"Alltid hos dig" (Always with you) is the latest book from one of my favourite authors, Swedish Maria Ernestam. As I found her previous book (Kleopatras kam - Cleopatra's comb) to be a cliche filled low water mark, after its much promising first chapter, I was slightly apprehensive with this one.
But it was rather a nice, unpretentious book, about life and death, forgiveness, of being able to move on after a loved one's death, eventually becoming stronger and find new meanings in life. The book moves swiftly through different times, from present time to 1959 to world war I (the Battle of Jutland playing a significant role in the book).
Ernestam writes, as most usual, in a lovely melange of mundane, poetic, multi layered, different shades of meaning, thought provoking and moving. A seemingly simple read, yet ingeniously composed.
Still, if you haven't read any of her books before, I suggest you begin with
the amazing "Caipirinha med Döden" (Caipirinha with Death) followed by "Busters öron" (Buster's ears) and don't expect "Alltid hos dig" to play in the same league of amazing reads. A nice, interesting, wistful read, but not in the league of spectacular.
2 comments:
What? Caipirinha? The author wrote something about Brazil or your drink? DD
If I remember correctly, DD, the author's favourite drink is Caipirinha thus the reason for the characters in the book drinking that particular drink. She doesn't write anything about Brazil, apart from the drink that is.
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