The Elephant Keepers' Children
Published on 5. September 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-0-09-956946-6 (ISBN)
Description
Peter and Tilte are trying to track down two notorious criminals: their parents. They are the pastor and the organist, respectively, of the only church on the tiny island of Fino. Known for fabricating cheap miracles to strengthen their congregation's faith, they have been in trouble before. But this time their children suspect they are up to mischief on a far greater scale.
When Peter and Tilte learn that scientific and religious leaders from around the world are assembling in Copenhagen for a conference, they know their parents are up to something. Peter and Tilte's quest to find them exposes conspiracies, terrorist plots, an angry bishop, a deranged headmaster, two love-struck police officers, a deluded aristocrat and much more along the way.
When Peter and Tilte learn that scientific and religious leaders from around the world are assembling in Copenhagen for a conference, they know their parents are up to something. Peter and Tilte's quest to find them exposes conspiracies, terrorist plots, an angry bishop, a deranged headmaster, two love-struck police officers, a deluded aristocrat and much more along the way.
Reviews / Votes
Hugely enjoyable...both moving and oddly profound -- Harry Ritchie * Daily Mail * Peter Hoeg displays a glorious facility for the absurd as well as the picaresque, and the hilarity of Peter Fino's narrative makes this a delightful novel -- Sarah Moss * Guardian * A playful exercise in whimsy * Independent on Sunday * Warm and funny * Daily Telegraph * This is a strange, beguiling novel, which combines madcap adventure with reflections on trust, affection and individual spiritual life * Express * The Elephant Keepers' Children is, on its own terms, a serene and cheerful and beautifully constructed tale...it has just that extra nudge of extravagant, humorous implausibility which undeniably removes it from realism * Berlingske Tidende * Hoeg's sense of humour is wonderful, and his Homeric laughter unfolds over the madhouse that he constructs * Politiken * There is lots of action, humour, satire and spirituality in Peter Hoeg's thriller * Kristeligt Dagblad * A comic, extravagant romp that will leave the reader both bewildered and endeared at once * We Love this Book *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
477 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-09-956946-6 (9780099569466)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Peter Hoeg
The Elephant Keepers' Children
E-Book
09/2012
1st Edition
Vintage Digital
€8.99
Available for download
Persons
Peter Hoeg (Author)
Peter Hoeg was born in 1957 and followed various callings - dancer, actor, fencer, sailor, mountaineer - before he turned seriously to writing. He published his first novel, The History of Danish Dreams, in 1988, and was called 'the foremost writer of his generation' by Information magazine. His crime novel Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow received universal acclaim and was an international bestseller.
Martin Aitken (Translator)
Martin Aitken's translations of Scandinavian fiction are widely published. His work has appeared on the shortlists of the International Booker Prize, the Dublin Literary Award and the US National Book Awards, among other prizes. He received the PEN America Translation Prize in 2019 and, for the first book in the Morning Star cycle, the US National Translation Award in Prose in 2022. He lives in Denmark
Peter Hoeg was born in 1957 and followed various callings - dancer, actor, fencer, sailor, mountaineer - before he turned seriously to writing. He published his first novel, The History of Danish Dreams, in 1988, and was called 'the foremost writer of his generation' by Information magazine. His crime novel Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow received universal acclaim and was an international bestseller.
Martin Aitken (Translator)
Martin Aitken's translations of Scandinavian fiction are widely published. His work has appeared on the shortlists of the International Booker Prize, the Dublin Literary Award and the US National Book Awards, among other prizes. He received the PEN America Translation Prize in 2019 and, for the first book in the Morning Star cycle, the US National Translation Award in Prose in 2022. He lives in Denmark