In the aftermath of a disastrous and bankrupting war, 18th century Sweden is far removed from the country we know today. Poverty is rife, living conditions often squalid, violence and drunkenness unremarkable. This forms the backdrop to this remarkable debut novel.
The book opens as Mickel Cardell is woken from his drunken sleep, to be told of the discovery of a body at the edge of the water. He little knows, what the impact this event will have on his life.
Cardell, a crippled war veteran, has a token role as a watchman so reluctantly goes to pull out the badly damaged body. Later, disturbed by this experience, he goes to the charnel house to look at the body again. He meets consumption-ridden Cecil Winge who is investigating this most unusual and horrific corpse on behalf the Chamber of Police. They form an alliance to identify the body.
The book is divided into four sections, beginning in Autumn 1793, with each introducing significant characters. These include the weak, gullible Kristofer Blix who faces an awful choice if he is to escape debt. There is also the innocent Anna Stina Knapp struggling to avoid the attention of the sadistic Petter Pettersson, custodian of the house of correction, for long enough to be able to escape. Even in this cruel, harsh environment, Anna Stina finds kindness as well as violence.
The detailed description of people, places and events brings the story to life. At times you can almost sense what will happen and wish that you couldn't; though descriptions of violence are vivid, not gratuitous. Among the more unusual details are amputations, thawing out bodies and an insight into the upper-class Stockholm brothels.
This is a novel of contrasts - decency, debauchery, love, hate – themes in a horrible, but beautiful story - at the same time.
It is an amazing, beautifully written and clever debut novel. I think many established authors would be proud to have penned it.
