, May 12, 2005
Not Before Sundown arrived safely in today's mail; many thanks! I'd been intrigued by this since I read myntti's first forum post about it; I'm looking forward to reading it, though I must admit that the little fuzzy-haired, bare-bottomed troll doll on the cover conveys rather a different impression than I'd expected {grin}.

Journal Entry 10 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, June 8, 2005
I absolutely loved this book! From the mix of point-of-view and documentary-evidence in the storytelling to the devastatingly clear descriptions - sketched with the utmost economy and yet making me incredibly aware of the details - plus the sensuality and the fear and the growing suspense... It's simply wonderful! I've already bought a copy of the US edition (titled Troll: A Love Story; I like this title better but what can you do?) to share, and may want another one to keep. Did I mention that I really loved this book?

I found that the descriptions of Pessi were so vivid that I could almost feel him myself - an armful of deceptively slight muscle and fur, reminding me more of a wild cat but in humanoid shape. The early chapters in which Angel learns how to care for him were very funny - except for the guinea pigs, of course; who was training whom, indeed? And some of the romantic complications were amusing at first, until it began to be clear just how self-centered most of the players were. (Very realistic, though; so often the one pursued has no interest in the pursuer, but is busily chasing someone else.) Ecke, bless him, does get some very good bits; early on he's ruminating on how each person (and animal) sees a city in a different way, from the fashion-conscious who see a string of storefronts to a dog who sees scents. Some lovely (and often funny) images in that bit.

I agree with some of the previous comments about the factual-sounding inserts - some of them were very tantalizing, and I find myself hoping that maybe there really is a Tom of Finland work titled Trolls and Fairies out there somewhere {grin}. I'd dearly love to know whether Calvin Klein cologne really does stimulate male ocelots to breed. And I got a big kick out of the faux news article "Wild Beasts Haunt Our Cities," as I'd recently read Beast in the Garden, about real-life predators-in-the-city situations, and found Sinisalo's version to be seamless...

The last section of the book, Part 5, was like a series of quick-cut film segments with ever-increasing tension; it was clear that something awful was going to happen but not how it would play out or who would survive. I don't want to give any spoilers, but will say that I was pleased with the ending, though a bit sad. And I give full marks to the author for seamlessly integrating her mythological creatures into a world that felt utterly real.

And whenever I smell juniper berries I'll think of Pessi...

Thanks again for sharing this one! It'll be on its way home to myntti in Finland tomorrow.

Journal Entry 11 by myntti from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Friday, July 22, 2005
The book arrived home safe and sound - many thanks to you all!

Journal Entry 12 by myntti from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Wednesday, June 7, 2006
The book gets its title from the song 'Päivänsäde ja menninkäinen'. If any of you would like to hear it, please PM me and I'll upload it for you.

Bookray:
stormon Sweden
Alvhyttan Sweden
hshah India

Journal Entry 13 by stormon from Storfors, Värmland Sweden on Saturday, June 10, 2006
The book arrived in my postbox yesterday and I´m really looking forward to reading it!
Thank you for sharing, myntti! and thanks for the beautiful card!

Journal Entry 14 by stormon from Storfors, Värmland Sweden on Friday, November 17, 2006
I can only agree with the former JEs. I really liked this book and I liked the form it is written.
I will pass it on to Alvhyttan tomorrow.
Thanks for sharing, myntti!

Journal Entry 15 by Alvhyttan from Nora, Västmanland Sweden on Saturday, November 18, 2006
Got the book today at a BC meeting in Örebro.
Thanks!

Looking forward to read it! :)

Journal Entry 16 by Alvhyttan from Nora, Västmanland Sweden on Saturday, November 25, 2006
A very special book! This mix between today’s life and the folktales that I grow up with, for me this hasn’t been possible, but here it is and I like it.
Sinisalo really plays around with those old tales. The picture in this journal is a painting by John Bauer and most of the stories about trolls I have heard are also about a young angel-like girl like the one in this picture; in this book there is a gay male Angel, I love that parallel. And there is one human-troll in this story, trolls that we do have in our modern society, he keeps a woman away from human life, which is another parallel that I like (but I don’t like those human-trolls).
Thanks for sharing this book myntti!
I have the address to hshah and will mail her the book on Monday, Nov. 27.

Journal Entry 17 by hshah from Mumbai, Maharashtra India on Saturday, December 16, 2006
Not Before Sundown arrived today, Thank you all for the weel-travelled book. Alvhyttan thanks very much for the lovely PostCard. Am going to take a while to begin this as i have just received another 60 books as part II of my M-Bag from Kitten22.

Journal Entry 18 by hshah at St Luke's Hospice, Kenton Road in Harrow, Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, January 22, 2009

Released 15 yrs ago (1/10/2009 UTC) at St Luke's Hospice, Kenton Road in Harrow, Greater London United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Since i have loads of books just lying around in the house, and i need room for more books ...............so a few go to charity.

Journal Entry 19 by hshah at St Luke's Hospice, Kenton Road in Harrow, Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, January 22, 2009
WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Since i have loads of books just lying around in the house, and i need room for more books ...............so a few go to charity.

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