Þórdís Helgadóttir

In the novel Armeló, Þórdís Helgadóttir takes the reader on a peculiar journey that is both fascinating, intricate, and thrilling. The book follows a woman who despises traveling more than anything else in the world. Yet, at the beginning of the story, Elfur finds herself in a small town somewhere in Europe with her husband, Birgir, in the middle of a summer heatwave. When Birgir suddenly disappears – taking all their luggage and the car they were using – she is left stranded. Elfur’s life has so far been marked by a lack of initiative, but this bizarre situation forces her to act. Before anyone realises, she sets off on foot, heading straight into the forest on a kind of pilgrimage, without knowing where she will ultimately end up. What follows is a multi-layered narrative about a journey on the border between fantasy and realism. The author skilfully employs mysticism, the golem metaphor, and the motif of the doppelgänger in an innovative way, partly to shed light on contemporary challenges.

Interwoven in the story is the technology company Nanoret, whose mission is to eradicate all eye diseases worldwide under the slogan “Seeing Clearly”. But what does it truly mean to see clearly? And what is the connection between stolen corneas and the company’s ambitions? What do we do when the truth is hidden beneath the surface, possibly beyond our reach? How do we handle a reality where deception appears more real than reality itself? And how do we approach truth in a world where we are so easily blinded by an overabundance of information? How well do we really know other people – or ourselves? Existential and metaphysical questions like these take centre stage in Armeló, powerfully woven together with reflections on personality, self-awareness, and identity. The novel also compellingly explores themes of empathy and betrayal.

The author invites the reader into a wild dance, spinning them through countless loops where the senses are challenged by unexpected twists, shifting perspectives, entertaining time travel, and a diverse cast of characters. With a blend of humour, poetic style, supernatural elements, and vivid imagery, Þórdís Helgadóttir has crafted an utterly captivating rollercoaster ride for curious and daring readers.

Þórdís Helgadóttir (b. 1981) studied philosophy, editing, and literary composition at the University of Iceland, Rutgers University, and the University of Bologna. Armeló is her debut novel, but she has previously published the poetry collection Tanntaka (2021) and the short story collection Keisaramörgæsir (2018), neither of which have been translated into English. She has also written for the stage and was employed as a playwright at the Reykjavik City Theatre (Borgarleikhúsið) during the 2019–2020 season. Þórdís is part of the six-woman writers collective Svikaskáld, which has published the poetry collection Ég er það sem ég sef (2024) and the novel Olía (2021), neither of which have been translated into English. She was awarded the Ljóðstafur Jóns úr Vör prize for poetry in 2021, and her works have been nominated for the Icelandic Literature Prize, as well as the Maístjarnan and Fjöruverðlaunin prizes.