The Soap Bird consists of three stories.
Happy Birthday follows a single mother in her thirties on a night out, who becomes captivated by a troubled artist. Battling low self-esteem, she grapples with age and unworthiness, revealing self-destructive tendencies intricately woven between the lines.
The title story, The Soap Bird, is about a 20-year-old café barista who falls for Jóhanna, a truck driver and artist. Their romance is tinged with unease toward Jóhanna's close friend. Unable to articulate her feelings, the unnamed protagonist buys a symbolic soap bird for her love but struggles to find the right time to gift it to her. Amid jealousy and self-doubt, she confronts her sexuality, an aversion to sex, and a fervent yearning for love.
In Dwarf with the Ear, the narrative explores the life of an Icelandic teenage girl navigating her unique time-traveling lineage. The story defies genre norms, blending realism and fantasy to subtly touch on themes of isolation, bullying, depression, and generational trauma.
The collection weaves a tapestry of diverse emotions within the human experience, offering a nuanced exploration of relationships, self-discovery, and the intricate emotions of daily life.
