Norma

Neat premise, but the writing was hard to follow (may have been because of the translation), the characters were not well developed, and the plot didn't hold my interest... There was a lot of unnecessarily keeping the reader in the dark about facts the characters knew just for the sake of “mystery,” which I hated. But, again, the premise was fun, and the ending was actually pretty good considering.

‘'He who controls dreams, controls the world. He who controls hair, controls women.''Hair has always been one of the major features that attract attention in women and men. Beautiful locks, lovely bangs, sleek ponytails, highlights, volume, curls....This book puts hair in the centre of the story, albeit in a different light. It is an unusual novel, innovative, modern, disturbing, unique. Having previously read [b:Purge 7029668 Purge Sofi Oksanen https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328822631l/7029668.SX50.jpg 3426310] by Sofi Oksanen and with [b:When the Doves Disappeared 22318383 When the Doves Disappeared Sofi Oksanen https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1408925040l/22318383.SX50.jpg 21384967] on hold (I've recently started it,actually), I couldn't wait to be one of the first to read her new novel.The title attracted me at once. ‘'Norma'' - a beautiful name- reminded me of the famous opera by Vincenzo Bellini, although the young heroine in Oksanen's novel couldn't be more different than the fiery priestess who was jilted by her lover and father of her children. In our novel, Norma is born with an unusual gift (curse?). She is able to understand the feelings of everyone she meets, their illnesses, their aches in body and soul.Her own hair responds by acquiring a life of its own. I cannot write much more because the spoilers are lurking, but you have to admit that it cannot get more original than that in terms of premise. Oksanen's writing is raw and poetic, beautiful and full of secrets, not unlike ‘'Purge''. However, while ‘'Norma'' isn't an easy book and is quite high in the levels of disturbing and weird, it cannot be compared to the sheer horror that is ‘'Purge''. And this is a trait that shows how significant Oksanen's offerings to the Literature of our times are. 3 books, all of them different, but all equally engaging, unique, with thick plots and interesting characters. ‘'Norma'' is definitely heavy on the magical realism element- which I adore- so if you don't like this genre, this book may not be for you. However, the way the story has been put together is so precise and so meticulously structured that I promise you won't find it odd. And if you do, remember that odd means ‘'not boring''. Oksanen tackles many issues in this book. The crown goes to the importance of hair through the ages. No matter the century, the country, the culture, the social status, all women have always desired the most beautiful hair they could get. Here, we are shown the hair types and hairstyles that are admired most in different corners of the world, the different cultural perspectives. And what happens when people understand that there is a need and a great demand for a specific ‘'product''? Commerce begins. And what follows it? Black market, most likely. Yes, Oksanen creates a rather intricate web of ‘'hair-mafia'' (for lack of a better word) that mainly operates in the regions of Finland, Russia and Ukraine and extends to many other countries. Now, I had never heard of anything similar before and I cannot verify how ‘'realistic'' this is, but I don't actually care since the way it is presented is both believable and plausible. This is good enough for me.Another issue that the writer stresses is the craving for a child. She weaves ‘'baby factories'' and illegal adoptions into the story, so we have two parallel narratives that are more connected that it initially seems. Depression is also a major theme. Depression that stems from being different, from a society that labels you as a ‘'freak'' and tries either to destroy you or to use you to its own benefits. And it will destroy you afterwards. The end is the same, the route may change, but the closure is almost guaranteed.If I had to name the ‘'weakest link'' of this book that is no less than exceptional, I'd choose the characters. I felt that I never really got to know them fully. I liked Norma. She was clever and brave and vulnerable, carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders. Alvar was also very interesting. He was a perfect mix of dangerous and dashing and his interactions with Norma were brilliant. However, the other characters such as Anita, Marion or the mysterious Helena were nothing to write home about, in my opinion. They were necessary for the plot to advance and that's about it. Having read some comments, I feel the need to say that you should give this book a chance. If you enjoy weird stories, if you love a combination of Magical Realism and Contemporary Fiction, then ‘'Norma'' is waiting. And after all, it's Sofi Oksanen. Just give it time and care and full attention. Many thanks to Knopf and Edelweiss for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.