Critical Approaches to Sjón North of the Sun

'With his multifaceted output ranging from the tale of a shape-shifting fox to a Viking revenge epic, Sjón is one of the most creative figures in Scandinavia - and in the world - today. In this capacious collection of essays, readers and moviegoers who have encountered Sjón in one of his many metamorphoses will find illuminating insights into the full range of the work of the writer whose name means "Vision."'  

David Damrosch, Ernest Bernbaum Professor of Comparative Literature, Harvard University

'Since I first discovered his books, few authors have fascinated and puzzled me more than Sjón. This anthology offers invaluable insights, concepts and tools for all readers who have ever had the immense pleasure of getting lost in his dark, funny, morbid, surreal, beautiful, and stunningly original works.'

Anders M. Gullestad, Associate Professor of Scandinavian Literature, University of Bergen

'Admirers of Sjón's written artistry are well-served by this volume's timely gathering of capable Icelandic and international critics and writers. Using diverse theoretical methodologies, these lucid examinations illumine Sjón's weird-and-wonderful imaginary, the strangeness of its ordinariness, its philosophical and ethical conundrums, and its abiding sensitivity toward life's misfits and marginals.' 

Anne Brydon, ethnographer and cultural analyst, Wilfrid Laurier University

'By bringing together experts from various theoretical backgrounds, and by harmonizing their insights into a finely structured framework, the book Critical Approaches to Sjón skillfully navigates its reader through the multifaceted world of one of the most intriguing artists of today. It is an invaluable resource for both academics and fans of Sjón's art, and I gladly endorse it.'

Ieva Steponaviciut Aleksiejunien , Head of the Centre for Scandinavian Studies, Vilnius University

'A timely publication on one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Icelandic literature. This intriguing collection of essays gives valuable insights into Sjón's labyrinthine oeuvre, which is steeped in surrealism, esotericism, fantasy, cyberpunk, folklore, and myth, and ranges from his early avant-garde poetry to his later historical novels and film scripts.'

Benedikt Hjartarson, University of Iceland