From a Passion for Literature to Oslo’s Only English Bookstore

Nestled in Oslo's Grünerløkka district, Prismatic Pages is the city’s only bookstore dedicated exclusively to English books. It aims to connect with the English-speaking community by offering a diverse selection of new and second-hand books, alongside a variety of events and activities.

It is perhaps the bookstore’s warm and colourful storefront, seasonally decorated for Christmas, that invites you in. Inside, in a cozy atmosphere surrounded by hundreds of books of all genres, you’ll meet Indigo, the owner of Prismatic Pages.

Passionate about books since childhood, reading everything from novels to school books became a part of her daily life early.

—When I saw my parents reading I'd tell them all the time, ‘Read out loud!’ because I wanted to know what they were reading, Indigo says.

At the age of 19, she got her first job in a bookstore and later pursued studies in journalism. Yet, despite what many might assume, opening a bookstore wasn’t a childhood dream. 

—A lot of people fantasise about working in a bookshop and romanticise it as relaxing. It is not like that, there is much more work involved, she says. 

It was when she moved to Oslo in 2014 that she felt the need to open her own bookshop. Originally from the United States, she was looking for a place selling books in English, but except for the big retail chains selling Norwegian and English books, there were none in the city. Combining her passion and a need, it occurred to her to create a place that offers books only in English.

Since opening in December 2023, the bookstore has seen hundreds of visitors. Locals, exchange students, and tourists alike pass by to find native English and translated literature, a lot of which remains untranslated into other languages. An opportunity for readers to access new cultures and ways of seeing the world through foreign literature. The bookstore also hosts events, both literary and non-literary, from concerts to signing sessions with local authors.

Indigo’s top picks

Reading around 100 books annually, Indigo knows her books. Favourites come and go:

—I think that you like a book because it is related to a moment of your life, so it’s complicated to have a specific favourite. There are books that I relate more to now than I did before.

Currently, her favourite is All Fours by Miranda July. This recent release tells the story of a woman going on a road trip, searching for herself while escaping her everyday life.

—I’m reading it for the second time, which I normally never do, so I think it is my favorite. 

For comfort in the cold season, Indigo suggests The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas, a Norwegian classic translated into English. The book, following two young girls in the countryside, explores nature, life cycles, and winter—a solid pairing for Norway’s colder months. Additionally, for those wishing to start reading in Norwegian, Indigo recommends the easy-to-read and short original as a great place to start. 

Looking for a classic instead? The often overlooked The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (1905) delves into social class, marriage, and the status of women through the lens of downwards-mobile protagonist Lily Bart in early 20th-century New York. Lily dreams of marriage and financial stability, but finds herself in conflict between her desires and the social expectations of her surroundings.

Or, if you haven’t yet, check out F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, a true American classic. Also set in New York, the iconic tale centers around the enigmatic Jay Gatsby, critiquing the bourgeois superficiality of the Roaring Twenties while exploring the themes of love and illusion.