A disillusioned architect in Reykjavík struggles with himself and his idealism in an Icelandic construction industry that leaves no room for quality or long-term thinking. 

In this thought-provoking novella, Andri Snær Magnason sheds light on how our narratives—of control, of humankind’s supremacy—leave their mark on the physical things we build. 

Giantstone invites us to ask: What new stories can shape both our inner and outer worlds? Can we shift the notion of ourselves as the center of the world? And can what we build and create reflect a way of life that cares for the Earth?

“The story is a tragicomic and layered satire that hits the mark reliably… In Giantstone, it is the world beneath our feet that is under examination, the social structure itself, and it is in every way a successful and fierce critique. This is therefore a comprehensive and refined work that succeeds well at what it sets out to do.”
SB, MORGUNBLADID DAILY

“The story is brilliantly framed by a single moment: the narrator hurls a Jötunsteinn—a tough paving stone the size of a brick—at his cousin’s car. Looking back, he reflects on how he became ‘a tool for the accumulation of capital by a few individuals.’ … A short but outstanding work, much larger than itself.”
CENTRAL DANISH LIBRARY

“Astute and thought-provoking fiction like this is often the best way to understand the real world.”
BRUNO GIUSSANI, AUTHOR AND FORMER TED GLOBAL CURATOR

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“An Icelandic satire about the construction industry is full of bullseyes … They say the devil is in the details. That’s also where the divine humor lies in Magnason’s sad fairy tale.”
THOMAS BREDSDORFF, POLITIKEN DENMARK

“I am very impressed with this book and I want it to go into every single home… I think this is such a timely book and it has something important to say… [Andri Snaer] does this in a fantastic way… I find this book incredibly clever. [Giantstone] is one of the books of the year.”
KB, KILJAN NATIONAL TV