“The village has its own history, its characters, its legends. The characters and legends have long since gone and all that is left are people and events.” When I came across this quote on page 109 I could only agree with the statement. There is nothing mysterious about this book, nothing otherworldly about the people: they’re simply people with their own flaws and strengths, just like you and I. This is a story about missed opportunities and tough choices, about tales never told and being too late to turn the tide.

You slowly get the know the people of the village better and feel like you’re becoming one of them. It is impressive how the author can make you understand how each character came to be the way they are. None of them are living life to the fullest and many are miserable and not very optimistic about Iceland’s future. This is best illustrated by the sentence “We link our well-being too much to our consumption. We link our lives too much to our existence,” in the chapter When I’m Sixty-four, about a couple that grew apart. Throughout the book, the characters experience a feeling of flying and falling, often unconsciously, but for some slowly leading to understanding and acceptance. They all have someone to live for even if it is only for their shared memories.