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Nordic Fauna
In these six short stories, Andrea Lundgren explores a liminal space where the town meets the wilderness and human consciousness meets something more animalistic. A train stops on the track in the middle of the night and a lone woman steps out of the open doors, following a call from deep in the forest. A father is haunted by the nocturnal visits of an elusive bird, and a young girl finds escape through the occult. From foxes to whales to angels, the creatures that roam through this collection spark a desire for something more in their human counterparts: a longing for transformation.
160 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2018
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May 3, 2022
Translation longlisted for the 2022 Oxford-Weidenfeld Prize
Nordic Fauna is the first in the The Metamorphoses Series, 2021, from Peirene Press, one of my favourite publishers.
And the translation, from Andrea Lundgren’s Swedish original, Nordisk Fauna, is by the winner of the 2nd year of the Peirene Stevns Prize for Emerging Translators, generously endowed by Martha Stevns, where the winner receives both a commission to translate a selected book, but also mentorship and a residency in the Pyrenees (the latter deferred this year due to Covid), John Litell. See here for details of the prize: https://www.peirenepress.com/prize/
Nordic Fauna is a collection of six stories, ranging from 14 to 39 pages.
Several take place in the sparsely populated Norbotten County in rural, northern Sweden and there is a strong sense of place to the collection, perhaps most notably in How Things Come to Seem, where a young woman from more urban Uppsala, who moved to the area with her partner, decides to leave, only to wake mid-journey to find herself stranded on a seemingly now abandoned train in the middle of a remote forest, from the midst of which someone or something calls to her.
The Girlfriend is perhaps the most conventional short story in the collection, with a strong narrative arc to an end that, nevertheless, manages to surprise; it is the story of a woman who works from home, increasingly her day from mid-afternoon dominated by anticipation, which is so strong it turns to anxiety, as she awaits the return of her partner, with whom she is infatuated, from his university office.
The twist might be taken literally or allegorically, and several of the stories also have a strong flavour of the Todorov’s fantastic (“the fantastic is that hesitation experienced by a person who knows only the laws of nature, confronting an apparently supernatural event”), such as the haunting The Cat and, the longest story, The Bird that Cries in the Night.
The Father Hole, in other hands, might be a more conventional tale of a girl’s disturbing time each summer with her father, now separated from her mother and an alcoholic, but in Lundgren’s telling becomes both more poetic and darker.
The feeling of much of the collection is perhaps best On the Nature of Angels narrated from the perspective of a college professor whose area of research is angels (shades of Mulisch and Knausgaard), a topic he takes literally:
He tried to explain that his research was more informed by literature, that angels existed in the interstitial spaces, in the gaps between the knowable. It’s not about belief or the laws of physics but rather a condensed reality; concentrated moments when the layers of consciousness meet in a node and everything becomes clear. Angels move through those hidden spaces just like a piece of impenetrable poetry. Remaining invisible, incomprehensible, until someone learns to see them.
It's about how one asks the questions, he tried to explain.
A striking and unusual, collection, rendered brilliantly in English by an exciting new translator. Recommended.
Nordic Fauna is the first in the The Metamorphoses Series, 2021, from Peirene Press, one of my favourite publishers.
Peirene Press is an award-winning boutique publishing house, specialising in contemporary European novellas and short novels in English translation ...
We seek out the best of European fiction, producing high-quality first-translations of European best sellers. We work with international agents and publishers to bring our readers truly original books, exposing them to new authors and unfamiliar worlds.
And the translation, from Andrea Lundgren’s Swedish original, Nordisk Fauna, is by the winner of the 2nd year of the Peirene Stevns Prize for Emerging Translators, generously endowed by Martha Stevns, where the winner receives both a commission to translate a selected book, but also mentorship and a residency in the Pyrenees (the latter deferred this year due to Covid), John Litell. See here for details of the prize: https://www.peirenepress.com/prize/
Nordic Fauna is a collection of six stories, ranging from 14 to 39 pages.
Several take place in the sparsely populated Norbotten County in rural, northern Sweden and there is a strong sense of place to the collection, perhaps most notably in How Things Come to Seem, where a young woman from more urban Uppsala, who moved to the area with her partner, decides to leave, only to wake mid-journey to find herself stranded on a seemingly now abandoned train in the middle of a remote forest, from the midst of which someone or something calls to her.
