This book offers an intimate look at an abusive relationship through the eyes of the victim.

This was an emotional and heart breaking read. It was a laser sharp look at how relationships can build up to ever more abusive acts.

It is told in short vignette style entries which read like diary entries. This makes the story seem intimate and intense.

I was gripped throughout this read and it got under my skin.

I loved this short intense story and thought it was a truly memorable read.

AD - This copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Ohhhh this was a very triggering read, so beautifully written, completely intoxicating and maddening, this is the hardest truth you live as a female, this is shit happens, everyday, you react and move on, change and adapt. Why the fuck should we? because there is no other way.
I absolutely love Thora's writing voice and would highly recommend this book and will be handselling this book, can't wait to see what they write next.

Trigger warning: rape, abuse, gaslighting, self harm, graphic scenes of depression.

This is a tricky one to review as whilst it is a short, quick read, it is also very deep and I found I had to concentrate quite hard on what was happening.
Best described as a coming of age novel, this book explores many deep issues however I found the ending quite abrupt and can’t say it is one that will hold a place in my memory as I found it neither brilliant nor unenjoyable.

Magma is a short, sharp piece of literary fiction, telling the story of Lilja as she recounts a period of her life. The novella is told in fragments, almost diary entries , as Lilja tells of her experiences with her current ‘boyfriend’.

We soon discover that the relationship she has with this unnamed man is far from ok, she recounts multiple instances that made me wince and are evidence of the toxicity of this relationship. Through the narrative however, we begin to see just how oblivious our protagonist is to how she is being treated and she continues to put herself into uncomfortable and unwanted situations.

This was an intense and emotional read, which surprised me considering how short it is. I’m always going to want more from my characters as that is what I read for, but for the amount of words here, i was amazed at how invested I was in Lilja’s fate.

A truly memorable read, one I will definitely be recommending.

This is a brutal read with a hint of hope at the end. I realise that this description doesn't sound like a 'come and read me' lure but I was utterly gripped by this book. Written as a first-hand account of a relationship any outsider would see as disastrous, this is one young woman's experience of love. Lilja is young, emotionally inexperienced, and falls for a man who, the reader quickly sees, is selfish, manipulative and, quite possibly, some kind of psychopath. As his campaign of deliberate cruelty takes its toll on Lilja's mental health it becomes harder and harder to see how she will ever find the strength to break free of him. The ending, while a little too pat, gives hope that for some women at least there can be a way out of abuse.

This is not an easy read by any means, particularly for women who have found themselves in coercive and abusive relationships. Having experienced this myself, at the same age as the female protagonist, I did find this a difficult read, having to take pause every now and then as bad memories resurfaced, and recognising so much of my own experience in Lilja's. This is a brave and beautifully lyrical book, unflinching in its portrayal of a young woman slowly destructing, and I applaud Hjorleifsdottir for her at times sensitive and at times brutally matter of fact depiction of this poisonous relationship. An absolute must read and a stark reminder to women everywhere of the insidious nature of coercive control.

A novella that has me pondering. I think it is because the description gives the impression this is a story of a girl whose boyfriend is so bad, she ends up depressed due to their relationship. I found the story to me more than that.

This is the story of Lilja, a 20 year old student who shares her life in short snippets. To me she is an unreliable narrator, as she describes her toxic relationship with an older man she starts a relationship with. The actual nature of their relationship is ambiguous to start.

The story then expands to show two people with trauma in their past in a relationship together that can only be described as unhealthy. He is openly cheating and manipulative. Both emotionally and sexually. Lilja appears to be obsessed by him. It has dramatic results. Please check for content warnings for this book, if you need to do so.

The writing was beautiful and the fact Thora Hjorleifdottir is a poet shines through. Although for me it was too sparse in places for me to fully connect with the characters.

Thank you to #NetGalley #PanMcmillan #Picador for an eArc of this book

Magma is an unsettling and compulsive Icelandic noir debut and a delicately poetic novel about love in the 21st century and how pornography and abuse have been normalized in intimate relationships. Imagine love as a coin. On the one hand is the tenderness and the joy, on the other the insecurity and fear. When the coin is tossed, the latter is always a risk, and that is exactly what fills in this novel. 20-year-old Lilja is young and so deeply in love that she is willing to sacrifice everything to satisfy the man she is with. She is blindly devoted to her first serious boyfriend ad as a result, not only is her love taken for granted but he considers it almost his right to see other women behind her back. But as soon as she stops setting boundaries, she also stops being in touch with reality. Can love make you lose your sense of reality?

