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Den vita staden
Det stora huset ser fortfarande nästan nytt ut under den grå himlen. Snön ligger i vallar på trappan upp till ytterdörren, som är låst med flera lås. Därinne finns Karin med sin lilla dotter, bara drygt ett halvår gammal.
Det är smutsigt, det finns ingen värme och det är tomt i skåpen. Hon är ensam nu. Allt har förändrats. Pengarna är slut och hon har sålt det mesta av värde.
En dag knackar kronofogden på dörren. Hon är på väg att förlora det enda hon har kvar, huset som John gav henne. Vem ska skydda henne nu? Vart ska hon och Dream ta vägen?
Hon måste ta sig ut. Hon måste orka. Hon ger sig av med barnet för att få tag på det som hon har rätt till.
Karolina Ramqvists nya roman är en fristående fortsättning på Flickvännen.
Det är smutsigt, det finns ingen värme och det är tomt i skåpen. Hon är ensam nu. Allt har förändrats. Pengarna är slut och hon har sålt det mesta av värde.
En dag knackar kronofogden på dörren. Hon är på väg att förlora det enda hon har kvar, huset som John gav henne. Vem ska skydda henne nu? Vart ska hon och Dream ta vägen?
Hon måste ta sig ut. Hon måste orka. Hon ger sig av med barnet för att få tag på det som hon har rätt till.
Karolina Ramqvists nya roman är en fristående fortsättning på Flickvännen.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2015
26 people are currently reading
669 people want to read
About the author
Karolina Ramqvist
23 books166 followersKarolina Ramqvist är en svensk journalist och författare.
Ramqvist har varit chefredaktör för tidskriften Arena och kritiker i Dagens Nyheter. Hon blev allmänt känd när hon publicerade ett privat brev från Ulf Lundell i antologin Fittstim. Hon har även medverkat i tidskriften Bang. Ramqvist är gift med journalisten Fredrik Virtanen.
Karolina Ramqvist är sondotter till The Svedberg.
Ramqvist har varit chefredaktör för tidskriften Arena och kritiker i Dagens Nyheter. Hon blev allmänt känd när hon publicerade ett privat brev från Ulf Lundell i antologin Fittstim. Hon har även medverkat i tidskriften Bang. Ramqvist är gift med journalisten Fredrik Virtanen.
Karolina Ramqvist är sondotter till The Svedberg.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
October 21, 2016
This is a very intimate look at what happens when a woman is completely alone with a baby --a baby she never really wanted to have....living in a large house which is about to be confiscated.
Karin had once been living the 'high-and-mighty' life with John, a 'high-and-mighty'-criminal. An image I had of John, was Leonardo DiCaprio, playing the leading role in the film "The Wolf of Wall Street". Karin was mixed up with a man she loved who threw big parties with drugs as appetizers, had a bottomless pit of money for all the most expensive luxurious homes, cars, clothes, and any number of desired experiences. John was the one who wanted a child....and now he was gone. Karin was left with nothing - no money- no support from extended 'organized-crime' friends....plus the authorities are coming after her. Karin is in a bad position and is going to need to make some tough choices.
This story becomes a taut, suspenseful, psychological journey. How in the world does a depressed woman learn to quickly source her own life and be the mother her child needs and deserves? The baby's name is Dream. Dream whimpers, cries, and screams often....matching the mother's mood. There were times when mother and child were trembling and sniffling together.
The atmosphere is eerie and the storytelling is slow burning.
The house itself was surrounded by snow. The driveway was snowed in. Every effort to take the baby outside was a grueling endeavor. My eyes started to water and my hands got ice cold just reading about Karin and Dream alone in the snow. The writing is gorgeous, seductive, mysterious, classy & smart. Really lovely!
Karolina Ramquist is a Swedish journalist and author. This was my first experience with her work. She's quite talented!
Thank You Grove Atlantic, Netgalley, and Karolina Ramqvist
Karin had once been living the 'high-and-mighty' life with John, a 'high-and-mighty'-criminal. An image I had of John, was Leonardo DiCaprio, playing the leading role in the film "The Wolf of Wall Street". Karin was mixed up with a man she loved who threw big parties with drugs as appetizers, had a bottomless pit of money for all the most expensive luxurious homes, cars, clothes, and any number of desired experiences. John was the one who wanted a child....and now he was gone. Karin was left with nothing - no money- no support from extended 'organized-crime' friends....plus the authorities are coming after her. Karin is in a bad position and is going to need to make some tough choices.
