In his latest novel. The King and the WatchmakerThe Icelandic thriller master is changing his style. he brings together an aging 18th-century clockmaker and King Christian VII of Denmark, who is believed to be insane. Poetic, funny and tragic.
Back The King and the WatchmakerArnaldur Indridasson, who has hooked 18 million readers with the adventures of explorer Erlendur, brings us a novel that introduces King Christian VII of Denmark with… a watchmaker. Reviving his interest in history, which he studied while working as a journalist and film critic, he keeps intact the sense of intrigue and obsession with the questioning of his country and its past, the desire to do justice to the victims. This Reykjavík native, who spent his childhood in the countryside, also pays homage to Icelandic nature, as gorgeous as it is relentless.
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Madame Figaro . – How did the idea of writing about this incredible company come about?
Arnaldur Indridason. – I once read a very short story about an Icelandic watchmaker from 18e century, which restored the magnificent astronomical clock of Copenhagen, a masterpiece of the Renaissance. Later I learned that he participated in the Icelandic court case. I had enough there to write a book.
Can you tell us more about Christian VII?
Christian VII was reigning in Denmark when the watchmaker restored this famous clock. He suffered from psychological disorders, he did not have much power as a ruler, but he was an interesting character. He brought many positive changes for the kingdom. I liked to imagine the meeting of the king and the craftsman, a pure invention on my part, knowing that the one knew only the state rooms of his country, and the other the saddest slums in Iceland.
You are also dealing with a lawsuit…
Yes, this story is not a thriller in the traditional sense. It refers to injustice and harshness, the intolerance of justice. It also depicts the relationship that develops between the King of Denmark and an Icelandic watchmaker, who tells him about his horrific childhood memories. But he must be careful not to offend the king or provoke his anger, he must choose his words carefully. It is a work about power relations and censorship.
Why this structure, this back and forth between past and present?
Because the two frames of the story are opposed. Part of the story takes place in Iceland surrounding the trial of the watchmaker’s father, and part in the royal palace in Copenhagen as the watchmaker restores the watch, recounting his life and the proceedings.
Is the watchmaker a metaphor for the writer?
Absolutely. Like Scheherazade, he is a storyteller whose life the king holds in his hands… The Clockmaker is the storyteller, even, why not, the author, and he must be cunning to survive. Too many writers today find themselves in this situation, where there is neither freedom of expression nor freedom of opinion.
Source: Le Figaro
