New Swedish Books, autumn 2020 1
New Swedish Books 40 The Carriers The Carriers de
picts a world both similar to and different from our own. A pandemic has been raging for decades, a contagious disease that has forced men and women to live separately. The women have all the power, and the scarce resources are shared equally among the inhabitants. It’s not a rich life – earlier generations have wasted many natural resources and caused severe changes to the climate. But they live a fair life, where everyone contributes. Nikki and Simone have been a couple for several years when Simone’s longing for a child and her subsequent depression, caused by not being able to conceive, begins to tear them apart. Nikki is desperate to help Simone and return them to a happier place. She finds a way – but has to pay a high price for it. This is a story about how far you are willing to go for the person you love, and at what cost. It is about what sacrifices you are prepared to make for a greater good – and about what happens when the curtain falls and you are forced to re-think what you knew to be true. Jessica Schiefauer The jury: A superbly written dystopia that’s sure to become a classic. Echoes of Atwood, yet with its own voice. Novel, 334 p. Jessica Schiefauer Publisher Romanus & Selling Rights Hedlund Literary Agency Siri Lindgren siri@hedlundagency.se Photo: Ola Kjelbye