This story becomes a taut, suspenseful, psychological journey. How in the world does a depressed woman learn to quickly source her own life and be the mother her child needs and deserves? The baby's name is Dream. Dream whimpers, cries, and screams often....matching the mother's mood. There were times when mother and child were trembling and sniffling together.
The atmosphere is eerie and the storytelling is slow burning.
The house itself was surrounded by snow. The driveway was snowed in. Every effort to take the baby outside was a grueling endeavor. My eyes started to water and my hands got ice cold just reading about Karin and Dream alone in the snow. The writing is gorgeous, seductive, mysterious, classy & smart. Really lovely!
Karolina Ramquist is a Swedish journalist and author. This was my first experience with her work. She's quite talented!
Thank You Grove Atlantic, Netgalley, and Karolina Ramqvist
Read
June 17, 2019DNF so I did not give it a rating. This Swedish novel gives us an intimate look at dysfunctional young woman with a new-born baby – her breast feeding, diaper changing, showering. She lives alone in a big house in the Swedish winter and her husband has gone. He was involved in some time of criminality that got them the house but is he dead, or missing or has he just skipped out on his wife? I read about 60 pages but I couldn’t understand what was going on with her situation. All she seems do is smoke and eat pizza. Because she can’t function her house is about to be repossessed. She has no idea where she will go and seems to not even have any friends because their friends were his friends and he’s gone. With 60 pages, I feel I gave it an honest try. I also have to say that, for what it is worth, the rating of 3.3 on GR is extremely low as these things go although it does have a number of good reviews.
February 28, 2017
The White City started off promising but ended up petering out for me. It is a short novel and the story is very narrow. Focused on a few days in Karin’s life, we zero right into her situation without getting any back story. Karin lives in a big house with her infant daughter. Her partner John is not there – maybe dead, arrested, disappeared – who knows. John was involved in some kind of unspecified criminal activity. Karin has no money and is on the verge of losing the house, her car and everything else. She makes the rounds to people she knows – they seem to be associated with John but it's not clear how -- to find money and figure out how to survive. In the end, Karin may or may not have found a solution. I’m not giving anything away. This is the story from beginning to end. What makes The White City promising in the beginning is the atmosphere Ramqvist creates. She does an excellent job of putting us in Karin’s head, and of laying out her desperation in looking after a baby while trying to salvage a life in such unpromising circumstances. But in the end, the focus remained too narrow for me, and I felt that too little was revealed. I ended up feeling like I participated in a writing experiment rather than reading a good novel. Others may get far more out of this one than me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
February 15, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
3.5* - a compelling, intriguing yet slightly unsatisfying short novel.
Firstly, let me start by saying that the writing was very engrossing. I was hooked from start to finish, and desperately curious to know what would happen to Karin, not to mention her baby daughter, Dream.
I think Ramqvist also caught the essence of early motherhood perfectly - the exhaustion, the emotions, the traumas with breastfeeding (though perhaps it focused a tad too much on breastfeeding all the time, it felt a little like overkill towards the end - yes, boobs do hurt whenfeeding, but the book kind of drilled the point home a bit too often).
The plot itself was intriguing. Initially I was baffled about what had happened, but about 20% of the way through I realised that Karin's absent partner was some sort of criminal, presumably behind bars? The ambiguity worked well, and added to the strange, dream-like mood of the book. I also really enjoyed the fact that nothing much happened - it's a mark of a good writer when they can hold your attention without having to include loads of action.
Overall, it was a good read - slightly unsatisfying in places, but clearly Ramqvist can write really well. I enjoyed it.
3.5* - a compelling, intriguing yet slightly unsatisfying short novel.
Firstly, let me start by saying that the writing was very engrossing. I was hooked from start to finish, and desperately curious to know what would happen to Karin, not to mention her baby daughter, Dream.
I think Ramqvist also caught the essence of early motherhood perfectly - the exhaustion, the emotions, the traumas with breastfeeding (though perhaps it focused a tad too much on breastfeeding all the time, it felt a little like overkill towards the end - yes, boobs do hurt whenfeeding, but the book kind of drilled the point home a bit too often).
The plot itself was intriguing. Initially I was baffled about what had happened, but about 20% of the way through I realised that Karin's absent partner was some sort of criminal, presumably behind bars? The ambiguity worked well, and added to the strange, dream-like mood of the book. I also really enjoyed the fact that nothing much happened - it's a mark of a good writer when they can hold your attention without having to include loads of action.
