Broken in Nordic Noir

Apr 10, 2017 John rated it liked it · review of another edition

I was expecting something along the lines of the previous Fossum novels I'd read -- first-rate murder mysteries/psychological thrillers -- and so was rather startled by what I got.

The conceit of one half of this novel is that fiction writers interact with their characters as if the latter were real people. (I know for my own, humble part that this is very often true.) An author who seems very much like Karin Fossum finds that a man has pushed to the front of the queue of potential main character I was expecting something along the lines of the previous Fossum novels I'd read -- first-rate murder mysteries/psychological thrillers -- and so was rather startled by what I got.

The conceit of one half of this novel is that fiction writers interact with their characters as if the latter were real people. (I know for my own, humble part that this is very often true.) An author who seems very much like Karin Fossum finds that a man has pushed to the front of the queue of potential main characters outside her house to invade her living space and demand that he be the protagonist of her next novel. A shy loner, he's never dared to assert himself like this -- or, really, in any way -- before.

At first reluctantly, she accedes to his demands, and the story that she writes about him forms the other, intertwined half of the book.

He becomes Alvar Eide, middle-aged, solitary, gay, socially inept, overly self-analytical manager of a commercial art gallery. One day a frail young homeless junkie pushes her way into the gallery and, inspired by a rare burst of fellow-feeling, Alvar gives her a cup of coffee, expecting never to see her again.

But instead the young woman, who changes her name at whim, invades his home and his life (much as Alvar has invaded the home and the life of the author), pillaging him spiritually and, for her fixes, financially. His life savings, which he'd intended to invest in a painting he's fallen in love with, Broken, depicting a half-destroyed bridge that leads to nowhere, vanish despite his will into his parasite's veins. And yet, although he loathes what's happening, he's honest enough with himself to recognize that he too is getting something out of their unwritten bargain.

Even so, the situation can end nowhere but badly . . .

After two or three chapters I almost put the book aside -- there are plenty of pretentious novels around, and this seemed to be just another of them, with its interminable paragraphs and its overall air of being designed to be good for me -- but luckily I kept going, because Alvar's half of the story (less so the other) got well and truly under my skin. It created a genuine suspense for me, a real sense of apprehension as to what might come next, yet this apprehension -- and I'm trying to choose my words carefully here -- was born not of terror or excitement but of something akin to irritation, or even anger: I was infuriated by what life (or the nameless author?) had chosen to throw at Alvar, and I kept compulsively reading in hopes that life would get its deserved comeuppance.

In the end I enjoyed Broken really quite a lot. At the same time, it was the first Fossum novel I'd read where I was conscious throughout that I was reading a translation -- the words didn't vanish, the way they normally do -- and I wondered, too, if it had been written very early in Fossum's career and dug out of the drawer for publication once she'd established herself as a titan of Scandi crime fiction. So I have mixed feelings, in other words. But on balance the mix leans toward the favorable. ...more

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Jul 01, 2014 Lane rated it really liked it

Shelves: norway

At first, I struggled with the unusual device used in this book of alternating chapters of the story with chapters of the negotiations between the main character and the author. It wasn't long, however, before I was immersed and rooting for Alvar, wanting to weigh-in on what future chapters held for him.

[possible SPOILERS below]

I was fascinated with the clever representation of the fiction author's dilemma...sliding along the continuum between total control and abandonment to fate. I really exp ...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Eva rated it it was ok

Shelves: scandi-and-nordic-crime

Knowing that Fossum writes detective story, I was expecting it to be a mystery. It is not. The first part is quite slow and the relationship of the 2 main characters was something that unnerved me, which doesn't happen to me when reading a book. The picture motif reminds you of The Picture of Dorian Gray and I assumed that the cat motif would be inspired by Bulgakov. Well, read it but I doubt whether I will ever go back to it. Now after some time I can say that I will not as there are many inter ...more

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Feb 21, 2014 Laura rated it liked it

This book was OK. Probably due to the framing device, it reminded me a lot of the film 'Stranger than Fiction.' This was darker than the movie, and really focused on the relationship between a middle-aged, lonely man and a young drug addict. It's a creative story, but kind of slow - there isn't a lot of mystery here, and it felt like it could have been a novella, or trimmed a bit in places. But as far as a relationship study goes, it doesn't get much better.

I do wonder if this will be part of a ...more

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Jan 02, 2011 Carolyn rated it did not like it

Shelves: stuff-i-never-finished

Recommended by a friend...just couldn't get into it, gave up at page 155. Liked the premise that characters come to visit an author and discuss their role, but could not find a sustained interest in either the main character, Alvar or his boring situation. ...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Naomi rated it liked it

This book wasn't as good as the majority of Fossum's work..If I had to do it over again, I would probably skip this one. However, they can't all be winners and bottom line, Fossum is one heck of an author. ...more

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