The Cacao Quest (2023)

The Cacao Quest (2023)

A tragicomic love and travel story, teeming with colourful characters and humorous twists.

Hjalti finds himself at a crossroads, uncertain about his life's direction after a painful breakup with his girlfriend. Plagued by sleep troubles and haunted by imaginary bed bugs, he's on the verge of exhaustion. One fateful night he knocks on his neighbours' door to complain about party noise. Unexpectedly, he is warmly welcomed into a self-help group, where meditation and cocoa have a surprisingly positive effect on him. Before he knows it, Hjalti is on his way to a retreat in a remote part of Iceland with The Cacao Collective. However, among the glaciers and black deserts, he quickly realises that the group's charismatic leader doesn't think that the national park's rules apply to them, and the group quickly gets into trouble with the authorities – and then each other.

In The Cacao Quest, Gudrun Brjansdottir fearlessly examines her own generation with a blend of dark humour, tenderness, insight, and unflinching accuracy. The novel's main character is self-absorbed, burdened by climate concerns, and conflict-avoidant. However, despite his flaws, Hjalti's inherent goodness endears him to readers and like many others he is on a quest for that elusive, whimsical happiness.

THE 2024 AUDIO BOOK AWARD AS THE BEST COMMERCIAL FICTION The work [...] is influential, yet simultaneously entertaining contemporary fiction where the author plays with familiar themes such as covid, mindfulness, and the anticipation of those who become ensnared in the hedonistic race of social media. In the book, we meet Hjalti, a young man drawn into the world of cocoa-induced meditation clubs after a difficult breakup.

The narrative is smooth yet challenging as it brings out the complexities of depression and isolation. The characters, especially the confused Hjalti, come alive in Arnmundur Ernst Backman's reading, capturing the anxiety and existential crisis of the young man in a way that transforms a good book into a memorable experience. JURY'S VERDICT

English sample translation. Danish translation.