Overall, it was a good read - slightly unsatisfying in places, but clearly Ramqvist can write really well. I enjoyed it.
February 7, 2017
3.5 stars. Karin knew what she was getting into when she fell for the high-flying criminal John. But never did she imagine it would turn out like this.
John has now gone and so is the lifestyle she had grown accustomed too. Now she is living below the breadline with her telephone being cur off and with very little money. She now has a child to take care off.
Although this novel is well written, I did find this a slow burner. There was not a lot happening throughout the book but the atmosphere is eerie and the ending was worth sticking it out for.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Grove Atlantic and the author Karolina Ramquist for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
John has now gone and so is the lifestyle she had grown accustomed too. Now she is living below the breadline with her telephone being cur off and with very little money. She now has a child to take care off.
Although this novel is well written, I did find this a slow burner. There was not a lot happening throughout the book but the atmosphere is eerie and the ending was worth sticking it out for.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Grove Atlantic and the author Karolina Ramquist for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2021
Sharp, straightforward, well written feminist adventure. Perfect for a sunday read.
February 28, 2017
3.5 review to follow.
January 23, 2019
Es increíble como con sus palabras te transmite la situación de la madre, la cual está sola, con su hija, algo tan preciado que no quería, y que ahora no puede cuidar en las condiciones que tendría que hacerlo. No recibe el apoyo de nadie, todos parecen dejarla sola, y esa protección que te suele dar tu "familia", ella no la tiene. Es realmente devastador, esta situación se ve reflejada en muchas madres en la actualidad, que lastimosamente no pueden otorgarle una buena calidad de vida a sus hijos...
Es un poco desconcertante, la escritura es profunda, te atrapa de forma que no puedes soltarlo, pero también deja ciertos huecos, que al final, de la forma en la que escribe, te hubiese gustado un poco más, me quedé con ciertos espacios en blanco, siento que se merece 5 estrellas, pero a la vez pienso que considerando todos los aspectos, no está a la altura.
De todos modos, lo recomiendo, a mi me gustó mucho y es una lectura que se lee súper rápido.
October 30, 2017
This is one of the most claustrophobic books that I've read, but it's a mental sensation I got, not a physical one.
Karin is living with her baby daughter Dream in a big, isolated house. There's no heat, it's dirty and there's almost nothing to eat. Her partner was some kind of big criminal (he's no longer in the picture) and despite his promises of nothing bad ever happening to them, she's alone and none of his "business partners" has done anything to help her. He´s gone and she's alone and broke. Also, the authorities have already told her they're taking the house and the car from her.
The sensation of everything closing in around her is real, as she travels to the city, white with snow, to search for John's friends and partners and find out if there's any money left for her.
You can feel Karin's physical discomfort, her almost mental breakdown, the cold and the grime surrounding her. But just when everything seems to be against her, she finds the resources and help to turn everything around.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Karin is living with her baby daughter Dream in a big, isolated house. There's no heat, it's dirty and there's almost nothing to eat. Her partner was some kind of big criminal (he's no longer in the picture) and despite his promises of nothing bad ever happening to them, she's alone and none of his "business partners" has done anything to help her. He´s gone and she's alone and broke. Also, the authorities have already told her they're taking the house and the car from her.
The sensation of everything closing in around her is real, as she travels to the city, white with snow, to search for John's friends and partners and find out if there's any money left for her.
You can feel Karin's physical discomfort, her almost mental breakdown, the cold and the grime surrounding her. But just when everything seems to be against her, she finds the resources and help to turn everything around.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2019
Inte min favorit. Men jag hade missat att man kanske skulle läsa den där ”Flickvännen” innan. Tyckte i alla fall det var lite för mycket snö och att slutet var lite platt.
Men inget ont om Ramqvist. Jag har önskat mig ”Björnkvinnan” i julklapp. Så hoppas på hårda paket i övermorgon.
Men inget ont om Ramqvist. Jag har önskat mig ”Björnkvinnan” i julklapp. Så hoppas på hårda paket i övermorgon.
November 16, 2016
One of the more bleak novels I've read recently. I don't know if it adds up to everything it aims for but the writing is so precise, strong, and beautiful that it almost doesn't matter. Plot-wise, there's not a ton: a recently widowed mob wife is faced with the reality that she has no money and the government is going to take whatever remaining assets she does have. She sets out with her infant daughter and seeks help from their former friends. The stars of the show here are the scenery and the characters. Everything feels real, fleshed out, and haunting.