The Girlfriend is perhaps the most conventional short story in the collection, with a strong narrative arc to an end that, nevertheless, manages to surprise; it is the story of a woman who works from home, increasingly her day from mid-afternoon dominated by anticipation, which is so strong it turns to anxiety, as she awaits the return of her partner, with whom she is infatuated, from his university office.
The twist might be taken literally or allegorically, and several of the stories also have a strong flavour of the Todorov’s fantastic (“the fantastic is that hesitation experienced by a person who knows only the laws of nature, confronting an apparently supernatural event”), such as the haunting The Cat and, the longest story, The Bird that Cries in the Night.
The Father Hole, in other hands, might be a more conventional tale of a girl’s disturbing time each summer with her father, now separated from her mother and an alcoholic, but in Lundgren’s telling becomes both more poetic and darker.
The feeling of much of the collection is perhaps best On the Nature of Angels narrated from the perspective of a college professor whose area of research is angels (shades of Mulisch and Knausgaard), a topic he takes literally:
He tried to explain that his research was more informed by literature, that angels existed in the interstitial spaces, in the gaps between the knowable. It’s not about belief or the laws of physics but rather a condensed reality; concentrated moments when the layers of consciousness meet in a node and everything becomes clear. Angels move through those hidden spaces just like a piece of impenetrable poetry. Remaining invisible, incomprehensible, until someone learns to see them.
It's about how one asks the questions, he tried to explain.
A striking and unusual, collection, rendered brilliantly in English by an exciting new translator. Recommended.
February 17, 2018
Stämningarna...
Min tredje Andrea Lundgren.
Hon går från klarhet till klarhet där hon befinner sig
i sitt mystiskt mytiska landskap befolkat av djur.
Försökte att ge den en fyra (alla noveller är inte helt
enastående) men det går inte. Jag älskar den för
mycket och ger den tillslut en femma.
Min tredje Andrea Lundgren.
Hon går från klarhet till klarhet där hon befinner sig
i sitt mystiskt mytiska landskap befolkat av djur.
Försökte att ge den en fyra (alla noveller är inte helt
enastående) men det går inte. Jag älskar den för
mycket och ger den tillslut en femma.
September 16, 2020
Te opowiadania są bardzo sensualne, animalne, naładowane metaforami, pełne porównań, tworzą świat jedności, przenikalności istnień i stworzeń.
January 30, 2021
I received this book as my monthly book from The Republic of Consciousness Book Club. It comes to us from Peirene Press. I haven’t read many of Peirene Press’s books, which is probably something I should remedy at some point. On their website, they describe themselves like this:
Peirene Press is an award-winning boutique publishing house, specialising in high-quality first-translations of contemporary European novellas.
We only publish books of less than 200 pages that can be read in the same time it takes to watch a film. We pride ourselves on publishing truly big stories in small packages.
Nordic Fauna is a collection of six short stories that add up to just under 150 pages. Each story is memorable because they all sit at the edge of something, they all have an element that makes you feel that you have crossed a border somehow into a slightly different world that is our world but not quite.
The shortest story in the collection is one of the two that really stood out for me. Here, a young woman falls asleep on a train and, when she wakes up, the train has stopped and appears to be empty. She steps out into the surrounding woodland and hears something calling her into the trees…. We are left to wonder whether she is still asleep and dreaming or whether she has somehow slipped into a slightly different world.
All the stories have something of this atmosphere in them. I think my overall favourite is the final story in which a lecturer who has made angels his particular area of research is mocked for his belief in their reality until….
I’m using a number of ellipses here because that’s sort of the point of the book. Each story takes you to a point and then launches you into something a bit off kilter, haunting.
I enjoyed all these stories and the collection as a whole is strong on atmosphere (something I am always excited about in the books I read: I much prefer atmosphere to plot!).
Peirene Press is an award-winning boutique publishing house, specialising in high-quality first-translations of contemporary European novellas.
We only publish books of less than 200 pages that can be read in the same time it takes to watch a film. We pride ourselves on publishing truly big stories in small packages.
Nordic Fauna is a collection of six short stories that add up to just under 150 pages. Each story is memorable because they all sit at the edge of something, they all have an element that makes you feel that you have crossed a border somehow into a slightly different world that is our world but not quite.
