Shame
An existential thriller about the power of fear and the brains capability to repress things that is to painful to remember. About the fatal consequences when a girl brought up in a rigorous religious home is forced to deny her sexuality. And about the biggest shame of all: The feeling of not having been loved by one’s parents.
Winner of Platinapocket 2006 (for the most sold Swedish novel in paperback of the year)
Nominated for Duncan Lawrie International Dagger Award 2007
Reviews
"An incredible reading experience. /---/ Karin is number ONE when it comes to writing psychological novels. /---/ Reading SHAME is like going for a roller coaster ride. That feeling left in your stomach, the mixture of pure horror combined with utter satisfaction. The uncertainty of what is waiting around the next corner. The only thing that's certain is that it won't pass by unnoticed. Nor does SHAME pass by unnoticed."
Smålänningen
"A novel to read at a stretch. /---/ This is a suspenseful, sometimes frightening and very captivating story about how a person's life is marked by his or her past. It's about guilt, shame and denial, but also about goodness and forgiveness. Karin Alvtegen is a master of creating an especially unique atmosphere in her novels. SHAME is absolutely no exception to this rule. One doesn't want to leave this story out of sight, but rather devour it all at once from cover to cover."
Tranås-Posten
"There is an intense and prolonged cry of pain throughout Karin Alvtegen's newly published novel, SHAME. It is a pain that stems from deep self-contempt and degradation. Skilfully, Karin Alvtegen weaves the characters everyday lives together with sturdy threads that won't break./---/ A novel one won't readily put down until the last page is read."
Värnamo Nyheter
"Last year Karin Alvtegen managed to impress us all with her work Svek; a penetrating story about a generation of people lacking happiness and joy - the stressed "modern-day" Swedes - who in the author's own words seem caught by an unexplainable restlessness and inability to slow down and express joy about the goals they've already achieved, marked as they are by the fear of having something pass them by. Now, with Skam, she has once again written a compelling story about modern day man's emotional poverty and loneliness - and she's done it with empathy and a distinct sense of artistic certainty. /---/ One is tempted to say that its Strindberg in the year 2005. Even Karin Alvtegen expresses her pity for mankind, singing along to the sad tunes in her own striking voice."
Peter Dürrfeld, Information
"Super exciting. /---/ Unbearably suspenseful - something to read from cover to cover, preferably without a break."
Mama
"Impressive!"
Läns-Posten
"It's a story that is hard to let go of, exciting yet deeply troubling all at once."
Norrtelje Tidning
"Karin Alvtegen deeply touches me as a reader."
Piteå-Tidningen
"Karin Alvtegen's latest novel confirms her strong position as the writer in the Nordic countries, who writes the most distorted and painful crime novels, in a very personal, unique style. /---/If one could say that Graham Greene in his time wrote Catholic suspense novels, one could definitely agree that we, in Karin Alvtegen, have an original author who writes Protestant crime novels with an existential thematic./---/"Shame" is awful in that sense, and yet very Swedish in any way, when compared to other Swedish writers such as Strindberg, Bergman and Lars Norén. However, "Shame" is at the same time a suspenseful, well-written and suggestive novel that seductively leads the reader into a not-so-sweet story, but that in the end lights a candle of hope."
Bo Tao Michaëlis, Politiken
"Top of the line entertainment. /---/ Exciting, well written and entertaining. Karin Alvtegen masters the art of producing frightfully good entertainment. /---/ This is exactly how a truly suspenseful novel of top notch quality should feel."
Göteborgs-Posten
"It's absolutely captivating"
Folkbladet
"Intricate and insightful in a brilliant narrative."
Länstidningen Södertälje
"Karin Alvtegen's fourth novel, SHAME, is an exciting and gripping tale about the fate of two people which is dramatically interwoven. In a captivating way, she manages to portray the power of fear, a strict religious upbringing and forbidden sexuality."
Dalabygden
"With great feeling and respect, Alvtegen depicts the struggles of two seemingly different women, with their inner demons, repressed memories and severe feelings of guilt."
