\New Swedish Books, spring 2019 1
13 Spring 2019 Testament Nina Wähä’s novel Testam
ent follows Annie who, on discovering that she is pregnant, travels to her childhood home in Tornedalen with mixed feelings. Back to the family farm with her mother, father, and eleven siblings. Or thirteen, depending on how you count. On her arrival up north, Annie does not receive a warm welcome from a close-knit family. Everyone fights constantly and has difficulty agreeing on even the simplest of things. But what can she expect? The family is comprised of incorrigible individualists: a knowit-all genius, a problematic ex-con, an overly gregarious homosexual, an uncomplicated greaser... Tradition is king in this patriarchal world, and life seems almost predetermined. But when rebellious Annie arrives, the mother decides it’s time to make peace and ensure all members of the family can move on with their lives. This novel dares to be deeply serious and delightfully entertaining at the same time, and Wähä’s playful, precise prose excels. Nina Wähä (b. 1979) Testament, novel, 437 p. Publisher Norstedts www.norstedts.se Rights Norstedts Agency Linda Altrov-Berg Linda.altrovberg@norstedts.se Works S som i syster, novel, 2007 Titta inte bakåt, novel, 2010 Photo: Kajsa Göransson