The shortest story in the collection is one of the two that really stood out for me. Here, a young woman falls asleep on a train and, when she wakes up, the train has stopped and appears to be empty. She steps out into the surrounding woodland and hears something calling her into the trees…. We are left to wonder whether she is still asleep and dreaming or whether she has somehow slipped into a slightly different world.
All the stories have something of this atmosphere in them. I think my overall favourite is the final story in which a lecturer who has made angels his particular area of research is mocked for his belief in their reality until….
I’m using a number of ellipses here because that’s sort of the point of the book. Each story takes you to a point and then launches you into something a bit off kilter, haunting.
I enjoyed all these stories and the collection as a whole is strong on atmosphere (something I am always excited about in the books I read: I much prefer atmosphere to plot!).
September 24, 2020
This is a very interesting set of short stories. Not every one of them is breathtaking but the best ones really stop you in your tracks. The author shows how lost and lonely the characters are and she does it in a moving and believable manner. Paired with animalistic impulses as well as darkness and the uncanny this creates an unsettling mixture.
April 8, 2021
Nordic Fauna, published by Peirene Press, is a collection of six strange stories from Sweden. The series blur the line between human and animal, the known and the unknown, those spaces in between, the liminal or 'thin' spaces that exist for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. In these six stories, the author reminds us that the veil between the physical and the spiritual, the mortal and the immortal can sometimes become almost transparent.
The stories also raises questions on the nature of relationships and mental health.
A very interesting and worthwhile collection, beautifully written by Andrea Lundgren and translated by John Littel.
The book is the first in the Spring programme for the Borderless Bookclub.
The stories also raises questions on the nature of relationships and mental health.
A very interesting and worthwhile collection, beautifully written by Andrea Lundgren and translated by John Littel.
The book is the first in the Spring programme for the Borderless Bookclub.
May 25, 2021
„Fauna północy” to zbiór opowiadań szwedzkiej pisarki Andrei Lundgren, który w Polsce ukazał się w zbiorowym tłumaczeniu pod redakcją Justyny Czechowskiej.
W „Faunie północy” dostajemy przekrój różnych bohaterów i sytuacji. Jest o matce mieszkającej na strychu, kobiecie czekającej cierpliwie na powroty partnera z pracy, dziewczynce niekochanej przez ojca czy kobiecie wysiadającej w środku nocy z pociągu i udającej się w głąb lasu.
Podobał mi się klimat tych opowiadań, ale mam wrażenie, że nie wykorzystały one w pełni swojego potencjału. Są bardzo intrygujące i dają duże pole do interpretacji, ale po ich skończeniu brakowało mi poczucia, że właśnie przeczytałam coś dobrego. Często początek był świetny i zapowiadał się bardzo ciekawie, a zakończenie było niejasne i niezrozumiałe, przez co pozostawał niedosyt.
Najbardziej podobało mi się opowiadanie „Jego dziewczyna”, które w moim odczuciu ratuje ten zbiór. Bardzo intrygujące, urocze i przewrotne. A zakończenie tylko dopełniło tę krótką historię.
„Fauna północy” jest pełna niedopowiedzeń, ale też bardzo intrygująca. Ja nie potrafię w pełni jej docenić, ale wiem, że wiele osób zachwyciła. Myślę, że warto dać jej szansę i sprawdzić, czy może akurat Wam przypadnie do gustu.
W „Faunie północy” dostajemy przekrój różnych bohaterów i sytuacji. Jest o matce mieszkającej na strychu, kobiecie czekającej cierpliwie na powroty partnera z pracy, dziewczynce niekochanej przez ojca czy kobiecie wysiadającej w środku nocy z pociągu i udającej się w głąb lasu.
Podobał mi się klimat tych opowiadań, ale mam wrażenie, że nie wykorzystały one w pełni swojego potencjału. Są bardzo intrygujące i dają duże pole do interpretacji, ale po ich skończeniu brakowało mi poczucia, że właśnie przeczytałam coś dobrego. Często początek był świetny i zapowiadał się bardzo ciekawie, a zakończenie było niejasne i niezrozumiałe, przez co pozostawał niedosyt.
Najbardziej podobało mi się opowiadanie „Jego dziewczyna”, które w moim odczuciu ratuje ten zbiór. Bardzo intrygujące, urocze i przewrotne. A zakończenie tylko dopełniło tę krótką historię.