February 6, 2017
I received this book free from the publisher via netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
Please see my full reviews available at www.coffeeandtrainspotting.com.
Please see my full reviews available at www.coffeeandtrainspotting.com.
December 12, 2018
I read this a few weeks ago- I think it was the only book I read in November. Didn't realize I hadn't reviewed it!
I used this book for my pop sugar prompt: Nordic Noir. I really wanted to jump into one of the Harry Hole books and couldn't get into them so I went with something short because I figured it would be the least painful.
The plot here is very basic. The MC is the mother to a child of some kind of Swedish gangster/drug runner. The law has caught up with her/them and let her know that because of he was a criminal, all proceeds of his criminal acts are going to be forfeited to the state. Including her house, her car, and everything in them. So she is trying to figure out how she can get out of dodge and who might have owed her boyfriend money. It was a lot of toting a baby back and forth in the snow and ice to different ex-friends and criminal's houses. The plot was probably the weakest point of the whole book because it felt repetitive and a little boring.
I will say- Ramqvist wrote the character (whose name I can't remember) very well and very believably. It seems like she's suffering from some postpartum depression. A lot of her feelings about being a new mother I sympathized with and the characterization gets 5 stars. It was very well done and one of the most believable characters I think I've read this year.
There were a lot of questions that kept me engaged to the end- but none of them ended up being answered. Who exactly was her boyfriend? (I think his name was Alex.) What was he doing exactly that he could afford a mansion and a fancy car and luxury label clothing and accessories? But mostly: WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO HIM?! Is he dead? How did he die? Is he in jail? Did he flee the country? Is he ever coming back?
I did *mostly* like the conclusion which is why I gave it three stars between the boring plot and the excellent characterization. However- it too was sort of vague, and happened all within three minutes, and when I was done all I could think was: huh?
So- not terrible. Quick, if nothing else. Maybe I'll get to the Harry Hole books next year and make an honest go at Nordic Noir.
I used this book for my pop sugar prompt: Nordic Noir. I really wanted to jump into one of the Harry Hole books and couldn't get into them so I went with something short because I figured it would be the least painful.
The plot here is very basic. The MC is the mother to a child of some kind of Swedish gangster/drug runner. The law has caught up with her/them and let her know that because of he was a criminal, all proceeds of his criminal acts are going to be forfeited to the state. Including her house, her car, and everything in them. So she is trying to figure out how she can get out of dodge and who might have owed her boyfriend money. It was a lot of toting a baby back and forth in the snow and ice to different ex-friends and criminal's houses. The plot was probably the weakest point of the whole book because it felt repetitive and a little boring.
I will say- Ramqvist wrote the character (whose name I can't remember) very well and very believably. It seems like she's suffering from some postpartum depression. A lot of her feelings about being a new mother I sympathized with and the characterization gets 5 stars. It was very well done and one of the most believable characters I think I've read this year.
There were a lot of questions that kept me engaged to the end- but none of them ended up being answered. Who exactly was her boyfriend? (I think his name was Alex.) What was he doing exactly that he could afford a mansion and a fancy car and luxury label clothing and accessories? But mostly: WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO HIM?! Is he dead? How did he die? Is he in jail? Did he flee the country? Is he ever coming back?
I did *mostly* like the conclusion which is why I gave it three stars between the boring plot and the excellent characterization. However- it too was sort of vague, and happened all within three minutes, and when I was done all I could think was: huh?
So- not terrible. Quick, if nothing else. Maybe I'll get to the Harry Hole books next year and make an honest go at Nordic Noir.
July 16, 2017
3,5
Jag tycker om Ramqvists språk. Det är enkelt att skriva korta böcker, men att faktiskt lyckas förmedla något i korta böcker är en konst (tycker jag). Den vita staden är, liksom Flickvännen, ganska långsam och stillsam, men jag tycker om det. Jag tycker om porträttet av vintersverige och moderskapet.
Även om den är en fristående fortsättning på Flickvännen skulle jag verkligen rekommendera att läsa Flickvännen först. Det behövs för att man ska förstå sammanhanget.
Jag tycker om Ramqvists språk. Det är enkelt att skriva korta böcker, men att faktiskt lyckas förmedla något i korta böcker är en konst (tycker jag). Den vita staden är, liksom Flickvännen, ganska långsam och stillsam, men jag tycker om det. Jag tycker om porträttet av vintersverige och moderskapet.
