Author: Signe Johansen
Genre: NonFiction, Cultural, Self Help
Rating: 2/5
Verdict: Not much about Hygge as much as it is a collection of recipes and some superficial advice here and there.
My husband received this book as a holiday gift from his manager. I was quite intrigued by the title and the front cover was dreamy, what better reason to start reading this on New year's day especially after an unprecedented year going by. We were all trying hard to adjust to the new normal and in the process I couldn't read much at all.
Reading the initial few pages of this book felt like I was having a conversation with a close friend who lives in Norway. We've talked so much about life in the Nordic region and I used to be amazed at how everyone enjoys the harsh winters as much as the beautiful summers. I loved the first two chapters where Signe talks about how being outdoors is being alive and I completely believe in that. I love spending time outdoors with the family and making lots of fun memories. Just being out and staring at a mountain or listening to the sound of a creek or a stream helps clear the fog in your mind.
But just when I thought the book was getting unputdownable, the author put together a bunch of recipes - almost 90 odd pages dedicated for this section and there weren't many options for my dietary choices and it really didn't appeal to me. I just glossed over them to the final section of the book. The rest of the book was pretty disappointing with just a few tips here and there about living spaces, specific furniture and the likes.
Overall for me, it started out exciting and wore off pretty quickly. The book is not really about hygge, just a bunch of recipes and KonMari-type tips put together. I was really looking forward to reading about the cozy feeling of contentment and the nordic ways of living that makes them a happy bunch but didnt find it.