„Fauna północy” jest pełna niedopowiedzeń, ale też bardzo intrygująca. Ja nie potrafię w pełni jej docenić, ale wiem, że wiele osób zachwyciła. Myślę, że warto dać jej szansę i sprawdzić, czy może akurat Wam przypadnie do gustu.
April 18, 2021
Short stories set in SWEDEN
This is another short work from award winning, boutique publishing house, Peirene Press, who specialise in high-quality first-translations of contemporary European novellas.They only publish books of less than 200 pages that can be read in the same time it takes to watch a film. They pride themselves on publishing truly big stories in small packages. The books are beautifully printed, short and always have an eye catching, themed book cover, and this compilation of short stories has French flaps, which, of course, work as ideal bookmarks. So, as a reader, you have a book of absolute quality in your hands.
The book comprises short stories set around Sweden, several in Norrbotten County and it is the quality of writing (and translation) that really stands out. These are stories of relationships. There is focus on adult/child relationships, for example, a mother decamps to the attic, a child has to deal with her father’s alcoholic rage. Highlighted, too, are characters who are searching for something from their environment, both natural and manmade, and the reader is left to contemplate whether the humans are looking at the animals or – perhaps – the animals are observing the humans. The fauna of the wild demands interaction, be it a bird in the water or a cat lying by the roadside; but there is flora too, like the bark on wood and the flowers by the roadside, that seduces the characters to respond visually and tactilely.
A woman is on a train and she is reading a book by a relatively local author, her intention being “.. to read her way to an understanding of the place” (thumbs up for that notion 😉)
It is the attention to detail, observation and the poetic nature of the writing that really grabbed my attention…. the consumption of a pomegranate, the dust settling on furniture, the light cutting through consciousness. The call of the wild is never far away, it’s always there when we venture out into the world.
An interesting and thought provoking collection of stories.
This is another short work from award winning, boutique publishing house, Peirene Press, who specialise in high-quality first-translations of contemporary European novellas.They only publish books of less than 200 pages that can be read in the same time it takes to watch a film. They pride themselves on publishing truly big stories in small packages. The books are beautifully printed, short and always have an eye catching, themed book cover, and this compilation of short stories has French flaps, which, of course, work as ideal bookmarks. So, as a reader, you have a book of absolute quality in your hands.
The book comprises short stories set around Sweden, several in Norrbotten County and it is the quality of writing (and translation) that really stands out. These are stories of relationships. There is focus on adult/child relationships, for example, a mother decamps to the attic, a child has to deal with her father’s alcoholic rage. Highlighted, too, are characters who are searching for something from their environment, both natural and manmade, and the reader is left to contemplate whether the humans are looking at the animals or – perhaps – the animals are observing the humans. The fauna of the wild demands interaction, be it a bird in the water or a cat lying by the roadside; but there is flora too, like the bark on wood and the flowers by the roadside, that seduces the characters to respond visually and tactilely.
A woman is on a train and she is reading a book by a relatively local author, her intention being “.. to read her way to an understanding of the place” (thumbs up for that notion 😉)
It is the attention to detail, observation and the poetic nature of the writing that really grabbed my attention…. the consumption of a pomegranate, the dust settling on furniture, the light cutting through consciousness. The call of the wild is never far away, it’s always there when we venture out into the world.
An interesting and thought provoking collection of stories.
August 29, 2020
Mam wrażenie, że w każdym poście, w którym piszę o opowiadaniach wspominam o tym, że nie jestem fanką krótkich form, no ale... no ale Pauza wydaje takie opowiadania, że je pochłaniam i takie, o których długo nie da się zapomnieć. Tym razem to sześć północnych opowiadań szwedzkiej autorki przetłumaczonych nie przez jednego a grupę tłumaczy, którym należą się ukłony, bo zrobili to znakomicie.
Andreę Lundgren czyta się w poczuciu niepokoju, strachu i z zaciśniętymi zębami. Z tyłu książki wspomniane są odniesienia do zwierząt, które jak najbardziej są zauważalne podczas czytania. W każdym z nich pojawia się jakieś zwierze czy to prawdziwe czy ubrane w realizm magiczny, a to zwierze ukazane jest w kontraście do człowieka, który to często jest zwierzęciem wywołującym największy strach. Mroczna północna atmosfera, umiejscowienie bohaterow na granicy realizmu, doskonały język i powolne szarpanie emocjami.