Även om den är en fristående fortsättning på Flickvännen skulle jag verkligen rekommendera att läsa Flickvännen först. Det behövs för att man ska förstå sammanhanget.
July 23, 2017
An award-winning Swedish novel, recently translated. Does reach one emotionally, much left to one's imagination, and a rather puzzling ending. One is left scratching one's head, wondering about the resolution. Spectacular in how it maintain's one's interest and totally imparts the actual situation. Perhaps I wish the book had continued instead of ending.
September 27, 2017
The White City is a short, but intense and strangely compelling story. This author tells nothing, but shows everything with lyrical prose that is both tense and sophisticated.
The reader is introduced to Karin and her small daughter and follows their every thought and every move over a couple of days. It is clear that Karin has, in the past, enjoyed a life of luxury and glamour in her expensive house with her wealthy husband John. However, John has left and the house that was once her palace has now become her prison. Cold and empty, she and her daughter are trapped. Faced with eviction and with no friends, Karin is compelled to take action, to save herself and her daughter.
The White City is a book that begs to be read, although there were times when I wondered just where this story was heading, there is something about the quality of the writing and the excellent descriptions that I found quite hypnotising. Karolina Ramqvist takes her reader into the depths of Karin's thoughts. We experience her every emotion; her despair, her anger and her utter bewilderment at her situation.
The author excels at creating atmosphere and suspense. The biting cold atmosphere of the setting and the iciness of the characters that Karin reaches out to are startling and brilliantly portrayed.
There is no doubt that The White City is very bleak, yet it is also so very beautifully told. I was very impressed by this one and would recommend it highly.
https://randomthingsthroughmyletterbo...
January 30, 2022
Uppföljare till ”Flickvännen”. Skulle nog inte rekommendera denna om man inte blev uppslukad av förra bokens intrig, vilket jag återigen inte blev..
Författaren är dock väldigt skicklig på att skildra en meningslös vardag, bestående av typ städning och manikyr. Dessa återkommande vardagssysslor beskriv på ett sätt som skapar känsla och mening i en vidare bemärkelse.
Författaren är dock väldigt skicklig på att skildra en meningslös vardag, bestående av typ städning och manikyr. Dessa återkommande vardagssysslor beskriv på ett sätt som skapar känsla och mening i en vidare bemärkelse.
October 18, 2024
Det finns något kroppsligt, något fysiskt i hur Ramqvist skriver som jag alltid connectar med på ett plan, jag befinner mig där, känner med dem. Men tyvärr var det inte så mycket mer än så denna gång…
January 23, 2020
Riktigt bra nerv! Lyssnade på ljudboken och drog tyvärr ut på det lite för länge, boken hade blivit ännu bättre av att bli läst eller lyssnad på ett lite mer sammanhängande sätt.
May 29, 2017
Karin, a beautiful young woman who's dad rejects her finds solace with John who offers Karin what she needs most, affection and promises of a secure lifestyle...not just any lifestyle, he buys her a $15.000.000 mansion, a car, jewelry, the sky is the limit. He has one request, a child...which Karin does not want...how do you tell a man who offers you a lifetime of security, no? Soon Dream is born. Also Karin knows John is most likely a charismatic crook, living the high life, she enjoys the love and promises John offers.
Until the fatal day when reality comes knocking at her door. The mansion will be repossessed along with her car, and all her possessions. Karin finds herself alone with her daughter Dream, nowhere to go. Friends closing their doors to her.
Karolina Ramqvist immerses us into Karin's life, we get to know her intimately, I was unable to put this novel down. I love her writing style and will look for her next novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic ( Black Cat )
Until the fatal day when reality comes knocking at her door. The mansion will be repossessed along with her car, and all her possessions. Karin finds herself alone with her daughter Dream, nowhere to go. Friends closing their doors to her.
Karolina Ramqvist immerses us into Karin's life, we get to know her intimately, I was unable to put this novel down. I love her writing style and will look for her next novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic ( Black Cat )
January 26, 2020
Mästerlig! För kort dock.
February 23, 2017
In The White City, new mother Karin is clearly depressed. She’s struggling alone, the man she loves is gone. She calls her voicemail at low moments to listen to his final message to her, a suggestion they go kayaking on the weekend and a request to bring his sunglasses. The house is a mess. The snow has not been shoveled from the walkway. There’s no food in the house, she calls for pizza and the delivery guy expects to have sex with her.
