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In this novella set in Oslo at Christmastime, a 10-year-old girl, Ronja, observes life around her. Her father is an alcoholic who has largely been neglectful of his two daughters. Her 16-year-old sister, Melissa, takes work at a Christmas tree farm when their father gives the job a go for a bit but then succumbs to the drink again.
Melissa works before and after school and brings Ronja with her. Then a co-worker gets the idea that Ronja can help business by selling greenery. They do well with the plan, and Melissa and Ronja have money for food. Ronja hopes for a tree of their own, brought home by their father.
She also often thinks about past good times with their father and hopes for more somehow: maybe he’ll change. Melissa, however, is the realist.
Both always have in the back of their minds the knowledge that at any time their precarious situation could be upended —particularly if someone notices their lack of parental support and calls social services. Neighbors and others in the girls’ orbit do little things to help, but life is hard for them.
I really wasn’t sure for most of the very short book where the story was going. And I was particularly baffled when it came to the end. I heard a lot of praise for Brightly Shining, which has been a bestseller in Europe, but it simply didn’t work for me. Was it a fable? Was it a story of hope? Was it … I can’t even think of what other options there are. It seemed kind of all over the place, and the end felt tacked on. Looking back, I could see little hints pointing to it, but it still fell flat for me.
That said, you may or may not like (or even love!) it.
Rated: High. Profanity includes 7 uses of strong language (5 of which are paired with the Lord’s name and thus felt especially offensive to me), around 5 instances of moderate profanity, a few uses of mild language, and 6 instances of the name of Deity in vain. There’s no sexual content or violence. An alcoholic father is neglectful of his two daughters.
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