Ulysse's Reviews > The Other Name: Septology I-II

The Other Name by Jon Fosse
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bookshelves: 2024, breathing-authors, novels, re-verse-views, lost-in-translation


Triplegänger Insomnia Ballade

I have two hours lain in bed
And I can’t seem to get to sleep
There’s so much thinking in my head
Why even bother count the sheep?
I say my prayers and I weep
Sliding wooden beads along
A string of memories so deep—
In Norway nights are very long

I have two hours lain in bed
And I can’t seem to get to sleep
There’s so much drinking in my head
I feel so helpless I could weep
The hidden bottles that I keep
Sing to me their siren song
I think I’ll take a tiny sip—
In Norway nights are very long

I have two hours lain in bed
And I can’t seem to get to sleep
There’s so much reading in my head
I’ve frightened off my snow-white sheep
But there’s no reason for to weep
Well-nigh have I finished my song
And my poor brain it just went bleep—
In Norway nights are very long

L'Envoi
Sleep, pray summon your man Philippe
By sounding your imperial gong
And let us in your castle keep—
In Norway nights are very long!
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Reading Progress

Started Reading
March 30, 2024 – Shelved as: 2024
March 30, 2024 – Shelved
March 30, 2024 – Shelved as: breathing-authors
March 30, 2024 – Shelved as: novels
March 30, 2024 – Shelved as: re-verse-views
March 30, 2024 – Shelved as: lost-in-translation
March 30, 2024 – Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-24 of 24 (24 new)

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message 1: by Laysee (new)

Laysee Ulysse, I love the refrain: "In Norway, nights are very long." In Norway, the days are very long too. I was there one summer and the sun never seemed to set. :) I continue to marvel at how you write your reviews in verse.


message 2: by Mark (new)

Mark Porton I keep reading your reviews because I'm convinced you'll get this old bastard to appreciate poetry more Ulysse, nice one mate - this was good!


Ulysse Laysee wrote: "In Norway, the days are very long too. I was there one summer and the sun never seemed to set."

Oh yeah I didn't even think of that! Must be hard to sleep in Summer there too.

Verses comes naturally to me. In fact I need to write in fixed forms, otherwise I find I don't have much to say :-))


Ulysse Mark wrote: "I keep reading your reviews because I'm convinced you'll get this old bastard to appreciate poetry more Ulysse, nice one mate - this was good!"

Thanks Mark :-) I believe that poetry is for bastards and bastardesses of all ages and walks of life.


nastya This is just awesome, Ulysse. Somehow in just a few verses you caught the mood of the book perfectly.


Nick Grammos Hmm, there are three Asles, you say.
And I have the last five books to get through, still. This was a rich reading experience, But I need time between them all.


Ulysse nastya wrote: "This is just awesome, Ulysse. Somehow in just a few verses you caught the mood of the book perfectly."

Oh thank you nastya, I'm so glad! It is quite the moody book, don't you think?


Ulysse Nick wrote: "Hmm, there are three Asles, you say.
And I have the last five books to get through, still. This was a rich reading experience, But I need time between them all."


Le troisième Asle, c'est moi ;-)
I know what you mean. I have the seven novels in a single volume, a seven-novel sentence! I also had to take a breather after the first two. I will resume sometime in the not-so-distant future.


Nick Grammos Ulysse wrote: "Nick wrote: "Hmm, there are three Asles, you say.
And I have the last five books to get through, still. This was a rich reading experience, But I need time between them all."

Le troisième Asle, c'..."


I knew it was you, I just had to coax you out!


Ulysse Aargh! Tricked again by that trickster Nick!


message 11: by Nick (last edited Mar 30, 2024 11:43PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Nick Grammos I read the first two in one volume and couldn't get the same set up for the next lot. I had to buy something that feels and looks like a building block. it feels unpleasant in the hand. Online purchase while I said I was too busy to look for it.


Ulysse Nick wrote: "I read the first two in one volume and couldn't get the same set up for the next lot. I had to buy something that feels and looks like a building block. it feels unpleasant in the hand. Online purc..."

Is that the Fitzcarraldo one-volume edition? That's the one I have. Building block is right. I must admit though I do like the feel of a nine hundred page sentence in my hand. Makes me feel so...palaverous.


message 13: by Nick (new) - rated it 5 stars

Nick Grammos Ulysse wrote: "Nick wrote: "I read the first two in one volume and couldn't get the same set up for the next lot. I had to buy something that feels and looks like a building block. it feels unpleasant in the hand..."

That is a lovely word, palaverous.

Yes, I have the purply-blue, Fitzcarraldo, too. Is it cornflower blue, lavender blue?


Ulysse Nick wrote: "Ulysse wrote: "Nick wrote: "I read the first two in one volume and couldn't get the same set up for the next lot. I had to buy something that feels and looks like a building block. it feels unpleas..."

I believe it's called Klein Blue.


message 15: by Nick (new) - rated it 5 stars

Nick Grammos Wow, invented by Yves Klein, an artist. I like that. I had to look it up.


Ulysse Nick wrote: "Wow, invented by Yves Klein, an artist. I like that. I had to look it up."

Hope you enjoyed going down that rabbit-hole, Nick.


message 17: by Fionnuala (new) - added it

Fionnuala When you recite your pater nosters
In ballade, sestina, or villanelle,
Your readers feel their senses charmed
By the magic of their fix-ed forms.

For Fosse they are doubly apt
His pater nosters triply w-rapped.


Ulysse Fionnuala wrote: "When you recite your pater nosters
In ballade, sestina, or villanelle,
Your readers feel their senses charmed
By the magic of their fix-ed forms.

For Fosse they are doubly apt
His pater nosters ..."


Now this comment is what I call a trifoliate rose! God bless you, Fionnuala.


message 19: by Fionnuala (new) - added it

Fionnuala Wishing you a blooming Easter too, Ulysse!
By the way, who is the Philippe who crept in to your last verse?


message 20: by Ulysse (last edited Mar 31, 2024 05:35AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Ulysse Fionnuala wrote: "Wishing you a blooming Easter too, Ulysse!
By the way, who is the Philippe who crept in to your last verse?"


Happy Easter to you, Fionnuala!

Philippe is Lord Sleep's lone castle guard. This lazy-eyed, slipper-wearing night watchman oversees the opening and closing of the portcullis of senseless bliss.

He is also Sleep's double, but because he speaks with a lisp, when he tries to pronounce his name it comes out sounding like Philippe.


nastya Ulysse wrote: "nastya wrote: "This is just awesome, Ulysse. Somehow in just a few verses you caught the mood of the book perfectly."

Oh thank you nastya, I'm so glad! It is quite the moody book, don't you think?"


Moody, circular and repetitive!


Ulysse Absolutely nastya!


David Damn right, so much going through my head too. Well said Ulysse


message 24: by Ulysse (last edited Apr 05, 2024 07:02AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Ulysse Thanks David. This is one of those novels where you feel like you’re trapped inside of somebody else’s head. I liked it but it was quite intense and I was glad to step out for a breath of fresh air. Will definitely finish the Septology at some point.


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