Deep North - Stories from Iceland
Fiction
Iceland Review publishes translations of short stories by Icelandic authors.
Features
Deep dives into current events, contemporary issues, and the lesser-seen sides of Icelandic society.
Interview
Interviews with artists, scholars, politicians or other notable figures in Iceland.
Photography
View Iceland through the lens of some of the country's most accomplished photographers.
Looking Back
Looking back in Iceland's history, at the curious incidents, colourful characters, and heroic deeds that shaped the nation.
Issues
Having Words With Friends
On a late-August Wednesday in Reykjavík, it’s bright and still, but there’s a noticeable fall chill in the air. As locals return from summer vacation, the cultural calendar kicks into gear and there’s no shortage of events to distract one
A Wealth of Water
Close your eyes and picture Iceland. What comes to mind? A powerful waterfall streaming down a cliffside? Bluish icebergs floating
Give Icelandic a Chance
As ever more tourists stroll around downtown Reykjavík, a debate has intensified within Icelandic society about the changes they bring
Rosé and 10K (at the Reykjavík Marathon)
It was a season of debauchery. A season of cocktail-filled nights and subpar parenting. A season of good-natured rationalisation. “The
Mud, Sweat, and Gears
The motorsport Formula Offroad began in Iceland in the 1960s. The history of the sport is traced to rescue teams,
Live, Laugh, Lava
For the third year in a row, there’s a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, only a stone’s throw away
Borrowed Crime
The sensationalisation of tragedy In 2018, the New York Times published an essay by 17-year-old Rachel Chestnut, one of the
Júníus Meyvant – The Wonderer
Júníus Meyvant is always impersonating other people, and all the people he impersonates are always yelling. His father when he, Júníus, was learning to play the guitar: “Could you play something else!?” His grandfather, on the eve of his 90th birthday, when told he needed to evacuate his home because of an eruption: “I’m not […]
Sounding Smart
SOUNDING SMART What if artificial intelligence isn’t the death of human creativity but a tool to take it even further? SOUNDING SMART “In Iceland, you’re able to establish collaborations with people in three or four hours. You can just call someone in computer science or biology and say, ‘Hey, would you be up for a […]
Pedro: In Private
“Congratulations on receiving the Icelandic Literary Award! That must have been fun?” “Is this question a part of the interview?” “Would you answer it differently if this were off the record?” “Well, yes. I’m still learning how to navigate all
From the Archive: The First Day of Summer
From the archive: In this 1972 article from Iceland Review magazine, Folklorist Árni Björnsson delves into the superstitions surrounding the First Day of Summer, a holiday unique to Iceland. Note that this archival content may not necessarily reflect the current
Velvet Terrorism
“Resistance is always a choice. And there are always new moments for resistance. It’s not just in the prisons, it’s in everyday life.” UP IN ARMS Visiting the exhibition Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia, you enter a dark room. You are pleasantly greeted by a man sitting at a fold-up table spread with pamphlets and copies […]
Power Player
One of Diljá’s favourite Eurovision Song Contest performances ever is fellow-Icelander Yohanna’s song, Is It True, from 2009. Yohanna’s performance, the furthest Iceland has ever made it in Eurovision alongside Selma’s 1999 performance, is still a major moment for Diljá.
From the Archive: The Changing Face of Iceland
From the archive: In this 1971 article from Iceland Review, Haraldur Sigurðsson delves into the history of Icelandic cartography. Note that this archival content may not necessarily reflect the current editorial standards of Iceland Review. Those who know something about
From the Archive: President Vigdís
From the archive: This article was published in Iceland Review magazine in 1982. Archival content may not necessarily reflect the current editorial standards of Iceland Review. President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir got to know her countrymen intimately during the presidential campaign in
The Dip
FICTION the dip by Örvar Smárason When my fingers started falling off, it became harder and harder to put my shoes on and take them off. After I lost the first two, I switched from laces to Velcro. I used to wear them all the time as a kid, and I’ve always been fascinated by […]
Frost
Individually, snowflakes are fragile, easily broken, dissolving into droplets of water at the mere touch of a finger or a breath of air, while en masse, they’re capable of wreaking havoc on the city streets and causing catastrophe when avalanching
Sparsity Blues
“A brutal ballet of flesh and bone” It’s Saturday night – and it’s feckin’ freezing. Seven below. Even inside the Egilshöll stadium, my fingers feel like popsicles. Taking notes means pitting the will against whatever half-responsive nerve cells are relaying
Tall Tales and Treacherous Waters
The 17th-century voyage of Jón the India Traveller Christian IV was King of Denmark and Norway from the age of 11 until his death aged 71 in 1648. Contemporaries described him as above average height, most often dressed in French
