New Swedish Books, Spring 2020 1
5 Spring 2020 Ripped The source of inspiration fo
r Josefine Adolfsson’s new novel is Martin Scorsese’s movie ‘Taxi Driver’. The scene is set in the twin cities of Copenhagen/Malmö. The former is reasonably well-ordered and idyllic, while Malmö has developed from a working class city into a place with gaping social divisions and internal strife. In Ripped, we follow young Julia as she is tossed among the treacherous waves of the gig economy for the duration of a spring and summer. This character type is familiar from many other portrayals written by young writers: a person exposed to society rather than part of it. Adolfsson has achieved great success in film and drama. Her previous books have crossed the boundary into reportage; in this new novel one is struck above all by the quick, razor sharp exchanges and the entirely accurate scenery, capturing a post-industrial environment where people rush towards the opportunities closest at hand, rather than into the arms of something that might be considered secure. Josefine Adolfsson Works Kårnulf was here: en hembygdsskildring i fyra delar och två samtal, novel, 2004 Farlighetslagen, novel, 2009 Awards Tribeca film award for ‘She Monkeys’ (script) Novel, 267 p Josefine Adolfsson (b. 1973) Publisher Natur & Kultur www.nok.se Rights Natur & Kultur Richard Herold richard.herold@nok.se Photo: Miriam Preis