What seems at first like postpartum depression and grief becomes more complex when two people from the government come by to tell her they are seizing her house and her car. We realize that John was a criminal, someone in organized crime. She suspects that some people owe her and seeks them out, asking them for help and discovers that the friendships built in criminal activity do not last. There is growing menace and danger as Karin seeks help from John’s partners.
I read The White City in one sitting. I was reading away, the recounting in minute detail of a day centered on feeding her daughter, taking a shower, changing diapers, and napping should have been dull as dishwater, but was so rich in mood and detail, so brilliantly written, that I was captured. The pages flew by, there’s a constant tension, a creeping unease.
So much of this story is told obliquely. We learn things by seeing things happen, we are never told, nothing is explained. Ramqvist trusts that we are smart enough to follow the narrative without explanation and she is right. This subtle and slow revelation, as piece by piece falls into place is brilliant and the kind of writing I most appreciate.
This is one of those stories that cannot be described by its plot. There’s no huge, intricate plot full of twists and turns. This is about atmosphere, about her dawning realization that her relationships may not be what she thought, that perhaps she must act. It’s quite wonderful.
The White City will be published February 7, 2017. I received an advance e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.
★★★★
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpres...
What seems at first like postpartum depression and grief becomes more complex when two people from the government come by to tell her they are seizing her house and her car. We realize that John was a criminal, someone in organized crime. She suspects that some people owe her and seeks them out, asking them for help and discovers that the friendships built in criminal activity do not last. There is growing menace and danger as Karin seeks help from John’s partners.
I read The White City in one sitting. I was reading away, the recounting in minute detail of a day centered on feeding her daughter, taking a shower, changing diapers, and napping should have been dull as dishwater, but was so rich in mood and detail, so brilliantly written, that I was captured. The pages flew by, there’s a constant tension, a creeping unease.
So much of this story is told obliquely. We learn things by seeing things happen, we are never told, nothing is explained. Ramqvist trusts that we are smart enough to follow the narrative without explanation and she is right. This subtle and slow revelation, as piece by piece falls into place is brilliant and the kind of writing I most appreciate.
This is one of those stories that cannot be described by its plot. There’s no huge, intricate plot full of twists and turns. This is about atmosphere, about her dawning realization that her relationships may not be what she thought, that perhaps she must act. It’s quite wonderful.
The White City will be published February 7, 2017. I received an advance e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.
★★★★
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpres...
December 10, 2018
Sweden's bestselling author Karolina Ramqvist brings us a story touted as a powerful novel of "betrayal and empowerment." This short but complex study centers around how one woman, alone and lonely, is forced to grab at anything she can that might pull her out of abject despair after her criminal boyfriend abandons her with a newborn baby, with no money or prospects and the looming loss of her home. You can read what I thought of Ramqvist's latest novel, "The White City," in my review here. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2017/05/2...
April 2, 2016
Otäck, kall och fantastisk
June 26, 2021
"The White City" is a translation of a Swedish novel and focuses on a few days in the life of Karin, the girlfriend of an criminal as she work to claim what she considers is rightfully hers after the death of her boyfriend John.
Karin knew what she was getting herself into when she fell for John, but she never imagined things would turn out like this: John dead and the coke-filled parties, seemingly endless flow of money, and high social status have been replaced by cut telephone lines, cut heat, and cut cash. All that remains of Karin's former life is the mansion he bought for her--and his daughter, the child Karin once swore she would never bring into their dangerous world.
Now Karin is on her own with baby Dream and has to figure out how to survive not only for her sake but for the sake of her daughter. Over the course of a few days, Karin is forced to take drastic measures to claim what she considers rightfully hers so that she can start over.
The novel begins with Karin naked in a darkened mansion and sho0ws her struggle to care for her daughter Dream by selling items in her home. As the novel progresses, Karin struggles to reclaim her past life as the girlfriend of a high profile criminal. The police has frozen all of Karin's money as well as plan to repossess her home and car. Karin is desperate and goes to John's former friends for money and is turned away each time. Eventually, she reconnects with a former friend from her past life and in the end, she succeeds in severing the ties from her past to begin a new future with her child.
The book was good in that it is a quick read at 161 pages. What made this book a not so enjoyable read for me is that the character of Karin is unlikable and pitiful although she says she doesn't want pity from others. Although she has had a baby recently, she treats Dream as an afterthought and to me, harbors a bit of resentment that John wanted to have a child and now that the child is here, he is gone.
