The Norwegian rural idyll may not be so idyllic after all… This witty and original novel combines realistic storytelling with supernatural elements, mythological references and a slightly unnerving atmosphere.
The Scandinavian House in cooperation with the HYB4 Čítárna (Reading Room) and the publishing house Kniha Zlín is organising a literary evening dedicated to the novel We are five by the Norwegian author Matias Faldbakken. The moderator Jitka Hanušová and the translators Zuzana Micková and Jitka Jindřišková will talk about the book and the phenomenon of the “Nordic Weird” especially in Norwegian literature. The debate will be accompanied by reading of excerpts by the actor Martin Severýn.
Free entry, the debate will be in Czech only
About the book
We Are Five (Vi er fem)
On a barren plot of land three hours north of the Norwegian capital lives Tormod Blystad, his wife Siv, and their two children. Having left his wild years behind him, Tormod is now a dependable and trustworthy family man. But, as in every family, some spaces have yet to be filled. Cue the arrival of Snusken, the new family dog. When Snusken dies, she leaves behind a vacuum that must be filled. And so one night, Tormod finds himself in front of the pug mill in the garage, mixing red clay and fertilizer. Unknowing to him, his efforts will trigger powerful forces of which he does not yet know the scope. Matias Faldbakken’s We Are Five is a sharply observant, unconventional and entertaining novel, blending adventure, horror, mythology and science fiction with a hefty dose of raw realism. As unique as Faldbakken’s art, it displays an authorship with an inimitable point of view and ability to execute it.
About the author
Matias Faldbakken (b. 1973) is one of Norway’s most critically acclaimed visual artists and writers. He is represented by some of the best contemporary art galleries in the world, including Paula Cooper Gallery (New York), Simon Lee Gallery (London), Galerie Eva Presenhuber (Zürich), Galerie NEU (Berlin) and Standard (Oslo). Matias Faldbakken is the author of the highly successful Scandinavian Misanthropy trilogy, written under the pen-name Abo Rasul and hailed as one of the most exciting and original literary projects in contemporary Scandinavian fiction. We Are Five, published in 2019, received a number of prestigious awards, including the Norwegian Critics’ Prize for Literature and Norwegian Radio’s Literary Award. The novel also earned Faldbakken a place among the candidates for the Nordic Council Literature Prize. Stakkar is his latest highly praised novel; already shortlisted for both the Norwegian Booksellers’ Prize and the Swedish Brage Prize.
Literary evenings run by the editorial office of the Prostor magazine in the HYB4 Čítárna (Reading Room) are realized with the financial support of the Prague Municipality, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the State Culture Fund of the Czech Republic. The event is organised by the Scandinavian House in Prague.