This is a raw, compelling and hard-hitting novel about a relationship marred by mental abuse and domestic violence and coloured by contemporary pornography, and its dire consequences for a young woman. Magma is a poetic but poisonous cocktail of alienated love, self-delusion, pain and cruelty that will not quickly fade from memory. It's a heartbreakingly realistic depiction of mental assault and you really feel for Lilja, a young and naive protagonist who remains hapless and hopeful despite the hell she is suffering through. Abuse of women has never had a more visible platform than in today's society, and now it can also be found in contemporary Icelandic literature. Beneath the large, perilous rock, a thick mass of lava bubbles, and it's only a matter of time before it all explodes.

"Magma" is a short novella, a coming of age story, which I finished in one sitting, one of those stories that shocks you in its simplicity and depiction of everyday horrors of abuse (mental and physical). Despite the harrowing topic, it was easy to read, the book grabs your attention from the very first pages. Sadly, it finishes rather abruptly. Once I finished it, I cannot say I mentally returned to the narrative or thought about it - the impression did not last.

Magma is a very short novella (I finished it in a few hours), but it’s one of those stories that packs a punch and stays with you for a long time. Written in an almost diary-entry like fashion, we see snippets of young Lilja’s life as she meets a man, gets trapped into an abusive relationship and falls into depression.

Although it’s a short story it’s very well paced which helps to keep you hooked at all points. The chapters are each named and are very short with most no more than a page or two long and some even being a paragraph. The chapters all revolve around a theme and some are written in flashback as well but this isn’t confusing. You empathise immediately with Lilja and although she makes some very silly decisions you can see why she does them as you really get into her mindset which stops this from becoming too frustrating.

The structure of the novel is also well thought out and although the ending took me by surprise and is very depressing it matches the story very well and leaves you with a lot to think about. The translation is very well done as well and nothing jarred or stood out, the writing is quite beautiful and flowed well which juxtaposes the theme of the book nicely.

Overall, Magma isn’t a happy read but it’s a powerful one. Thank you to NetGalley & Pan Macmillan – Picador for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Magma, I think it is a good metaphor for an abusive relationship as described in this story. Imagining this story happens in Iceland, the relationship is just like the inside of a volcano that is about to erupt, the magma is building up at the belly of the volcano, waiting for the eruption to happen.

A novella that is structured with streaming continuous prose with short intervals of chapters, read much like diary entries. 20-year old Lilja just fell in love with a man who turned her life upside down. At first, the love was beautiful and unconditional, coming from a woman raised in a normal good caring family, Lilja tried her best to keep the man happy. First by showing attention, then through their countless times in bed, exploring many moves that are uncomfortable for her. But he never looked at her as though she’s the only one, as he kept fucking and texting with other girls while complaining about a lot of things between them. He was a vegetarian, with two kids from his previous relationships, grew up with an abusive alcoholic father who kept having steady girlfriends from time to time, and that left a big scar on him towards adulthood.

Through the perspective of Lilja, Hjörleifsdóttir tries to show us how abusive relationships influenced the thought of a woman. She makes a nice comparison of how blow jobs and anal sex are not as easy and joyful as portrayed in porn videos, that it creates uneasiness for women. The author could describe through short proses, how difficult it is to quit an abusive and –mostly– toxic relationship.

Lilja’s story in this book is not a comfortable read, with frequent throw-ups, sex graphical portrayals, and some scenes about self-harming. Perhaps many people will find discomfort in reading this book, or relatable experiences in some way or another. It paints vivid imagery of the unreliability of “official help” in the face of the discomfiture of the relationship between Lilja and the man. They are not yet married, and they live in a small country such as Iceland where probably everyone knows everyone else in the same district, and small actions could lead to big scandals.

