Happy Iceland – How Icelandic Strangers Taught a Miserable American the Secret to Lifelong Happiness by Anne Marie Wells
Publisher: Star Belt Press
Genre: Non-Fiction, Action/Adventure, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeA simple question at Iceland’s international airport-What are your happiest memories of Iceland?-sets off an unforgettable journey across the Land of Fire and Ice. Abandoning guidebooks and itineraries, a young woman on the precipice of turning thirty, newly unemployed and stuck in a faltering relationship, spends five weeks backpacking and hitchhiking to find the locations where Icelandic strangers’ happiest memories took place. From childhood sports fields and family farms to hidden waterfalls and the remote Highlands, this intimate travel memoir explores Iceland far beyond what can be seen from a sightseeing bus tour. Part adventure, part meditation on what it takes to be happy in a volatile world, Happy Iceland is a reminder that some of the best journeys begin when we shut up and listen.
Adventures are for everyone.
Some of the most memorable scenes for this reader were the ones that discussed the risks and benefits of traveling alone as a woman. The travelogue genre hasn’t always included a lot of examples of how hitchhiking, camping, and spending time alone in the wilderness can be quite different depending on one’s sex and gender identity, so I loved the fact that this book talked about it so thoroughly.
Given the promises the title and blurb made, I found myself wishing that more of this memoir had been spent exploring the concept of happiness and how Ms. Wells’ life was changed as a result of her adventures. Discussing happiness grabs my attention immediately and was my biggest reason for wanting to read this, but it turned out to be far more of a record of her travels than anything else. I was also surprised by what the author did with her life after returning home to the United States as that didn’t quite fit the tone of the blurb or title either.
The descriptions of Iceland’s geography and culture were gorgeous and made me want to visit this part of the world. For example, there were times when the author and those she met on her journey would knock on the door of a friend’s house for an unexpected visit or even find the hidden key in the garden and enter the house itself. These aren’t things that are done in my culture, so I was fascinated. I also liked the conversations that explored what many people in Iceland believe about the elves that are said to live there and cast such a strong influence for better or for worse over the fates of humans who are or perhaps who are not kind to them.
I also struggled with how the writing style switched between being a memoir and sharing the many exciting and sometimes dangerous adventures the author found herself experiencing during her five weeks of traveling in Iceland. Their themes were so different than it almost felt like reading two books at once, and having more connections between them would have made this a stronger work in my opinion.
One of the strongest themes in this book involved the many forms friendship can take, and I enjoyed learning about the many kind people that the author met in Iceland. It’s interesting to see how even brief interactions between strangers can change their lives forever, and my fingers are crossed that some of these old friends will reach out to the author and rekindle their connections in the future.
Happy Iceland – How Icelandic Strangers Taught a Miserable American the Secret to Lifelong Happiness was thought provoking.
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