Svenska Dagbladet
"A fascinating suspense novel. /---/ This suspense novel is fascinating to take part of - it feels as though one hasn't been able to read about this type of stuff before. Alvtegen also succeeds in describing those parts of society that seldom are brought to light; something that gives the novel yet another dimension."
Tranås Tidning
"A terribly good thriller. This book is a pearl in it's genre. Sensitive, suspenseful and completely horrific! Karin Alvtegen has a truly fluent style of writing. /---/ A psychological thriller that takes place in everyday life!"
Allas
"Karin Alvtegen has written her best novel yet, and she shows great development and maturity in her writing in her latest novel SHAME. /---/ What we otherwise barely can grasp, with regard to people's pitiable states, now is comprehensible, thanks to Karin Alvtegen's skilful narration."
Västerviks-Tidningen
"Alvtegen writes about the agony of existence, that it's hard as hell to be human, in a simple, easily accessible manner, without creating a fuss or without all too obvious speculative effects. That's also why she has a large audience; an audience that she, as opposed to many other entertainment authors, really deserves."
Södermanlands Nyheter
"Alvtegen is glimmering in sorrow."
"When I read Karin Alvtegen the same thing always occurs: I get a lump in my throat, the slightly forbidden mean humour makes me happy again, and it is so clear how lucidly she's able to describe people and their black thoughts and abysmal feelings."
"In my private authors heaven, Alvtegen's star shines among the brightest."
Västerbottens Folkblad
"It's impressive and convincing, and as a reader you keep gasping for air."
Kristianstadsbladet
"She deserves her large audience."
LO-Tidningen
"The novel evokes many thoughts and, at the same time, offers good entertainment."
Katrineholms-Kuriren
"When I read Karin Alvtegen I always think of Minette Walters, which works to Alvtegen's advantage. No series of novels with a fixed cast and scenery. She boldly throws herself into unknown waters each time and succeeds surprisingly well. Translated into 23 languages, receiver of the Glass Key, nominated for the Poloni Award and now getting filmed. The latest book sold in 200.000 copies. Truly, she can be called a Crime Queen."
"This is a suspense novel without murder, but how does that matter when it's Alvtegen who holds the pen."
Tidningen Ångermanland
"She is great at portraying people, Karin Alvtegen, I'd like to say. So I say it again: Karin Alvtegen is probably one of the best novelists of our time. Her account of society cuts through a modern Sweden where the working people suffer from the emptiness of their lives while the people society has discarded yearns as if buried alive within their lonely apartments. /---/ Congratulations! Long live the new Crime Novel."
Smålandsposten
"Entertainment of highest quality" "The accidents pile up; the tension is winded up, the unavoidable disaster approaches and detonates like a bomb. But it is full of surprises and unexpected elements. Here is warmth, an atmosphere and a language clear as water. And a faith in the readers' ability to draw their own conclusions about the characters based on pieces of puzzle from their lives. Malevolence and compassion, strength and despair can be found in all of them."
"Exactly like this the flavour of an entertainment novel of the best quality supposed to be!"
Göteborgs-Posten
"One of Sweden's best authors is back. Around the forbidden feeling of shame, she builds the story and weaves the destinies of the characters together, making it more thrilling than the most spine-tingling Crime Novel. A necessity as the autumn darkness falls!"
Plaza kvinna
"Guilt, Treachery and Shame. These are central ideas within psychology, but also titles of novels by Karin Alvtegen. Naturally, this isn't a coincident: When it comes to man's emotional life, Alvtegen is probably one of our most knowledgeable authors."
"Alvtegen writes about the anguish of existence, that it is damned hard to be human, in an easy, understandable way without getting stuck-up or with too apparent theatricals. That's why she gets a large audience, an audience that she, opposed to some other entertainment authors, really deserves."
Södermanlands Nyheter
"Here we can find the strength of Alvtegen: the ordinary days of the odd and lonely, and the twisted view they have of themselves and the world and which compel their decisions. Believably she describes the lives of people, making the reader understand their fears and logic. It is impressive and plausible and as a reader you gasp for breath, hurt and worry with those afflicted with weakness -and here, nothing is predictable."
Ystads Allehanda