New Swedish Books, Spring 2018 1
New Swedish Books 18 My Soul to Keep Christine Fa
lkenland is the epic poet of forbidden desire. Throughout her rich writing career, which takes in both fiction and poetry, she has constantly explored the subversive force of passion in people’s lives. She often works with antagonistic opposites: virtue and sin, body and soul, man and woman. This is once more the case in her novel My Soul to Keep, in which the anxiety-ridden Claudia tracks down her childhood sweetheart Erland, now a married vicar whose existence is mapped out in rules and routines. Their roles are pre-defined, but both turn out to harbour inner conflicts. Claudia is torn between her death drive and her lust for life, Erland between his strict morals and his powerful sexuality. Their encounter is a drawn-out tug of war, decided in advance. Christine Falkenland (b. 1967) My Soul to Keep Publisher Wahlström & Widstrand www.wwd.se Selected Works Min skugga novel 1998 Öde novel 2003 Sfinx novel 2011 Rights Bonnier Rights amanda.bertolo.alderin@ bonnierrights.se Selected Literary Prizes Wahlström & Widstrands litteraturpris 1998 Svenska Dagbladets litteraturpris 2003 Sveriges Radios Romanpris 2004 Photo: Kristin Lidell