A najbardziej podobały mi się opowiadania kolejno „Kot”, „Dziura ojca” i „Jego dziewczyna”.
Andreę Lundgren czyta się w poczuciu niepokoju, strachu i z zaciśniętymi zębami. Z tyłu książki wspomniane są odniesienia do zwierząt, które jak najbardziej są zauważalne podczas czytania. W każdym z nich pojawia się jakieś zwierze czy to prawdziwe czy ubrane w realizm magiczny, a to zwierze ukazane jest w kontraście do człowieka, który to często jest zwierzęciem wywołującym największy strach. Mroczna północna atmosfera, umiejscowienie bohaterow na granicy realizmu, doskonały język i powolne szarpanie emocjami.
A najbardziej podobały mi się opowiadania kolejno „Kot”, „Dziura ojca” i „Jego dziewczyna”.
April 4, 2018
Jag kände mig så starkt berörd av den här boken så det måste bli 5 i betyg. Jag älskar stämningarna som ofta balanserar kring skräck. Och den känns så angelägen, sättet som den blandar socialrealism med magi och förtrollning på.
January 14, 2021
North Bothnia Shorts
Review of the Peirene Press paperback edition (Feb. 2021) translated from the Swedish language original Nordisk fauna (March 2018)
{3 rating overall, based on the average of 6 ratings]
Scandinavian/Baltic is usually just up my alley, but 4 out of 6 of these short stories, set in the North Bothnia (Norrbotten) part of Sweden which is partially above the Arctic Circle, didn't leave much of an impression on me. Even only a few days after reading, I had to re-skim those to try to remember what they were about. There was no such issue with the two 5-star rated stories The Father Hole and On the Nature of Angels. You expect a bit of depression and noir in the lands of the colder and darker regions, but I just wasn't connecting with four of these tales. The two standouts were extra remarkable then, especially coming late in the book.
I read Nordic Fauna as part of my annual subscription to Peirene Press. Nordic Fauna is also the January 2021 Book of the Month perk for support of The Republic of Consciousness Prize for small independent publishers.
Review of the Peirene Press paperback edition (Feb. 2021) translated from the Swedish language original Nordisk fauna (March 2018)
{3 rating overall, based on the average of 6 ratings]
Scandinavian/Baltic is usually just up my alley, but 4 out of 6 of these short stories, set in the North Bothnia (Norrbotten) part of Sweden which is partially above the Arctic Circle, didn't leave much of an impression on me. Even only a few days after reading, I had to re-skim those to try to remember what they were about. There was no such issue with the two 5-star rated stories The Father Hole and On the Nature of Angels. You expect a bit of depression and noir in the lands of the colder and darker regions, but I just wasn't connecting with four of these tales. The two standouts were extra remarkable then, especially coming late in the book.
1. The Bird That Cries in the Night ** Estranged father insists on clearing brush while complaining about hearing bird cries in the night.
2. The Cat ** Family has to mercy kill a stray cat that has been struck by a car (I was probably a bit repulsed by this one).
3. How Things Come to Seem ** Woman gets off a train and walks into the forest.
4. The Father Hole ***** Girl reminisces about summers spent with her marriage separated father. Has an eerie climactic "Fantastic Voyage"-inspired sequence of her imagining her shrunken self travelling through his body.
5. The Girlfriend ** Anna imagines her boyfriend David being dead when he is late arriving home.
6. On the Nature of Angels ***** University professor with an esoteric specialization in Angelology is marked for job cutbacks.
I read Nordic Fauna as part of my annual subscription to Peirene Press. Nordic Fauna is also the January 2021 Book of the Month perk for support of The Republic of Consciousness Prize for small independent publishers.
February 19, 2022
Zbiór opowiadań o takim tytule zupełnie mnie nie pociągał. Spodziewałam się tekstów mocno osadzonych w nordyckim świecie zwierzęcym, co niekoniecznie leży w moim kręgu zainteresowań. Dostałam jednak rzecz, która wyjątkowo trafiła w mój gust, choć właściwie nie miała takiej szansy. Ale po kolei.
