Summary of Love
Vibeke and her son Jon have recently moved to a small town in the far north of Norway. Tomorrow will be Jon’s ninth birthday, and he is eagerly looking forward to it. His mother, however, has other matters on her mind. She yearns for space and time to herself and seeks romantic love more than the affection of her child.
Reasons to read Love
“Love” is a short novella, the tragic plot of which takes place over the course of a single cold winter night. It is a tense and powerful story that contrasts the two main characters, who live side by side, yet emotionally stay worlds apart. In 2019, the English translation of “Love” won the PEN Translation Prize. Hanne Ørstavik is a celebrated Norwegian author who has received many literary honours, including the Dobloug Prize (2002), the Amalie Srkam Prize (2002), and the Brage Prize (2004) for her novel “The Pastor” (“Presten”).
Setting: Norway
The book “Love” is set in an unnamed town in northern Norway. Tana (Deatnu in Northern Sami), where Ørstavik grew up, is a likely inspiration for this novella.
Original title: Kjærlighet
Year of publication: 1997
Nr of pages: 180
