New Swedish Books, autumn 2020 1
39 Autumn 2020 Abandonment Abandonment is a stunn
ing autobiographical novel about three women, three cities and one family. The narrator is a writer determined to define, once and for all, the desolate shadow that has followed her throughout her life, and which she mistook for normality. In the portrayal of Rita, Sally and Katherine, she traces how secrets, lies and taboos pass from one generation to the next. Through exploring past generations of women in her family, Elisabeth Åsbrink tries to uncover the roots of her own abandonment. It’s a captivating story of love, migration and humanity in the shadow of hatred. It examines how trauma and secrets are inherited and how you come to understand yourself by understanding your past. And, as the narrator points out: “This is fiction and therefore all that is told is true.” Elisabet Åsbrink The jury: Superbly written novel about three women from different generations whose lives have been more or less marked by displacement. Novel, 317 p. Elisabet Åsbrink Publisher Polaris Rights Hedlund Agency Magdalena Hedlund magdalena@hedlundagency.se Photo: Johan Bergmark