Sześć opowiadań Szwedki zostało przełożonych przez początkujących tłumaczy pod doświadczonym okiem Justyny Czechowskiej - ten eksperyment udał się przednio. Wszystkie teksty mają ten sam rytm i styl, a podczas czytania wiele razy zatrzymałam się przy ciekawych rozwiązaniach translatorskich. A jestem przekonana, że nie były to łatwe w przekładzie tekst, bo styl Lundgren jest bardzo wymagający. Szwedce udało się w surowych, prostych zdaniach zawrzeć tak dużo podtekstu i emocji, że niektóre strony czytałam kilka razy, a na plecach czułam dreszcz.
Ciąg dalszy: https://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot....
Sześć opowiadań Szwedki zostało przełożonych przez początkujących tłumaczy pod doświadczonym okiem Justyny Czechowskiej - ten eksperyment udał się przednio. Wszystkie teksty mają ten sam rytm i styl, a podczas czytania wiele razy zatrzymałam się przy ciekawych rozwiązaniach translatorskich. A jestem przekonana, że nie były to łatwe w przekładzie tekst, bo styl Lundgren jest bardzo wymagający. Szwedce udało się w surowych, prostych zdaniach zawrzeć tak dużo podtekstu i emocji, że niektóre strony czytałam kilka razy, a na plecach czułam dreszcz.
Ciąg dalszy: https://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot....
May 29, 2022
känns som att jag redan glömt bort lite av denna? det kanske är ett dåligt betyg? men okej den allra första novellen drabbade mig väldigt mycket! lilla pappan 3 och oron och övertänkande, kände med och för jaget också. den om barnet och pappan gjorde också väldigt ont att läsa, tror det är att det är så fult men också fint pga hur hon skriver? tycker verkligen hon bjuder in alla karaktärer och låter dem få finnas på riktigt. och den om hon på tåget!!!! gillade! de andra var fina men känner inte lika starkt för dem. och hade gärna velat ha fortsättning på några av novellerna, ville liksom att alla trådar skulle få ett slut och inte bara en eller två, men det är väl så en novell är liksom. aja jag tycker läs den!
March 9, 2025
Świetna lektura! Opowiadania tajemnicze, utrzymane w nurcie oniryzmu. Wydaje mi się, że będę musiała przeczytać je jeszcze raz za jakiś czas, bo wiele rzeczy na pewno mi umknęło. Chociaż zabrakło mi wyraźniejszych punktów kulminacyjnych i zwrotów akcji, wynagrodził to język, subtelność i klimat. Samo wydanie śliczne, minimalistyczne i można zabrać je wszędzie, co bardzo polecam! 💙✨
November 11, 2022
Bardzo osobliwe i niepokojące. Na pewno nie wszystko zrozumiałam ale jedno z tych opowiadań na pewno zapadnie mi w pamięć
Read
February 14, 2018Stilistiskt lite spretig, hade önskat en redaktör som strök i texten och stramade upp lite grand. För i grunden är dessa noveller verkliga pärlor.
October 1, 2020
Studium ludzkiej samotności na podstawie sześciu przypadków. Pięknie napisane. Jak to bywa w zbiorach opowiadań - niektóre wydają się lepsze od innych, ale wszystkie te historie mają ze sobą wiele wspólnego, czuje się to podczas lektury.
November 1, 2023
DNF - Mimo mojej miłości do literatury północy, nie jestem w stanie. Chyba nie moja poetyka…
February 9, 2021
Reading Andrea Lundgren’s short stories Nordic Fauna reminded me of those TV shows that will present some details of a plot, fool the viewer into thinking that the program will be about that particular detail only to dive into an actual plot a few minutes later.
Do not get me wrong, foxes, elk cats and birds do feature in Nordic Fauna, the real focus of this six short story collection is the human animal. Andrea Lundgren cleverly manages to take four footed and winged creatures and use them to describe deeper issues.
Take one of the collection’s highlights, How Things Come to Seem, a tale about a woman who travels to her boyfriend and suffers from a fear of Elk. In reality it’s about someone trying to maintain a relationship. The story goes further when she enters a dreamlike state and when she awakens her perspective of things change.
All these stories are unpredctable: The Cat is about a disentegrating marriage but takes that concept to new levels. The Bird that Cries at Night is about madness, another highlight On the Nature of Angels takes a man’s obsession about angels and, well, goes on a detour.
One thing I also like in translated literature is when an author captures the culture and attitude of the place. Having visited Sweden, I can relate to the winters described, the attitude of some of the characters and the description of cityscapes.
