Three young people, born thousands of miles apart, each cut themselves adrift from their birthplaces and set out to discover what - or who - might anchor them in their lives. Over the course of the next ten years, Noah, Joyce, and an unnamed narrator will each settle for a time in Montreal, their paths almost criss-crossing and their own stories weaving in and out of other wondrous tales, about such things as a pair of fearsome female pirates, a team of urban archaeologists, several enormous tuna fish, a mysterious book without a cover, and a broken compass whose needle obstinately points to the north Alaskan village of Nikolski. Intricately plotted and shimmering with originality, Nikolski charts the curious courses of migration that can eventually lead to home.
Nikolski
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Review
'Dickner excites the imagination of the reader to the point of ecstasy' - Le Monde
-- Review
'Stylish, offbeat, poignant, and perceptive' - David Mitchell -- Review
-- Review
'Stylish, offbeat, poignant, and perceptive' - David Mitchell -- Review
Review
'Dickner excites the imagination of the reader to the point of ecstasy' - Le Monde
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By MisterKeith
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
OK, so I got this because it had a quote from David Mitchell on the cover. And, yes, you should never read a book because of a quote on the cover - context etc.
That said, I'm so glad that I did. Every so often, I watch one of those "arty" films where nothing ever happens - "Lantana" springs to mind - and I tend to come out wishing I'd gone to see Chuck Norris kicking the living daylights out of someone instead. This book is the literary equivalent of one of those films: there's no "action", there's not much in the way of plot, no-one dies. The major difference between, say, "Lantana" and "Nikolski" is that none of this matters. What this story is absolutely packed with is characters and character development, and it's a treat from start to finish. The writing is often beautiful, and the characters, whilst quirky, never cross the line into irritating.
The ending may annoy some readers, as it leaves several loose ends untied but I'm actually glad that it does, since you can apply your own interpretation.
In the last few months, I've read detective novels, autobiographies, murder mysteries and musical biographies (amongst others): no one book gripped me and made me want to carry on reading like "Nikolski" did.
A rare pleasure.
That said, I'm so glad that I did. Every so often, I watch one of those "arty" films where nothing ever happens - "Lantana" springs to mind - and I tend to come out wishing I'd gone to see Chuck Norris kicking the living daylights out of someone instead. This book is the literary equivalent of one of those films: there's no "action", there's not much in the way of plot, no-one dies. The major difference between, say, "Lantana" and "Nikolski" is that none of this matters. What this story is absolutely packed with is characters and character development, and it's a treat from start to finish. The writing is often beautiful, and the characters, whilst quirky, never cross the line into irritating.
The ending may annoy some readers, as it leaves several loose ends untied but I'm actually glad that it does, since you can apply your own interpretation.
In the last few months, I've read detective novels, autobiographies, murder mysteries and musical biographies (amongst others): no one book gripped me and made me want to carry on reading like "Nikolski" did.
A rare pleasure.
By Richard Hammond
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I've tried hard to enjoy this book but found I'd had to re-read the opening chapter three times, such was the lag between read attempts. The story is clearly well written, the David Mitchell (writer not comic) endorsement got me interested but the characters never came alive. That's not to say they won't for you.
By Mysay
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed the book. Read it.
There are lots of loose ends, lots of far fetched confluences, and lots of interesting characters left hanging.
It is a tribute that I loved all the characters (even the minor ones)and would have loved to know more about them. The author is cleary very talented.
In the end I took the book for what I guess it intended to do, saying something about the way people and events flow around each other and how we only ever get fragments of a big and complex picture. It had echoes of what I have found in researching family genealogy. Perhaps when we are all absorbed in Facebook, Twitter, and Friends and Genes reunited etc. the day will dawn when all is resolved - but perhaps not.
There are lots of loose ends, lots of far fetched confluences, and lots of interesting characters left hanging.
It is a tribute that I loved all the characters (even the minor ones)and would have loved to know more about them. The author is cleary very talented.
In the end I took the book for what I guess it intended to do, saying something about the way people and events flow around each other and how we only ever get fragments of a big and complex picture. It had echoes of what I have found in researching family genealogy. Perhaps when we are all absorbed in Facebook, Twitter, and Friends and Genes reunited etc. the day will dawn when all is resolved - but perhaps not.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good read, but ends badly
An original and interesting novel, quite nicely written, with quirky characters. It does have several annoying aspects though, such as a certain reliance on improbability and... Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2010 by BookWorm
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good novel set in North America
I found the book to be good, but not amazing. It kept me gripped but not enthralled.
In short, the nameless narrator has a compass given to him by his now deceased... Read more
In short, the nameless narrator has a compass given to him by his now deceased... Read more
Published on 19 Aug 2010 by P. Sharpe
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cross Canada Fishing Tale
Every character in this light comedy-satire seems to be fishing for something, although not necessarily fish or even in water. Read more
Published on 28 May 2010 by Friederike Knabe
4.0 out of 5 stars
I loved it
This book is packed full of imaginative ideas. It's quirky and intersting, like its characters. There's some wonderful use of language too. A good read.
Published on 26 Oct 2009 by Mr. Rob Collins
3.0 out of 5 stars
Clever but lacking heart
As other reviews have mentioned, this is a story about parallel mostly non-intersecting lives.
The people in the book lead odd lives without being extra-ordinary, and the book... Read more
The people in the book lead odd lives without being extra-ordinary, and the book... Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2009 by A. I. Mackenzie
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nikolski
An interesting book that looked at the lives and situations of many characters that crossed paths at various points in the story. Read more
Published on 19 July 2009 by Philip Hale
2.0 out of 5 stars
Whimsical to the point of lacking any real plot
In the city of Montreal, three people's lives intertwine in ways they aren't even aware of. By day, Joyce works in a fish shop, but as night falls she pursues her dream of becoming... Read more
Published on 28 Jun 2009 by Karura
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not all that wanders is lost... but Nikolski may just be
This is a strange little book, and that seems to sell lately. Normally, if I was to write of a book that it is vague, has a tendency to wander all the over the place and, having... Read more
Published on 21 May 2009 by Christopher Halo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well written without being heavy
This is a fabulous tale of people skimming along the surface of society. That might make it sound worthy and right-on, but it isn't. It's silly, and irreverant, and mellow. Read more
Published on 17 April 2009 by Maclennane
4.0 out of 5 stars
Quirky
Extremely readable, I managed to finish this in one afternoon. Nikolski is about 3 people, Noah, Joyce and one unnamed character who all live in Montreal and are all related... Read more
Published on 16 April 2009 by Rubbah
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