Book Report: Doktor Proktors Prompepulver

32. Jo Nesbø, Doktor Proktors Prompepulver (2007) (12/5/18)

The third installment in my friend Thelma's and my Norwegian torture series, this one, by the respected crime novelist Jo Nesbø, took us into the land of silly. It's a kids' book—which didn't make it any easier, but at least it made us laugh fairly often. The title in English? Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder. Yes indeed.

The story involves misfits Lise and tiny Bulle who join forces with their neighbor Doctor Proctor to market his fart powder to their fellow classmates. The point of the powder is not to be smelly—in fact, the resulting farts have no scent—but rather to make a loud noise: perfect for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. There's even an extra-powerful fart powder that sends Bulle blasting up into the sky, which they decide not to tell others about. But the school bullies, Truls and Trym, learn their secret and decide to steal the Fartonaut powder, with the help of their dastardly father, Mr. Thrane (who hopes to sell it to NASA). There's also some powder that makes you glow in the dark, which comes in handy when Bulle has to escape Oslo's dread Dungeon of the Dead and winds up in the city sewers—and is swallowed by a giant anaconda.

It's a bit of a shaggy dog story. And I did mention that it's silly, right?

All turns out well in the end, though: even the anaconda finally gets a substantial meal, in the form of Mr. Thrane. (Good riddance.) And on Independence Day, May 17, Bulle fulfills his dream of playing trumpet in the school marching band, while the Fartonaut powder is finally put to excellent use substituting for the celebratory cannons (whose gunpowder from China went missing—the longshoreman keeps muttering about a giant snake) for the Big and Almost World Famous Royal Salute, with the help of seven royal guardsmen, who provide the official, resounding, celebratory farts.

And if that doesn't make sense, I don't know what will!