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We, The Drowned [Paperback]

Carsten Jensen , Charlotte Barslund
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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Book Description

7 April 2011

In 1848 a motley crew of Danish sailors sets sail from the small island town of Marstal to fight the Germans. Not all of them return - and those who do will never be the same. Among them is the daredevil Laurids Madsen, who promptly escapes again into the anonymity of the high seas.

Spanning four generations, two world wars and a hundred years, We, The Drowned is an epic tale of adventure, ruthlessness and passion.


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Product details

  • Paperback: 704 pages
  • Publisher: Vintage (7 April 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0099512963
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099512967
  • Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 4.1 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 27,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

"A magnificent addition to the canon of seafaring writing, a brilliant new reworking of the ancient theme...the pages glow with wonderfully imagined pictures... The language is all you could hope for in a sea novel: sinewy and simple, often surprisingly beautiful" (Vanora Bennett The Times )

"Carsten Jensen is unquestionably one of the most exciting authors writing in Scandinavia today. I always look forward hugely to his books. He is, in my opinion, an utterly unique story-teller" (Henning Mankell )

"An epic tale" (Independent )

"A novel of immense authority and ambition and beauty, by a master storyteller at the height of his powers. This is a book to sail into, to explore, to get lost in, but it is also a book that brings the reader, dazzled by wonders, home to the heart from which great stories come. Meet Carsten Jensen halfway and you're spellbound" (Joseph O'Connor )

"Impressive... one of the more engrossing literary voyages of recent years... rich, powerful and rewarding" (Financial Times )

Book Description

A magnificent epic of war, the sea, and the men and women caught in its powerful grasp.

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Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am a middle aged woman and I bought this book second hand as I was going on a week to Denmark and wanted something topical. The subject was not one I would ever have dreamt of picking up. I was dreading having to read it and put it off until I was in the plane to C'hagen with nothing else to read. I never read mariner stories and thought I had very little interest in them or in the sea. I avoid boats and waves at all costs. But this book is fabulous. I really can't recommend it highly enough. Beautifully written, gripping not just with sea adventures, but with an enormous scope....of human lives, motivations and morality. It will be a classic. I can't do it justice. Pick it up and read it. Every time I put it down I would bore my whole family with how it is the best book that I have ever read, and I read a lot!!
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A salty epic that may become a modern classic 9 Jun 2010
By Ripple TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
This is truly an epic tale, covering nearly a century from 1848, when Laurids Madsen and other men of the small Danish Baltic town of Marstal go to war to fight the Germans, up to the end of the second world war. The main focus is on Laudris' son Albert Madsen, whose sea-faring adventures include shipwrecking and cannibal attacks as he searches for his lost father and in so doing realises more about his own self. On his return he establishes himself as a sea captain and ship owner, and in old age, befriends the second main character, Knud Erik Friis, a small boy who grows up to become a sailor himself against his mother's wishes. It is through his eyes that we see the Second World War, as he becomes a man and, along with other Marstal natives, fights against the Nazis.

We follow Albert through nearly his entire life, and watch Knud grow up. For most of the book there is the almost ghost like narration of an unseen chorus, the "we" of the title that just adds to the novel's captivating tone. The other main voice of the author is the middle part of this huge book told in the first person by Albert himself as he quests to find his father. This is just as well-written.

There's a strong supporting cast as well including Knud's childhood friend Anton, the Terror of Marstal, Klara, Knud's slightly scary mother, Herman the Seagull Killer, and Albert's captain Jack Lewis. And then of course, there's the sea with it's promise of riches and adventure and ever-present threat of death ....

The book is an epic in every sense. It's sprawling, far reaching and encompassing a variety of kinds of stories. It's an adventure story, a romance, a coming-of-age story, a war tale, a drama, and a comedy. But what stands out is the quality of the writing. And the final pages are sublime. It may be a monster in length, but it's never dull and gripping throughout. Surely a candidate for this year's literary prizes? I cannot recommend this highly enough.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible book 26 May 2012
Format:Paperback
Until recently, my reading has been restricted to non-fiction during a research project and this book probably gained something in my estimation because of this. I bought it about a year ago and have been itching to read it as I found the subject matter appealing, which was confirmed when I read a few random passages prior to purchase. I was also attracted by the interesting cover design and blueing on the pages made it stand out in the historical fiction section of the book shop.

I had thought that I may have built it up too much in my mind due to this long wait but 'We, The Drowned' did not disappoint me. In fact, it exceeded my expectations and is a marvellous book. Jensen writes in a deceptively simplistic style that makes it a very easy read. Indeed, I was surprised that it was translated from Danish as the narrative flows so well in English and I think Charlotte Barslund and Emma Ryder (Jensen's translators) deserve a mention for their excellent work in this regard.

I found the subject matter utterly compelling with a selection of stories and different characters covering the period between 1848-1945. The first 200 pages were fantastic and, while it slowed a little after that, it rapidly regained pace when the character of Knud Erik became the main focus of the narrative.

The storyline covers an immense range of topics (including three major wars) but excels when it comes to examining the characters and motives of the main protagonists. The fact that I missed some characters (such as Laurids and Albert Madsen) as they fell by the wayside reveals what a good job the author has done in this regard. Jensen doesnt shy away from tales of violence, war, murder, loss and cruelty in this book and they exert a disturbingly magnetic appeal. Yet there is also a great deal of humour concerned and this combination makes his work a fascinating and exciting read.

This is an incredible book that covers a wide range of subject matter in epic fashion. At 693 pages, some readers might find it's size intimidating but the text is easily good enough to sustain the reader's interest throughout. Indeed, I read it avidly and my only disappointment is that it wasn't longer.

Jensen deserves the excellent reviews he has received and this may well become a classic as some reviewers have already commented. This is an exceptional historical novel and deserves to do very well indeed.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Salty as a Centurions Shield!
I was in the Merchant Navy for 13 years and I'm very proud and honored to have had the opportunity. When someone that hasn't sailed asks me "why the fascination and love of the... Read more
Published 8 days ago by Stephen King
5.0 out of 5 stars Very, very very good
This book is incredibly good. Full of long diversions around the world, hundreds of characters, decade after decade and generation after generation. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Keffin
5.0 out of 5 stars A voyage in time and across the seas
I have to echo the positive reviews here to say that this is a truly magical book. Epic in scope, it spans four generations and crosses many seas. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cromarty Forth Tyne
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book!
Epic novel and a page turner. The descriptions are amazing but not for the faint of heart. If you want a good book this it it.
Published 3 months ago by Kristina
5.0 out of 5 stars Epic
Beautiful, touching, exciting and fascinating. Could not reccomend it enough to those who love the sea and are interested in human nature.
Published 4 months ago by Joseph Caston
3.0 out of 5 stars good idea
It was a good idea behind it. I liked it at the beginning and I was glad I read it in the end. But it was a bit long in the middle...
Published 5 months ago by A Gutierrez-Sosa
4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling but odd
I like this book, or at least, I found it interesting and found it hard to put to put down until I had finished the last page. Was I entertained by it? No, I don't think I was. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Reddhead
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping Read
I really enjoyed reading this book. The translation is good in that it reads very smoothly (I don't know how close to the original it is). Read more
Published 8 months ago by tashatt
4.0 out of 5 stars A bountiful book
This is a mix of "Moby Dick" and "One Hundred Years of Solitude" without being quite as good as either. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Too many books
4.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect
Was really looking forward to reading this book and got into it quickly on a long journey. The first couple of main characters are involved in some great stories, brilliantly... Read more
Published 14 months ago by M
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