Steering North
Original title: Bära och brista
Author: Sara Lövestam
Original publisher: Piratförlaget, 2021
Genre: Fiction
My ancestors are a miserable bunch, all in all. Abandoned children and unknown fathers, prostitutes and probably more alcoholics than I know of. I myself am the pinnacle of failure: the one who couldn’t even pass on these shabby genes.
After being pushed over the edge at work, Monika signs up for a therapeutic writing retreat in Arvidsjaur in the deep North of Sweden. A motley group of participants gather at the retreat, each with their own reasons to write. Challenged by them and the eclectic leader of the retreat, Monika confronts her fears of having to live a life that has not been written before.
Over the course of this one intense week, Monika continues to uncover decades of family history: Lisa, who came to Stockholm in search of her fiancé; Sten, who killed his mother with his sheer size; Sara-Maria, who was meant to emigrate to America. Their stories come to life, forming pieces of the puzzle that Monika attempts to solve.
“Sara Lövestam’s Monika books are the most fun reading in ages. ... Lövestam’s language is silver, her narrative joy is gold. Criminally fabulous assets. She has an authorial voice that can convey sorrow without pushing the tissues. The delivery is simply delightful.”
Arbetarbladet
