New Swedish Books, Autumn 2017 1
73 Autumn 2017 Bitte Andersson (b. 1981) The End
of the Rainbow Publisher/rights Syster förlag www.systerforlag.se sofia@systerforlag.se Works Tigerskott i brallan Fanzine 2001 Bittes Bästa Fanzine 1–2 2004, 3/4 2006 Bad Boy Bittes Fanzine 1/2006 The End of the Rainbow Ageing isn’t always easy. And ageing when you’ve spent most of your life in the closet can be even harder. At least this is the impression you get when reading about 76-year-old Marja who, in order to come to terms with the loss of her lifelong companion Ann, has shut herself away completely. It is with great reluctance that she moves in to the ‘Pleiades’, a residential home for LGBT-seniors, whilst her smoke-damaged flat is being cleaned. However, when finally installed, she finds a sense of community and, with Millan, Amran, Rita and the others, a new set of friends. Illustrator, filmmaker, multidisciplinary artist and former bookshop owner Bitte Andersson has chosen a sometimes difficult subject for her debut graphic novel. But then, since the publication of her first fanzine in 2001, she has honed her skills, mastering autobiographical narratives as well as both humorous and serious issues. The End of the Rainbow is partly based on interviews with an older generation of LGBT people. Through the experiences of the people around Marja we get a glimpse of what life was like as a lesbian, gay man or trans person in different parts of the world during the 70s, 80s and 90s. Touching, comical and sometimes tragic stories are delicately handled in Andersson’s drawings, which are finely rendered in a ‘ligne claire’style. A strong debut that makes you eager to read more. Photo: Johanna Arnström