The woman at 1,000 degrees - Hallgrmur Helgason

'The hottest new book from Iceland is The Woman at 1,000 Degrees... What a story it is.' Washington Post

Eighty-year old Herra Bjrnsson lies alone in her garage waiting to die. Oh, she has two weeks left, maybe three - she has booked her cremation appointment, at a blistering 1,000 degrees, so it won't be long. But until then she has her cigarettes, her laptop, a World War II grenade, and her memories to sustain her.

One of the most original narrators in literary history, Herra takes readers with her on a dazzling ride of a novel as she reflects - in a voice by turns darkly funny, poignant and always, always smart - on the mishaps, tragedies and turns of luck that shaped her life. And with a bawdy, uncompromising spirit, she has survived it all. As hilarious as it is heartbreaking, Hallgrmur Helgason tells the deeply moving story of a woman swept up by the forces of history.

Hallgrmur Helgason is an Icelandic painter, novelist, translator, and columnist. His first novel was published in 1990 and he came to international fame with his third novel, 101 Reykjavik, which was translated into fourteen languages and was made into a film. A father of three, he divides his time between Reykjavk and the island of Hrsey. Find out more at hallgrimurhelgason.com.

Brian FitzGibbon is a translator and author. He is the translator of 101 Reykjavik, also by Hallgrmur Helgason, and of Butterflies in November by Auur Ava lafsdttir, which was longlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 2014. He lives in Reykjavk.

'Published in 13 languages, this novel about one feisty Icelandic woman's proximity to history's big moments is a thoroughly entertaining ride.'

'A blitzkrieg of a novel. Funny, shrewd and reliably rude. This hugely entertaining tale is surely destined for classic status.'

'In this black-humoured novel...the narrator recounts her misshapen life with engaging vividness.'

'Breathtaking. Herra's life, and voice, is deeply compelling.'

'The hottest new book from Iceland. [Herra's] perspective might be just what we need in these uncertain times: She survives and shares her story on her terms. And what a story it is, one worth reading to further understand the complexity of World War II - and to enjoy the quick wit of a woman you won't forget.'

'The Woman at 1,000 Degrees is incredibly funny, incredibly insightful and incredibly moving.'

'What a novel! Helgason's Woman at 1,000 Degrees is a gutsy, brilliant book: I could not tear myself away from it. Octogenarian Herra Bjrnsson's dying recollections, as she lies nursing a hand grenade between her legs in an Icelandic garage, hurtle the reader headfirst into an epic narrative of war, loss, desire and survival, across years and continents. Both funny and deeply moving, I finished it utterly dazzled, my ears ringing.'

'One of the most original novels of the year.'

'An explosive experience.'

'By turns funny, sweet, gripping and sad but never sentimental, Helgason's work...is a sensitive tale of a nearly lived life.'

'Herra.is exceedingly quick-witted and has a wickedly colorful way with words. Brilliantly written with flashing insights.'

'The Woman at 1,000 Degrees is a bold work of fiction that gnaws at the silence blanketing the blackest holes of humanity to lay bare the author's dark vision of truth.'

'This novel is a shock, a laugh, an evocation of grief, and a tribute to survival and imagination.'

'Helgason's sad and funny novel begins in 2009, as 80-year-old Herra Bjrnsson lies dying in a Reykavk garage, still in possession of a live hand grenade from World War II...In her unsentimental, unsparing narrative, she offers insights into Icelandic culture and character, including a riff on reticence and a brief summary of Iceland's financial meltdown. Like the Icelandic landscape, she can be both appealing and treacherous.'

'Compelling.uplifting.required reading for those who want sour along with the sweet of life.'

'A very enjoyable story.a terrific read. Herra is a great character; she is bawdy, at times outright vulgar and mischievous.'

'Gripping, darkly comic, and utterly original.'

'Icelandic novelist Helgason shares with John Irving a knack for masterful plotting and clever, sarcastic humour...anyone willing to...revel in its flights of language will find much to enjoy.'

'Helgason's characters are rare beauties. One falls for his absurd fantasies immediately.'

'Long after I read it, the story and its prickly protagonist has stayed with me.'

'You don't know her yet, but she already despises you. With a biting humour, she examines love, marriage, sex, politics, and those who practice them.'

'Extraordinarily absorbing and enjoyable. The story revolves around a woman who lived ahead of her time. Many young women would idealize Herra Bjrnsson. At the same time, it gives an insight into life during World War II.'