3.8/5

I really don't know what to expect since I haven't read any of his works yet but this was such a beautiful book, although the way it was executed wasn't really my style (maybe because of how its translated) either way, the philosophy within it was wonderfully portrayed by Ariel and Cecilia.

A good introduction to his books.

I read this book the summer after my grandmother died, it helped me. I remember sitting outside reading and beginning to cry, I think it is a very touching book, without being sentimental.

The book adress some very serious themes, but the language remains easy to read. The book asks a lot of questions and doesn't give all the answers, it makes you think and reach your own conclusions.

I have read a lot of Jostein Gaarder's books and generally I like them, and "I et spejl, i en gåde" is definitely one of my favourites.

I wish it could be just like that... Like a passage...

2.5 stars - felt a lot like The Alchemist, and I found that boring as batshit. An intriguing short story to read at Christmas time, with occasional heart-tugging moments with the main premise being about a terminally ill child, but felt like an attempted work at philosophy that doesn't quite hit the mark. I adored a number of Gaarder's novels Sophie's World and the Ringmaster's Daughter as a teenager, but his shorter stories that centre on Christmas have all felt a bit flat. I still have The Solitaire Mystery on my to-read list, perhaps Gaarder's a better novelist than short story writer?

Het verhaal is niet bijzonder wereldschokkend - een ziek meisje wordt 's nachts bezocht door een engel - maar de taal is werkelijk wondermooi.
Lezen en aankruisen in de kantlijn is de boodschap.

I was disappointed in this book but I can't really put a finger on why. Gaarder is one of my favorite authors and I felt like I should like this book, but I just didn't.

Sudah selesai membaca buku ini dua tahun yang lalu. Yang masih diingat adalah pertanyaan Cecilia kepada neneknya tentang kenapa kadang kita tertawa sambil menangis? Sang nenek menjawab mungkin karena kita sebetulnya tahu bahwa kebahagiaan itu tidak berlangsung lama.

Synopsis: Cecilia is a young girl who is at home on her deathbed around Christmas time. She doesn't have chance of recovering, even though she does. On Christmas' Eve she receives the visit of an Angel, Ariel, who starts to visit her regularly just to talk to her. He comes almost everyday until her death.

Review: I don't think I will ever be able to rate a Jostein Gaarder book less than five stars. Not a lot happens on this book, it is mainly composed of dialogues, but it makes you reflect and feel lucky for being a human being and alive. Ariel, the angel, is very curious about how it feels to be made of flesh and bone, and so Cecilia explains to him (or her, as angels don't really have a gender, as per the book). They end up debating things like sleeping, dreaming, being born and dying, being loved and many other subjects. I thought it would be an extremely emotionally heavy book, but the two characters talk so easily and honestly to each other that you can just think about how philosophical things that we take for granted are. It leaves you believing life is, indeed, a miracle.