Review of Om udregning af rumfang III by Solvej Balle
Imagine waking up every morning, only to find you’re trapped in the same day, repeating a single date like a record stuck on repeat. This intriguing premise is what first drew me into Om udregning af rumfang III, the latest installment in Solvej Balle’s captivating series. As a lover of thought-provoking narratives that intertwine the fantastical with philosophical musings, this book promised an exploration of time that I simply couldn’t resist.
In Volume III, we follow Tara, who has spent 1,143 days stuck in an endless loop, until she encounters Henry Dale, another trapped soul who, unlike her, retains the full weight of his memories. This marked a pivotal moment for Tara, as it introduced a sense of companionship that had been absent in her solitary existence. Balle expertly captures that giddy sensation of shared experience—the comfort of knowing someone else understands your reality.
Balle’s writing is both fluid and sharply observant, making the seemingly outlandish premise resonate with emotional truth. Her navigation of time—where "yesterday" doesn’t really hold meaning beyond the confines of the loop—is expertly mirrored in her poetic prose. One particular passage that struck me was Tara’s reflections on sound, where she muses, “But is it true? That the sounds are empty shells?” This beautifully encapsulates the theme of perception and memory, begging the reader to question the nature of sound, existence, and the little moments we often take for granted.
Throughout the book, Balle manages to balance narrative tension with philosophical inquiry. Tara attends a lecture on the relationship between philosophy and science, where the professor describes philosophy as the caretaker for sciences, a metaphor that resonates deeply within the confines of this looped existence. Balle seems to invite us to reflect on the importance of questioning our surroundings, even when the world feels like it’s stuck on a single day.
As Tara and Henry grow closer, they meet Ralf Kern, who brings a perplexing project into the mix—attempting to correct the misfortunes of their interminable November 18th. The absurdity of their task, questioning whether they can truly improve an untenable situation, deepens the narrative. “Isn’t it our responsibility to ensure that the day we leave behind is the best of all possible eighteenths of November?” Ralf provocatively asks. This question lingered with me long after I turned the last page.
One of the most enticing aspects of this series is Balle’s ability to create a world that functions under its own set of unusual rules. Objects like the mysteriously persistent bar of soap highlight the quirks of their reality, prompting the characters—and us readers—to ponder what stays and what disappears. Here, everything is meaningful, even in its absurdity.
As I lingered in the pages, I couldn’t help but feel a growing excitement for what comes next. The closing lines suggest not an ending but a new beginning, leaving readers hopeful yet contemplative. If you’re someone who enjoys intricate explorations of time, identity, and memory wrapped in beautiful prose, then Om udregning af rumfang III—with its addictive narrative and philosophical undercurrents—is bound to resonate with you as it did for me. I can hardly wait for Volume IV!
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