Karin knew what she was getting herself into when she fell for John, but she never imagined things would turn out like this: John dead and the coke-filled parties, seemingly endless flow of money, and high social status have been replaced by cut telephone lines, cut heat, and cut cash. All that remains of Karin's former life is the mansion he bought for her--and his daughter, the child Karin once swore she would never bring into their dangerous world.
Now Karin is on her own with baby Dream and has to figure out how to survive not only for her sake but for the sake of her daughter. Over the course of a few days, Karin is forced to take drastic measures to claim what she considers rightfully hers so that she can start over.
The novel begins with Karin naked in a darkened mansion and sho0ws her struggle to care for her daughter Dream by selling items in her home. As the novel progresses, Karin struggles to reclaim her past life as the girlfriend of a high profile criminal. The police has frozen all of Karin's money as well as plan to repossess her home and car. Karin is desperate and goes to John's former friends for money and is turned away each time. Eventually, she reconnects with a former friend from her past life and in the end, she succeeds in severing the ties from her past to begin a new future with her child.
The book was good in that it is a quick read at 161 pages. What made this book a not so enjoyable read for me is that the character of Karin is unlikable and pitiful although she says she doesn't want pity from others. Although she has had a baby recently, she treats Dream as an afterthought and to me, harbors a bit of resentment that John wanted to have a child and now that the child is here, he is gone.
August 6, 2017
It did feel strange when I realised I was reading a book translated from my own language, oops. The translation seems to have been done well from what I can see.
This is a novella about a few days in Karin's life. Something has happened. She is now left with a big house. No money. Too many bills to pay and her man is gone. Jail, dead, something. And she has a baby to care for in a freezing house.
Karin, well she is obviously someone who is not great caring for herself. She needs a man to do things for her. She is left with resentment now when she never wanted a kid and now she has one. She is trying to find a few out of the mess that has been left to her. So did I care for her, not at first, but she does try to pick herself up, even if not always by the best ways.
I liked the quietness of her watching her young daughter play and not saying anything because Kari never talks to the child anyway. Which of course is horrible.
But I did feel it would have been better to read the previous book. Not that it is a series but there seems to be a book before this one where she is trapped in that same house, alone and wanting him there. Right, the house is important, aha, this is one of those books you should dissect at the table of literature. Great now I can feel my uni degree awakening, better step away.
A short novella that takes no time at all to read
This is a novella about a few days in Karin's life. Something has happened. She is now left with a big house. No money. Too many bills to pay and her man is gone. Jail, dead, something. And she has a baby to care for in a freezing house.
Karin, well she is obviously someone who is not great caring for herself. She needs a man to do things for her. She is left with resentment now when she never wanted a kid and now she has one. She is trying to find a few out of the mess that has been left to her. So did I care for her, not at first, but she does try to pick herself up, even if not always by the best ways.
I liked the quietness of her watching her young daughter play and not saying anything because Kari never talks to the child anyway. Which of course is horrible.
But I did feel it would have been better to read the previous book. Not that it is a series but there seems to be a book before this one where she is trapped in that same house, alone and wanting him there. Right, the house is important, aha, this is one of those books you should dissect at the table of literature. Great now I can feel my uni degree awakening, better step away.
A short novella that takes no time at all to read
October 9, 2017
Novel set in ice cold SWEDEN
The cover of the book absolutely reflects the content. The environment is bleak and hostile with snow and ice all around, harsh and unforgiving. The life of the protagonist, Karin, is a battle to survive in difficult circumstances.
Karin has had a relationship with John who has now disappeared. He was involved in shady dealings which are never revealed, but his disappearance has left Karin and her young child, Dream, destitute. Various agencies have given notice that they are reclaiming her worldly wealth, including the luxury house which she can no longer afford to heat. The book opens as she unsuccessfully tries to sell one of her luxury handbags to release even a small amount of cash in order to live.
She has little recourse but to try and claim money and items from his clique that should rightfully be hers, she believes. Would they see her and her baby starve and put out on the street? John’s group individually express their sorrow at her plight but offer little help. She ploughs her way from one venue to the next in search of recompense, her daughter either in her stroller or clamped to her breast. The exigencies of the situation leave her with only desperate choices, food is sparse, warmth is at a premium… and who can she really trust? A woman with a small daughter has to make extreme decisions in order to simply survive.
