This was my first experience reading Per Petterson and I found his writing to certainly be almost poetic, it had a sort of flow and descriptiveness to it that really transported me to the Danish and Norwegian locales in To Siberia. It was a slow start for me as the first part of the book introduces us to Jesper and his sister, whom we never learn her actual name but who is the main character throughout the book. The stories of the children's life in a seaside town in Denmark are enjoyable in themselves but together they seem to be disjointed and jump around in time which got a little confusing. Petterson paints a beautiful picture of the relationship between these siblings and what takes place when Jesper joins the resistance movement and flees his sister. The "meat" of the story was captivating and kept me wanting to come back for me but then again towards the end of the book I wasn't as attentive and the flow seemed to have been lost. Overall To Siberia paints a fairly dark and bleak picture of this family and their struggles but the writing seemed masterful and made the read quite enjoyable where perhaps a less talented writer would fail to capture my attention with the same story. ( )

This was a relatively short novel at 245 pages from the Norwegian author of ‘Out Stealing Horses’ which I thought was promising. This is actually an earlier novel, just more recently translated. It is a fragmented non-linear story from the point of view of a Danish woman reminiscing about her childhood before WW2, her relationship with her brother, Jesper, who joins the Nazi resistance movement and disappears from her life, and her troubled, lonely present. I found it fairly difficult to follow – a frustrating read – because there was some beautiful imagery and memorable scenes, but ultimately, for me, it did not all hang together well.

Petterson has a knack for using relatively spare prose to great effect. Well-done were the vignettes of the children laying on the cows bodies in the barn, when they confront their grandfather in the bar, when Jesper falls from the rocks into the sea. Unfortunately, as our protagonist reaches adulthood, the magic of the narrative is lost and the central conflict of the story is muddled. It is unclear to the reader exactly why she acts as she does and consequently, I found myself losing interest. At best the disjointed style and all the Scandinavian names and places were difficult to follow – but when the story began to lose focus, I really struggled to stay engaged.

Overall, I would say this has fragments of brilliance, but ultimately is not great. I would read ‘Out Stealing Horses’ instead. In some ways, although the story is different, this is an embryonic version of ‘Horses’. Petterson is a talented writer that ultimately has the potential to write a masterpiece, in my opinion. However, this earlier work tries too hard to be poetic and profound, and forgets to tell a cogent, interesting story. Nonetheless, I really appreciated the opportunity to be a LibraryThing early reviewer of this selection. ( )

"To Siberia" is a stunning novel about the relationship between a Danish brother and sister. The setting is a fishing town during and after the occupation by the Nazis. Petterson's writing is absolutely poetic. His use of language illuminates this fairly dark story with light, the light of perfect metaphors and phrasing which tugs at the heartstrings of the reader. I strongly recommend this novel whose themes include: family, the many forms of love, loyalty, and the determination to follow one's dreams, or not. Read it! ( )

I first encountered Per Petterson when I read his novel, “Out Stealing Horses.” I was overwhelmed by his prose and his character development and did not want the story to end. So I was eager to read “To Siberia.” Yes, again I experienced his wonderful way with words…the ability to create a scene that is so descriptive that you are immersed in the sensation. Yet, I wanted this story to end. It was almost too much for me. I was chilled to the bone by it…physically and emotionally. Set in a seaside village in Denmark during World War II and the German occupation, the main characters are in a situation that imprisons them. But they are also imprisoned by their sterile relationships. Early on, there is a suicide and I felt the despair and hopelessness of the character…but that sense of isolation, hopelessness and despair continued for me throughout the story. The story is told by a young girl, that you know only as “Sistermine” the endearing term used by her brother, Jespers, when they are together. Her relationship with her brother is the only connection she seems to have throughout the story. The chapters depicting their childhood together are precise and beautiful in conveying the tie that binds them. Later, when her brother leaves, you and Sistermine are lost, adrift in a sea of waiting that was never resolved for me. In the end, I closed the book with a heaviness that hung over me. ( )

After struggling initially to connect with the characters, by part two of the book, I was completely intertwined in the story and the relationship of Jesper and his sister. This is a story of the love that exists between a brother and sister, life when they are able to share it, and life apart from each other. It's a story of war and it's affects on families. It's a story of desperation and loss. "Sistermine" struggles without the companionship of Jesper and just sort of drifts through life. Together, though, their relationship is beautiful.

Petterson was able to draw me in with his vivid and wonderful portrayal of the intimacy between siblings. And although the ending of the book was somewhat sudden, it really brought a sense of reality and just fit. Good read. ( )