For those who are interested in the exploration of the ups and downs of a relationship, this book would be enjoyable. During my reading experience, I got an inkling of my reading of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, but somehow this novella has a faster tempo, much like a collection of fragments put together to form a bigger narrative. Under normal circumstances, I would probably be put off by both the characters of Lilja and the boyfriend since they are so self-centred, for Lilja in the selfless love that proves more to harm her rather than enriching her, and for the boyfriend in his inability to live like a responsible adult despite his fondness for intellectual life.

A short, powerful book about a woman in an abusive relationship and her journey through it.
Grim and not a fun read but it packs a punch! The deterioration of the main character's mental health from the start to the end of the novella is brilliantly done. The characters are believable and you get to know them well despite the short length of the book. The translation of the work also flowed well and was well done (or seemed to be, as I have not and cannot read the original Icelandic).

Trigger warnings for pretty much everything as you can imagine with the subject matter of the book.

This was a short taut book that unravelled a relationship that disintegrated due to emotional abuse. Told in short vignettes the message was potently punchy, often shocking in places, and so very sad to see a woman question her own self worth because of the incessant gaslighting she was subjected to by her partner.

I loved the concept of this book, I've been in an abusive relationship like this myself in the past and the author nails how subtle the manipulation can be and how much you try to justify everything and make it your fault. However I did have a couple of issues with this book, firstly the comments about gay men and anal sex to me implied that sex in a gay relationship is sub par and somehow less than that of a straight couple it really turned me off, secondly I felt the ending was abrupt, we've followed the character through this awful relationship and it would have been great to see some of the outcomes, the break up, recovery ect.
Personally I wouldn't purchase this book for myself due to the tone deaf comments around gay relationships and the disappointing ending.

Pretty grim. A young woman falls for an abusive man and keeps falling. Not a cheery read but at least it's short.

Magma by Icelandic author Thora Hjorleifsdottir is a short but powerful and disturbing read .
20 year-old Lilja meets and falls in love with with someone who on the surface is quite a catch. He's handsome,intelligent ,he cooks and seems to be just who Lilja needs after leading a rather unsettled life.

While there's no great romance Lilja moves in with Mr Wonderful and it soon becomes apparent that he's as damaged as her in his own way and "It's complicated" doesn't scratch the surface of their relationship. The writing is sparse and brutal as their relationship becomes increasingly toxic , this certainly isn't a book for the easily offended and it will upset others with its "no punches pulled" telling of increasingly abusive and destructive behaviour.

While reading this book isn't a particularly pleasant experience it's definitely a gripping and intense piece of work. and one that you won't forget in a hurry. As the author says in her brief introduction there are plenty of "Liljas" out there unheard and unseen.

This is Thora Hjorleifsdottir's first novel, her background is as a poet and it certainly shows in this book as she says so much in far fewer words than most novelists would use to tell the same story, it feels at times as if the reader is being battered by the words.

While this is a great book it would be irresponsible to not warn potential readers that there are a number of difficult issues and disturbing scenes graphically described. I doubt anyone could read it and not be affected by it so please be aware of that.

Barely the length of a short story, this is a compressed piece of writing that, nevertheless, manages to hit all the milestones of an abusive relationship and the breakdown of its vulnerable female narrator: her self-blame for the lack of perfection that her sort-of-boyfriend 'deserves'; his manipulation and control; her troubled past of sexual violence and lack of self-worth; her self-harm; her increasing isolation and social anxiety.

Given the increasing number of books being published that tread the same (important) ground, this manages to articulate a not unpredictable arc with well-crafted brevity without losing impact. I wasn't convinced by the ending, but the quality of the writing and the coolly analytical air made this work for me: 'He's peeled me like an onion. Surrounded by the leavings of my own sallow skin, I've dwindled to nothing, and my eyes smart.'

Rating: ★★★✯☆ stars

Triggers: self-harm, attempted suicide, abusive relationships, gaslighting, cheating, rape

First of all, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS COVER?! It's stunning.

Anyways, this book was heartbreaking to read. Magma follows Lilja's slow descent into depression and ill health due to her toxic and abusive boyfriend. This book infuriated me, I despised the boyfriend so much. The author does a great job at developing characters, especially when you consider that the novel is written in prose.