Considering the content in these stories, I can’t help interpolating Gerald Durrell’s famous novel and calling this collection, Nordic Fauna and Other People.
Do not get me wrong, foxes, elk cats and birds do feature in Nordic Fauna, the real focus of this six short story collection is the human animal. Andrea Lundgren cleverly manages to take four footed and winged creatures and use them to describe deeper issues.
Take one of the collection’s highlights, How Things Come to Seem, a tale about a woman who travels to her boyfriend and suffers from a fear of Elk. In reality it’s about someone trying to maintain a relationship. The story goes further when she enters a dreamlike state and when she awakens her perspective of things change.
All these stories are unpredctable: The Cat is about a disentegrating marriage but takes that concept to new levels. The Bird that Cries at Night is about madness, another highlight On the Nature of Angels takes a man’s obsession about angels and, well, goes on a detour.
One thing I also like in translated literature is when an author captures the culture and attitude of the place. Having visited Sweden, I can relate to the winters described, the attitude of some of the characters and the description of cityscapes.
Considering the content in these stories, I can’t help interpolating Gerald Durrell’s famous novel and calling this collection, Nordic Fauna and Other People.
April 8, 2018
Det är svårt att betygssätta Nordisk fauna. Jag tycker om språket som är lättläst men samtidigt har ett språkligt djup. Men helheten är spretig. Det rör sig visserligen om en novellsamling men novellerna är väsensskilt skrivna. Från högintellektuellt narrativ till tonårsnovell. Kanske kommer hon att hitta sitt alldeles egna uttryck som kan genomsyra allt hon skriver.
Jag får känslan av att hon i var och en av novellerna låtit sig inspireras av sina favoritförfattare. Den om dottern och hennes depressiva far andas Sara Stridsberg. Novellen om en ung kvinna, som på gränsen till nervsammanbrott väntar på att hennes nya man ska komma hem, andas Lena Andersson. Utom det skruvade slutet då. Den sista novellen handlar om en intellektuell kuf i akademikervärlden och utspelar sig på ett universitet. Tänker på Houellebecq, men en fattigare version med inslag av magisk realism.
Jag har svårt för djurmetaforer. Varför har en del författare en vurm att mystifiera naturen och beskriva djur som mytomspunna väsen? Den får ändå en stark trea då jag föll för språket och karaktärerna, innan de förvandlas, ser eller hör ett djur. Trots dessa invändningar ser jag fram emot att läsa mer av Lundgren och se var hon tar sitt författarskap.
Jag får känslan av att hon i var och en av novellerna låtit sig inspireras av sina favoritförfattare. Den om dottern och hennes depressiva far andas Sara Stridsberg. Novellen om en ung kvinna, som på gränsen till nervsammanbrott väntar på att hennes nya man ska komma hem, andas Lena Andersson. Utom det skruvade slutet då. Den sista novellen handlar om en intellektuell kuf i akademikervärlden och utspelar sig på ett universitet. Tänker på Houellebecq, men en fattigare version med inslag av magisk realism.
Jag har svårt för djurmetaforer. Varför har en del författare en vurm att mystifiera naturen och beskriva djur som mytomspunna väsen? Den får ändå en stark trea då jag föll för språket och karaktärerna, innan de förvandlas, ser eller hör ett djur. Trots dessa invändningar ser jag fram emot att läsa mer av Lundgren och se var hon tar sitt författarskap.
February 22, 2021
A haunting collection of short stories, all of which contain trauma, its impact on memory and some element of 'transformation', Peirene's theme for this year. The many lacunae seem to mirror the way the traumatised brain functions, and so every story leaves the reader with questions and much is left unexplained. In most of the stories, animals, transformed or imagined, are key to the individual's survival and potential recovery. Haunting.
January 6, 2022
Bardzo podoba mi się ten północny realizm z dodatkiem tych niepokojących elementów symbolicznych w postaci dzikich zwierząt.
Definitywnie polecam.
Definitywnie polecam.
June 19, 2021
Opowiadania bardzo ciekawe. Pełne niepokoju, niedopowiedzeń i dławionych uczuć. Czuć z nich chłód Północy. Jednak wątpię, by pozostały w mojej głowie na dłużej.
July 5, 2023
The bird that cries in the night:
this one started out really pretty and then got progressively darker and then we find out that the dad… tried to kill the while family?? Accidentally??? And the bored narrator, max I think, only now starts to realize it.
