If reading this book did not break my heart enough, writing about it definitely will. Astrid Lindgren wrote an infinity amount of books, but none will rip your heart out, spend 2 years perfecting a tap dancing technique only to come back and perform a whole Fred Astaire number on you once you've finally thought you were healing. But this book definitely will!
I read this book in swedish this time, but I have read it in english as well and it holds up the same standard in the story and the writing despite the translation. As a child I never really found interest in Lindgrens work, I had hardly read any of her stories until I started university and did a whole authors course on her work. I definitely missed out on some good stories but I am glad I can read them when I am older and understand them out of more perspectives.
The book just gathers all your feelings at once, on one hand it makes you cry but on the other hand you spend your time rooting on the Lionheart brothers because they are just the best and I love them so much. On one hand you're also soOoOooOo upset with Astrid Lindgren for writing this book because she could have saved herself the trouble and instead just stabbed ten people, she would cause an equal amount of pain anyway and I would not have to live my life knowing I'd do anything for these two young fictional characters because I just want them to be happy. You really did not have to break my heart Astrid, you really didn't. Yet here we are, crying again.
Basically prepare to be really hurt by a book you had no intention of reading but now you're stuck with it and your heart is as crushed as mine and we're going to sink into this together because I refuse to be sad alone.
The book starts with introducing younger brother Kalle or Skorpan as he is referred to in the story, and he is talking about his older brother that he refers to as a fairytale prince. Jonatan takes care of his sick brother and acts as his gate to the world. Everything he sees and does outside he comes home and tells Skorpan about and every night he pulls up a mattress and sleeps on the kitchen floor next to his brothers bed so that he can look after him. Skorpan is afraid of dying (of what is described as tuberculosis) but Jonatan assures him that he will end up in Nangijala, a land where you go when you die, and that time does not move there so Skorpans fear of being alone means he will only be alone for two whole days before Jonatan joins him, which is 90 years (almost) in earth time. When a fire breaks out, Jonatan saves his brother by jumping out of the window with him but dies shortly after landing, leaving Skorpan alone. However when Skorpan soon dies from his disease not shortly after, the brothers are reunited but face new more difficult encounters.
This book is contains two of the most well written children I've encountered in literature, the sympathy and love and care they exude for each other, just makes me think about how I hope I can raise my children the same way, if I ever have any. I would have children just to raise them with this much love, that is how impressed I am with the amazing characters Lindgren has created. Your focus switches back and forth between the narrator that is Skorpan and his affection and love for Jonatan and Jonatan himself and his role he has taken on as the caregiver and role model of Skorpan.
The love displayed throughout the whole book is the red thread that follows the plot no matter the twists and turns the brothers face, the never ending support between the brothers is the strongest bond and theme throughout the whole story.
That the book is told through Skorpan narrative is also something that is very appealing - he is ill (at least in the beginning), and scared almost through the whole book. But he is still brave, he dares to challenge himself all the time and is therefore (to some) more than his righteous and beautiful big brother, the true hero of history.
The Brothers Lionheart is a story about the strong love and dependence that can exist between siblings. It is also a developmental story, where Skorpan overcomes his fears and grows as a human being. You realise that sometimes you have to do things you do not really dare. Because "otherwise you are not a human being", as Jonatan says.
The Lionheart brothers is primarily about the will to fight for a better world, for all. It is a tale of heroism and overcoming one's fears, of always choosing love. Where the moral of the story is: better together than alone.
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