I appreciate that this is a commentary on modern-day toxic relationships. I think the reason why Lilja was unable to see that her boyfriend is abusive, is because of how toxic relationships are constantly romanticised in pop culture. For example, in the novel, there is a scene where Lilja is talking about how her boyfriend has suffered through a lot as a child, and how she needs to support him. This is obviously a reference to the trope where the male is victim of some form of abuse as a child and the PTSD results in him being cruel and awful when he's older. The woman comes along and then "saves" him. The author exposes how unrealistic and harmful this trope can be. Lilja believes that he loves her, she believes she is helping him by staying in an abusive relationship with him.

'I'm going to help him. I've always had it so good that it's easy enough for me to shoulder a little bit of the pain he's carried for so long. I'll make it better.'

Heartbreaking, right?

Magma deals with some very heavy topics, which made this a very difficult book to read. Lilja is gaslighted and emotionally abused, and it's awful and upsetting to read. But I think it's also such an important thing to include in a book. I think topics like this definitely need to be discussed more, and Magma, at least in my opinion, dealt with these sensitive topics and discussions in a great way.

The format was an interesting choice by the author, I'm not sure if it was the right one. This novel is written in prose. This meant that we could only see snippets into their life, but it also meant that everything was so blunt and abrupt. The writing style created a disconnect of sorts. A barrier that made it difficult to completely relate with Lilja. I will say, that the deterioration of Lilja's mental health was written fantastically. I could really feel her pain, and seeing her decline was honestly tragic.

Honestly, this book reminded me a lot of My Dark Vanessa, in the way that it deals with a woman who is gaslighted and abused. It focuses on the horrific things that they face in these abusive relationships. However, Magma didn't do it as well as My Dark Vanessa did. Again, I think that's because of the writing style, and because of how short it is. Everything progressed way too quickly.

Release Date: Expected 8th July 2021

Genre: Fiction | Novella

Trigger Warning: This novel contains in depth depictions of abusive relationships, self-harm, graphic language, sex and mentions of rape.

Lilja has fallen in love with him. He's beautiful and so much smarter than her, he cooks perfectly balanced vegetarian meals and reads in latin. He is perfect in every way, and she is obsessed with him. Soon she finds herself living in his flat, eating his food, sharing his bed and his shower as she tries to become the perfect person for him so he will stop f*cking other women and fall in love with her too. Fully blinded to his manipulations, she doesn't realise how much she is losing herself to get him until it's too late.

Magma was haunting and addictive from the first page, I felt the obsession and despair deep in my stomach as Lilja was gripped tighter by her manipulating lover and started to act more and more like the "Crazy Girlfriend" that men create and then complain about. She doesn't ask for committment, she tries her best to please him so she finally feels she is enough.

I saw myself and many of the women I know in the pages of this book and my heart broke a thousand times over - in the way she began to doubt herself, make excuses for him, in the way she broke down in such small peices that she never even realised.

Utterly unique and captivating, written in a disjointed but somehow fluid style that kept me both extremely uncomfortable but desperate to know more. It burned slowly, like magma, so slow you almost don't realise anything has happened until you're in too deep.

Completely devoid of information, we never know his name or what he looks like - but somehow it was still so visceral and real where it mattered.

Magma read like poetry, like a series of daydreams and nightmares blending seamlessly into one another until the sudden and abrupt ending snaps us awake. It felt like just the end of a chapter and left my head spinning and desperate to know more - just like reality. The translation was flawless, nothing was lost at all.


RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Thank you to Þóra Hjörleifsdóttir and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this book. It's incredibly short and took me about 40 minutes to read, so perhaps that's why I've been left feeling a little numb, despite the emotional punches the story contains. It's also very plainly written; and while I can't stand the purple prose that so often afflicts literary novels, I found myself want more from the prose in "Magma". The details are so few and far between that it was hard to conceive of the character Lilja, and anyone else in the novel, as a fully-formed person.

I wonder perhaps if one reason I didn't fully connect, other than the brevity of the story and its characters, is that the boyfriend is portrayed as a reclusive weirdo (for want of a better word). Perhaps I'm simply clinging on to a stereotype, but I've always found it more chilling to read about or watch onscreen men who charm everyone, then abuse women behind closed doors.

Compelling in its way, though too thin to have left much impression on me.

(With thanks to Picador and NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review)