The writing is tight and well developed making this a hugely readable book and it is well translated by Saskia Vogel, although the Americanisms do grate at times. The author creates suspense and atmosphere that just carry the writing to the end. The mother/child bond is strong, the child is often suckling avariciously, causing milky engorgement. Karin attends to her baby’s needs as best she can. I initially built a visual image of a fairly newborn baby in need of succour, helpless, a symbol of a loving relationship that has disintegrated. Imagine my surprise when this baby had enough gumption to crawl off and disappear into a drawer of pans in the kitchen. A newborn suckling causes milk to swell breasts; a toddler has a very different and settled feeding regime. I felt I needed then to change my mental imagery of the mother/baby bond at the heart of this novella, which in turn left me slightly unsettled. That notwithstanding, this book is very readable, with a dream-like quality. A woman in shock, struggling to engage with those around her, assaulted by the cold and biting environment.
The cover of the book absolutely reflects the content. The environment is bleak and hostile with snow and ice all around, harsh and unforgiving. The life of the protagonist, Karin, is a battle to survive in difficult circumstances.
Karin has had a relationship with John who has now disappeared. He was involved in shady dealings which are never revealed, but his disappearance has left Karin and her young child, Dream, destitute. Various agencies have given notice that they are reclaiming her worldly wealth, including the luxury house which she can no longer afford to heat. The book opens as she unsuccessfully tries to sell one of her luxury handbags to release even a small amount of cash in order to live.
She has little recourse but to try and claim money and items from his clique that should rightfully be hers, she believes. Would they see her and her baby starve and put out on the street? John’s group individually express their sorrow at her plight but offer little help. She ploughs her way from one venue to the next in search of recompense, her daughter either in her stroller or clamped to her breast. The exigencies of the situation leave her with only desperate choices, food is sparse, warmth is at a premium… and who can she really trust? A woman with a small daughter has to make extreme decisions in order to simply survive.
The writing is tight and well developed making this a hugely readable book and it is well translated by Saskia Vogel, although the Americanisms do grate at times. The author creates suspense and atmosphere that just carry the writing to the end. The mother/child bond is strong, the child is often suckling avariciously, causing milky engorgement. Karin attends to her baby’s needs as best she can. I initially built a visual image of a fairly newborn baby in need of succour, helpless, a symbol of a loving relationship that has disintegrated. Imagine my surprise when this baby had enough gumption to crawl off and disappear into a drawer of pans in the kitchen. A newborn suckling causes milk to swell breasts; a toddler has a very different and settled feeding regime. I felt I needed then to change my mental imagery of the mother/baby bond at the heart of this novella, which in turn left me slightly unsettled. That notwithstanding, this book is very readable, with a dream-like quality. A woman in shock, struggling to engage with those around her, assaulted by the cold and biting environment.
July 21, 2018
The book was very short and very stark, but the writing (translation?) was excellent. I liked to read it, knowing that it wasn't very long. If it had been longer, I might have given up on it because the main character isn't too sympathetic. The best part of the book was the very intimate, detailed and nuanced description on the small tight circle of a mother taking care of and nursing an infant. It was really good, and a reason why there need to be more books like this written by women. You just knew how real it was and put into words some of the feelings that a mother has that aren't really spoken about, just told. I kept picturing the house as the huge house that Javier buys for Letty on Good Behavior. the circumstances for the woman felt pretty similar. so I think that make me like Karin in this book more because it reminded me of Letty.
September 26, 2017
White City is a marvel of economy translated from the Swedish by Saskia Vogel.
Which is the fantasy and what is the reality for a new mother left to her own devices in the aftermath of a shocking event that is never fully articulated? In terse prose that is at once laconic and filled with tension, devoid of embroidery yet starkly vivid, Karins story echoes the frozen landscape and has no definite beginning or end, a first person account of trauma and existential despair.
March 23, 2017
Swedish noir.
A woman with a baby who has lost her partner who was engaged in criminal activities is transformed from a grief-stricken depressed impoverished widow who has lost almost all of her possessions due to their seizure by government authorities or their sale to pay for her needs into a scheming self-possessed person intent on obtaining her partner's share of the moneys from his criminal enterprises that were retained by his business associates to enable her to start a new life for herself and their child.
A woman with a baby who has lost her partner who was engaged in criminal activities is transformed from a grief-stricken depressed impoverished widow who has lost almost all of her possessions due to their seizure by government authorities or their sale to pay for her needs into a scheming self-possessed person intent on obtaining her partner's share of the moneys from his criminal enterprises that were retained by his business associates to enable her to start a new life for herself and their child.
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