The Tales of Estragon: The Rat Catcher From Sorø
Estragons historier. Rottefangeren fra Sorø
“The razor-sharp nails came shooting through the walls with a terrible force. I sat completely still, swallowing, praying silently to be spared impalement. Finally he ran out of nails, and collapsed, exhausted, into a chair, sitting there with his wooden club in his lap, breathing like an animal. Then, suddenly, he raised his head and stared at the wall where I sat without moving. It felt like he had seen something. That he could hear my heartbeat. That I was the one he had seen.”
The Tales of Estragon is a darkly humorous series for children of all ages, focusing on the seven deadly sins – as told by rats. With its burlesque humour and gothic illustrations reminiscent of Edward Gorey’s pen-and-ink drawing, The Rat Catcher from Sorø transcends age and gives a timeless depiction of human vices.
Illustrated by John Kenn Mortensen.
“Masterful! The first book in Heivoll’s series of the seven deadly sins forecasts a new era in Norwegian children’s literature. (…) so perfectly engineered and wonderful that you want to tell it to everyone you meet.”
VG
“I sense remnants of old masters like H.C. Andersen, Beckett and Roald Dahl, whilst the drawings hint to Riddell’s illustrations in Gaiman’s «The Graveyard Book».”
Bergens Tidende
