Earthlight (2024)

★★★★★ "...fabulous empathy and intensity,..."

“When it comes to contemporary Icelandic poetry, I am an ardent fan of Gerdur Kristny. I think she is an absolutely brilliant poet, and she certainly does not disappoint here. ... I recommend everyone read each poem twice—not once, but twice. Because every word matters.”

★★★★★ (four and a half stars out of five possible) “From her first poetry book, Ísfrétt, it was clear that a remarkable poet had stepped into the spotlight ... Earthlight is no exception—a brilliant poetry collection that I haven’t finished reading, even though I’ve already read it. ... In short, the poems in this book deal with injustice and cruelty, with humanity and folly, with sorrow and joy, with people and nature. In these poems, not everything is as it seems, as is often the case with great literature.”

“Gerdur Kristny is without a doubt one of Iceland’s best poets. Every word is deliberate, her chiseled sentences vibrant, painting vivid and beautifully drawn images. She also has an incredible knack for uncovering unexpected and unique perspectives. This is especially evident when she draws inspiration from ancient Norse mythology or the Icelandic sagas. ... But Gerdur Kristny’s work is at its most powerful and profound when she turns to depicting the tragic fates of women. Her compassion and understanding are absolute, yet there is no hyperbole or sermonizing, quite the opposite. She portrays human frailty without judgment, but we always sense the innocence of the victim, the one who did not deserve the fate they received. ... a remarkable poetry collection ...”

“I find the poetic language she has been refining for many, many years—resonating with echoes of Eddaic meter, alliteration, and concise, vivid imagery—absolutely captivating. She has completely mastered it with extraordinary skill.”