New Swedish Books. Autumn 2016 1
AUTUMN 2016 A Sun Amongst Dead Spheres In the cla
ssic 1926 novel Alberta and Jacob by the Norwegian writer Cora Sandel, the main character Alberta lives in troubling times and in a confined existence she is unable to break free from. Almost a century later the hospital receptionist Barbro is more than able to identify with her situation. Obsessed, she travels to Sandel’s hometown of Tromsø, in order to follow in her footsteps and seek guidance. Her pilgrimage is layered with excerpts from the novel and the two women’s destinies become intertwined. In dazzlingly beautiful ink, pastel and watercolour Anneli Furmark draws a delicate portrait of a person who wants to but who doesn’t dare, who longs for, but for what? Is Barbro escaping into a fictive world because it resembles her own or will the changing power of literature be greater than she expects? Anneli Furmark (text and image) A SUN AMONGST DEAD SPHERES Kartago Förlag Rights: Kartago Förlag Myling In Scandinavian folklore the Myling is a phantasmal being, the incarnation of an unbaptized child killed and buried in secret in order to hide an unwanted birth. In its undead existence this being roams around, yearning to find a final resting place, whilst harassing and frightening the living. Amanda Casanellas has placed this old folk tale into a post-apocalyptic scenario, resulting in a short story with elements of both horror and science fiction, but with a message that’s firmly focused on empathy. Yossra El Said has reinterpreted the story into comic form and has with a brilliant visual language in a ‘mangaesque’ style made the story even more powerful and suggestive. It’s a tight tale that optimises the graphic short story form. Amanda Casanellas (text) Yossra El Said (image) MYLING Tusen Serier Rights: Tusen Serier 71