Naïve. Super
Naïve. Super. (Original title: Naiv.Super.) is a novel by the Norwegian Erlend Loe. It was first published in 1996 in Norwegian, where it was very popular. In 2006, it was on the newspaper Dagbladet's list of the best Norwegian novels 1981-2006.[1] The novel has since been translated into nineteen other languages. The translation into English was carried out by Tor Ketil Solberg.[2]
Plot synopsis
The story is narrated by a man in his mid-twenties who suddenly becomes disillusioned and confused by life and therefore quits university. The narrator becomes fascinated by both modern scientific theories of time and relativity (by reading a book by Paul Davies) and also by repetitive childish activities such as playing with wooden BRIO children's toys and repeatedly throwing a ball against a wall. In the end, the narrator visits his brother in New York City and returns to Norway with a renewed sense of meaning in life.
While the narrator's name remains unknown throughout the novel, the author uses his own name at the end of the book, raising questions about the true narrative standpoint throughout the text.