Miss Iceland

"This book is a find. Set mostly in 1963 in windy, overcast Reykjavik, Miss Iceland is an atmospheric portrait of insidious sexism and homophobia in a society that had yet to open up to either women or gay men. Its wry narrator, Hekla, named for a volcano, is a copiously talented but thwarted young writer, constantly harassed by male patrons at her waitressing job and belittled by her boyfriend, a preening poet jealous of her clearly superior work. Hekla’s queer, persecuted best friend, Jón John, dreams of becoming a theatrical costume designer. The two plot their escape to Denmark, where they hope to live more fulfilled lives, but even that comes with unsettling tradeoffs."