Finding Maja...

For discussion of John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel Människohamn
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a_contemplative_life
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Finding Maja...

Post by a_contemplative_life » Sat Apr 09, 2011 11:10 am

Broke my heart. It was the best, a superb ending for a fabulous book. Loved it, the whole thing.
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intrige
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Re: Finding Maja...

Post by intrige » Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:18 pm

JAL said in a interview that when he first began to think of a new story that would end uo being Harbour. He thoight of the worst thing he could think os. And that was: Losing his child. No grave to go to, no aksplanation, just gone. The foundation of the story, very sad indeed. ;)
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Re: Finding Maja...

Post by shaggles » Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:32 pm

I agree the ending was great. Very exciting. I do have a question though. Mats says something like "There were people down there. They're all gone now." So why didn't they respond to the alarm? Only Krisstopher and his wife came out so I was thinking it was only them, Mats and Ingrid who were on the island when Anders returned with Maya.

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Re: Finding Maja...

Post by Nightrider » Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:59 pm

Since the novel's narrative switches between past and present, supernatural world and reality, some or all of the action in the book could be seen as a metaphor...simply of a father looking for his daughter. Nothing else. Which is what the book is about anyway. It was a Anders' single minded goal where nothing else mattered. Up untill the very end I wasn't sure if Maja was going to be found alive. Beautiful ending.
This is probably my favorite book by JAL.
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Re: Finding Maja...

Post by ashcakes185 » Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:25 am

pPWhen Mats says "There are People out there." He is referring to the "island" that rose up from the sea. This "island" is really the monster, as Anders calls it, that was creating false realities to keep people down with it in the sea on a false island. When the monster/island rose up all of the people who had disappeared or died mysteriously throughout the existence of Domaro were on it and could be seen through Mats' binoculars. He was not referring to anyone on Domaro with them. Anders had previously remembered that most people were at work or school. Hope this sheds some light, at least that's how I interpreted it. :)

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Re: Finding Maja...

Post by drakkar » Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:44 am

That is how I view it as well.

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Re: Finding Maja...

Post by Bustedstuff15 » Sun Nov 27, 2011 5:44 am

ashcakes185 wrote:pPWhen Mats says "There are People out there." He is referring to the "island" that rose up from the sea. This "island" is really the monster, as Anders calls it, that was creating false realities to keep people down with it in the sea on a false island. When the monster/island rose up all of the people who had disappeared or died mysteriously throughout the existence of Domaro were on it and could be seen through Mats' binoculars. He was not referring to anyone on Domaro with them. Anders had previously remembered that most people were at work or school. Hope this sheds some light, at least that's how I interpreted it. :)

I never thought of it that way. That makes a lot of sense.
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Re: Finding Maja...

Post by shaggles » Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:39 pm

ashcakes185 wrote:pPWhen Mats says "There are People out there." He is referring to the "island" that rose up from the sea. This "island" is really the monster, as Anders calls it, that was creating false realities to keep people down with it in the sea on a false island. When the monster/island rose up all of the people who had disappeared or died mysteriously throughout the existence of Domaro were on it and could be seen through Mats' binoculars. He was not referring to anyone on Domaro with them. Anders had previously remembered that most people were at work or school. Hope this sheds some light, at least that's how I interpreted it. :)

Hmm. I didn't get that at all. Unfortunately I've returned the book to the library so I can't read that bit again. I thought he was lamenting all the people who had died in the wave but you seem to be saying that people came back.

Oh wait. I just re-read my previous post. Are you saying there were people on the island when it rose up but then the wave washed them all away?

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