Many of Charlotte Blay's exciting and entertaining books are set in other countries, i.e. in countries outside
Denmark. Charlotte Blay has travelled a great deal, and she often describes what happens when youngsters come into contact with other cultures. She has written books set in Iceland, Africa, Australia, South America and Vietnam. Her
latest novel, Gys og guld (Terror and treasure), is set in Canada's native Indian community, with its exciting history and wild scenery.
Nicolai immediately accepts when he is given a ticket to Canada to spend the summer with a distant relative, 29‑year‑old Sam. In the attic of Sam's house Nicolai discovers an old diary and that kicks off a summer of adventure and treasure hunt.
This is essentially an exciting book from beginning to end, not least because of the stories of treasure hunts and survival. The description of life in the Indian reserve where the native Indian girl Beverly lives is both a harsh critique of a society in decline that is plagued by alcohol abuse, and a moving portrayal of solidarity and respect for family values and traditions.
Charlotte Blay always researches her locations thoroughly, and her descriptions of foreign cultures are very convincing. Many of the themes she tackles are universal, be it the relationship between young people, their relationship with their parents or their attempts to overthrow old, restrictive traditions.
Løven brøler (The lion roars) is set in Africa, where 14‑year‑old Anja spends a period of time with a Masai family when her parents, return to Denmark.
In Kængurudrømmen (The kangaroo dream), we share Peter and Tony's sweat and thirst when they become stranded in the Australian outback as a result of a stupid blunder during an excursion. In addition to the fundamental survival story, the book focuses on the relationship between
whites and Aborigines both now and in the past.
In Kys og knogler (Kisses and bones) we meet Tham, who normally lives with his family in Denmark, as he returns to Vietnam to move his grandfather's bones from the
mountains down to the paddy fields in true Vietnamese tradition. In Vietnam he meets his extended family and, despite his comfortable life in Denmark with his
friends, school and parties, he slowly begins to appreciate the strengths of the Vietnamese society.
Many young people today travel extensively. As a result, there is a great deal of interest in books for children who come into contact with youngsters from different cultural backgrounds. Charlotte Blay is an excellent contemporary storyteller whose books are not only engaging, exciting and full of energy but also well-written and highly
readable.
(1999)
