Last Night in Nuuk

Starred review from October 22, 2018
Korneliussen’s captivating debut centers around five young people over the course of a party and its aftermath in Nuuk, Greenland, as they come to terms, in various ways, with their identities. Told in bouncy, colloquial prose (“My hair is still partying,” a woman thinks to herself as she looks in the mirror after a night of heavy drinking), the novel honestly explores sexuality and gender identity, and the ways in which they can cause distance and connection with others. Ivik can’t figure out why she panics whenever her girlfriend touches her, while Inuk is unable to cope with his anger at his native country, from which he fled—though he’s actually mad at Arnaq for revealing his scandalous secret. After breaking up with her boyfriend, Fia finds herself drawn to Ivik’s girlfriend, Sara,who herself struggles to remain hopeful when “life is shit.” The deeper issues beneath these stories bring about revelations both touching and heartbreaking. What’s so unexpected and lovely is the narrative’s irrepressible optimism and earnestness. Translated seamlessly into idiomatic English, Korneliussen’s wonderful novel introduces readers to a notable new voice in world literature.

November 15, 2018
For five queer 20-somethings living in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, figuring out how to be fully functioning adults is complicated by homophobia, self-doubt, and economic instability.Fia, just coming out, has fallen head over heels for Sara. Having recently left Peter, her boyfriend of three years, she's crashing at the apartment of an acquaintance named Arnaq. For her part, Arnaq is a mess--an abused alcoholic who is unable to hold a job. Arnaq seeks solace anywhere she can find it, flitting from bar to party and hooking up with anyone who will have her. At present, Inuk, Fia's younger brother, is estranged from Arnaq, though they were once best friends, because she outed him against his wishes. This so mortified Inuk that he's fled to Denmark, where he's in hiding from both himself and the world--fearful that he'll be ostracized and derided once the name of his sexual partner becomes known. He communicates with Fia via email and text message--these missives are woven into this unconventionally written narrative--to reveal profound self-hate, desperation, and shame. It's heartbreaking. Meanwhile, Fia is so besotted that her concern for her brother is tempered by happily-ever-after fantasies about Sara. Sara, however, is living with her girlfriend, Ivik, and while the pair are having difficulties, it's unclear if they'll stay together or break up. Sound like a soap opera? It is. But it is also more than this. Tender, evocative, and pithy, this debut novel creates a vivid picture of people struggling for authenticity and voice. At the same time, loose ends prevail, perhaps a reflection of the characters' own lack of resolution but frustrating nonetheless since it's impossible to predict whether they'll succumb to despair or find fulfillment.A powerfully drawn but ultimately disappointing look at the ongoing obstacles facing LGBTQ youth as they come of age.

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November 15, 2018
In her whirlwind debut, Greenlandic author Korneliussen examines the events and aftermath of a single night among a group of friends and lovers in Nuuk, Greenland. The story is pieced together through emails, text messages, and intimate inner monologues to paint a vibrant and vulnerable picture of one night out on the town. In a single evening, siblings Fia and Inuk reckon with secrets they've been keeping from each other. Fia has a tryst with Inuk's best friend, Arnaq. Lovers Ivik and Sara quarrel. Sara and Fia flirt. Ivik cheats on Sara with Arnaq. Amid the convoluted network of hookups and breakups is a wealth of self-discovery: Inuk acknowledges, to his sister and himself, that he's attracted to men. Arnaq admits that she's an alcoholic. Sara helps Ivik realize that, after many years of living as a lesbian, Ivik is truly a transgender man. All of the rich identity crises are set against the biting culture of the characters' Greenland, a conservative, bottle-up-your-feelings kind of place. Sharp, witty, and cathartic, like releasing a long-held breath.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)