The cat:
this one was super disturbing and made me unhappy. The male characters are super disturbing and honestly kinda terrifying. Hate the brother will kill him its on sight.
How things come to seem:
this one was really a buck of nothing. The forest imagery and train stuff was fun I guess.
The father hole:
DISGUSTING EVIL EVIL HORRID. This one was also disturbing and really scared me when I was reading it late at night. The feeling of being trapped and helpless but also at fault for everything is very bad. Also super bad name for a story imo.
The girlfriend:
this one was fun but ended in a way that was upsetting. The narrator needs to get a grip fr fr.
On the nature of angels:
the narrator is named Jakob🥰 and he’s a professor🥰 and he’s delusional😩 ok not delusional but I feel like choosing angels as your field of study is the worst choice😭 anyways I really like the atmosphere of this story and the characters however limited their mention, were interesting to me.
this one started out really pretty and then got progressively darker and then we find out that the dad… tried to kill the while family?? Accidentally??? And the bored narrator, max I think, only now starts to realize it.
The cat:
this one was super disturbing and made me unhappy. The male characters are super disturbing and honestly kinda terrifying. Hate the brother will kill him its on sight.
How things come to seem:
this one was really a buck of nothing. The forest imagery and train stuff was fun I guess.
The father hole:
DISGUSTING EVIL EVIL HORRID. This one was also disturbing and really scared me when I was reading it late at night. The feeling of being trapped and helpless but also at fault for everything is very bad. Also super bad name for a story imo.
The girlfriend:
this one was fun but ended in a way that was upsetting. The narrator needs to get a grip fr fr.
On the nature of angels:
the narrator is named Jakob🥰 and he’s a professor🥰 and he’s delusional😩 ok not delusional but I feel like choosing angels as your field of study is the worst choice😭 anyways I really like the atmosphere of this story and the characters however limited their mention, were interesting to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2021
Wow! Det här var helt otroligt bra. Mycket bättre än Glupahungern.
Fågeln som skriker om natten ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Katten. Skulle ha fått fem men jag förstod inte det magiska slutet ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Det som sker med en ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finaste citatet: ”Riktigt gamla tallar hade hon läst att man känner igen, inte på höjden, utan på barken, och grenarna, som började gå i spiraler. Hela livet hade de varit på väg utåt, längre, högre. Sedan kom vändning, insikten. Tillbaka och skydda, sno sig runt sig själva. De blev med ens så människolika. Krympte på höjden för varje är som grenarna långsamt kämpade för att ta sig tillbaka mot kroppen.”
Fadershålet ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
En helt otroligt finstämd berättelse om en pappa och hans dotter och deras knepiga relation. Här tycker jag de magiska inslagen förhöjer berättelsen. När Kore tagit sig in i pappans hjärta och möter sig själv där inne.
Flickvännen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Om änglars natur ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fågeln som skriker om natten ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Katten. Skulle ha fått fem men jag förstod inte det magiska slutet ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Det som sker med en ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finaste citatet: ”Riktigt gamla tallar hade hon läst att man känner igen, inte på höjden, utan på barken, och grenarna, som började gå i spiraler. Hela livet hade de varit på väg utåt, längre, högre. Sedan kom vändning, insikten. Tillbaka och skydda, sno sig runt sig själva. De blev med ens så människolika. Krympte på höjden för varje är som grenarna långsamt kämpade för att ta sig tillbaka mot kroppen.”
Fadershålet ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
En helt otroligt finstämd berättelse om en pappa och hans dotter och deras knepiga relation. Här tycker jag de magiska inslagen förhöjer berättelsen. När Kore tagit sig in i pappans hjärta och möter sig själv där inne.
Flickvännen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Om änglars natur ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2018
Det blir en fyra på denna starka novellsamling med magiska inslag och en ganska unik röst. Vill läsa mer!
April 4, 2021
Loved this beautiful short story collection, which had a touch of magic. I have always thought Sweden and Estonia have so many similarities. These stories made me reminiscent of the Nordic light, darkness, trees and so much more.
June 21, 2025
suckkkk tyckte väldit mkt om
May 1, 2025
3.5/5⭐️
strasznie ciekawe opowiadania, pierwsze i przedostatnie to moje faworyty
strasznie ciekawe opowiadania, pierwsze i przedostatnie to moje faworyty
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