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Jar City

Jar City. Arnaldúr Indridason, 2000. Iceland. Republic, island, North Atlantic Ocean, Icelandic 318,452 people on 1. January 2011 Reykjavik, capital city, around 120,000 people Climate: mild, warmed by Gulf Stream Geological fault line: lava fields, geysers, volcanoes

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Jar City

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  1. Jar City Arnaldúr Indridason, 2000

  2. Iceland • Republic, island, North Atlantic Ocean, Icelandic • 318,452 people on 1. January 2011 • Reykjavik, capital city, around 120,000 people • Climate: mild, warmed by Gulf Stream • Geological fault line: lava fields, geysers, volcanoes • Few forests, farming along the coast line • Thingvellir – the Althing • Arctic foxes, whales, nesting sea birds, puffins

  3. Reykjavik – “Bay of Smokes” Established by the Norseman Ingolfúr Arnason around AD 870 The city was founded in 1786 as a trading town Greater Reykjavik ~200,000 people Shortest day: 4 hours of daylight, Summer: night almost as bright as the day 1986 Reykjavik Summit – Reagan and Gorbachev Björk, Sigur Rós

  4. Iceland - History • End of 9th century – Ingolfúr Arnason • Norwegians, migrants from British Isles • 930: the Althing, world’s first parliamentary system • 1262 Norwegian control • Kalmar Union 1397 – Denmark, Norway, Sweden • Remained under Danish rule in 1814 • 1874 Constitution • 1904: Home Rule • 1918: recognized as sovereign state • Occupied by British and American troops during WW2 • June 17th, 1944: Republic of Iceland • UN 1946, NATO 1949, EU application 2009

  5. Arnaldúr Indridason • Born in Reykjavik in 1961 • Most popular writer in Iceland • History degree from U of Iceland • Journalist, freelancer, film-critic • First Detective Erlendur book in 1997, now 11 books • 26 countries, 14 languages • Lives in Reykjavik with wife and 3 children

  6. Jar City - Characters • Erlendur – Detective Inspector, Reykjavik Police, 50, divorced • Sigurdur Oli – colleague • Elinborg – female colleague • Eva Lind – daughter, drug addict, pregnant • Sindri Snaer, son, alcoholic, rehab • Holberg – murder victim • Kolbrun, rape victim # 1 • Elin, Kolbrun’s sister • Runar, retired police officer – rejected Kolbrun’s case • Ellidi – scumbag friend, in jail now, violent • Marion Briem – retired detective • Gretar – friend who disappeared • Klara – Gretar’s sister • Hanna – Head of the University of Iceland’s Faculty of Medicine • Katrin – rape victim # 2 • Ragnar – head of forensics • Einar – youngest son of Katrin, biologist, expert on genetic diseases

  7. Summary • It RAINS non-stop throughout the novel • Holberg is murdered, cryptic note – ”a pathetic Icelandic murder” (7) • Sidestories: Young man attacks elderly sisters • Young woman runs away from her wedding • They find the photo of Audur’s grave, find Audur and her mother – both dead • Discover Holberg was a rapist • Visits Elin, sister of raped woman Kolbrun • Visits Runar – he threw out the case, humiliated Kolbrun • Eva Lind decides to keep baby • Holberg had lots of hard-core porn on his computer • Visit to Ellidi in prison, discover another rape victim in Husavik • Visits doctor who diagnosed Audur with brain tumor and was drunk at the time • Erlendur keeps dreaming about children, has pains, and smokes too much • Gretar disappeared in 1974 – the last of the three, took photographs • Erlendur digs up Audur’s coffin, but her brain is missing • Visits Marion Briem who was in charge of the police case at the time, mentor • 2 men come to collect Eva’s debt – fight, Erlendur pays off a sum • Jar City (141) – organs kept in formalin in glass jars, for teaching • Klara, Gretar’s sister has his camera • The run-away bride is found, was abused by father, returns to husband

  8. Summary 2 • Erlendur yells at daughter for wasting her life • Marion reminds him Holberg’s house was built on marsh land • They check the house and notice the smell • Forensics tear away the floor • It takes a long time, but they finally find Gretar’s body wrapped in plastic • Elin calls Erlendur and says she has seen Holberg outside her house • Nobody who has disappeared ever comes back (193) • Hanna sends Erlendur to doctor who collects organs • Elinborg finds the woman from Husavik, rape victim # 2, Katrin • Katrin admits to being raped but says her son was born 2 years later • They find rolls of film along with Gretar, one picture shows a man and woman • Katrin’s youngest son, Einar, works at the Genetic Research Center • Erlendur finds Audur’s brain – she died from a genetic disease • The Genetic Research Center is the new Jar City (249) • Katrin tells them Einar knows he is Holberg’s son; his daughter died at 7 • Einar disappears with Audur’s body • Einar wants to re-bury Audur • Einar shoots himself, Erlendur buries Audur • Erlendur wants Eva Lind to name her daughter Audur

  9. Jar City • Detective Erlendur and his relationship with his children, esp.: • Daughter Eva Lind • Icelandic Murders • Names • Smoking etc. • The title of the book • Themes: • Iceland today • Rape, abuse of women • Police corruption, • Drug and alcohol abuse, • Police fatigue and despair • The Individual

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