Customer Reviews

Broken

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If you're a fan of Fossum's Konrad Sejer detective series, you might feel a bit disappointed that her latest novel `Broken' isn't part of the series but something rather different.
You might even, having read the synopsis, imagine that this isn't going to be for you. It sounds a bit odd, doesn't it? One of her characters comes into her bedroom and talks to her. I admit I wasn't sure this was going to work.
But I needn't have worried, and you needn't worry either. The mark of a really good writer is that whatever they write, it will be worth reading.
And in any case, 'Broken' is not that dissimilar to Fossum's other books. In those there's often a social misfit who, through his inexperience of the world ends up in trouble, unintentionally and without malice. This is a theme Fossum has explored many times and she goes to town on it here.
The misfit this time is Alvar Eide, who works at an art gallery, has no friends or family, and is socially inept, to an extreme degree.
And yet, he's rather likeable. A bit weird, perhaps, but his weirdness is only an extreme version of what's in a lot of us. It's easy to empathise with Alvar - most of the time anyway.
The book is all about him, and focuses very closely on him. We get to know him very well. And from different angles, because he's the character that pops into the author's house from time to time for a chat about how the plot's going. This is an odd device, but strangely, and contrary to my expectation, it works. You could read a lot into why Fossum does this. Is it to reveal something about her creative process, or about herself perhaps? It's hard to know because the 'author' is also a character, presumably. But to what extent? By letting the character talk to the author, and therefore the reader, off stage as it were, it in a way lets the reader into the process more than usual too.
It shouldn't work. It's an odd thing to do. I've never come across it before, but I don't wish she hadn't done it.
And Alvar's story is as compelling as anything else Fossum has written.
There may not be a string of gruesome crimes and a police investigation (though the police are involved at some point...) but `Broken' is full of suspense and tension. I found myself getting quite worked up at times, almost wanting to shout at Alvar. He certainly is impossible at times. If he'd come into my house I would have given him some good advice, that's for sure.
As usual, the writing is spare and concise. With the lightest touch Fossum lays the story before you so you see it like a movie running in your head. There's great skill in the writing but you never notice it.
So then. A different kind of Karin Fossum novel. I thought I would miss Sejer and Skarre, and that old dog. But I didn't. Not for a second. This is a brilliant novel.

THREE QUICK POINTS
*Point 1: Where's the mystery? A quarter of the way through, I realized this wasn't a traditional whodunit mystery; it wasn't a traditional mystery in any sense.

*Point 2: It's about characters under a microscope. Flawed and exaggerated, but haunting characters crafted with aplomb.

*Point 3: Smooth prose and pacing. Lost in translation isn't a cliché for nothing, but if anything was lost in this translation, I didn't miss it.

SHORT SYNOPSIS
A writer agonizing over the line of people waiting to have their stories told is surprised one evening when one of those characters invades her bedroom. After a bit of confabulation, they decide on a name for him--Alvar Eide--and she agrees to start his story. She carved out his life: living alone, working in an art gallery, and shunning basic human interactions until a drug-addicted girl wanders into the gallery one day. And from time to time, Alvar would stop in on the author to discuss the story, particularly when things weren't going as he expected.

MY THOUGHTS
First, I was confused. Then, I was intrigued. Finally, I reflected.

On the cover it says that it's "a mystery", and from that I expected something along the lines of a detective declaring at some point that Professor Plum did it in the parlour with a candlestick. But that's not what I got.

The walls around me dissolved as I drifted into the story and with morbid curiosity (and some sympathy) I watched as Alvar's world spiraled out of control, all because of one crucial choice he made to help the drug-addicted girl instead of shooing her from the gallery. When he felt the consequences of that choice--his act of kindness backfired--he went to the author and practically asked, "Why have you done this to me?"

Surprising is the author's answer: she can only write what she observes as she drifts along; she does not have as much control over what happens as Alvar thinks. But Alvar believes, since she is the author, she can write it any way she pleases and begs her to write something more suitable to his nature.

This novel is a mind warp. The true mystery is not whodunit, but what made him do it: whether our actions are the product of fate or free will. Subtle clues are sprinkled throughout to support both theories and to, no doubt, spark discussions.

Although it wasn't what I expected, I enjoyed it. Broken is a quiet, languid philosophical book for people who enjoy pondering the mysteries of the human condition, or those who just enjoy character studies. What made this novel even more disturbing was how real each character felt, despite having exaggerated personalities. At the end, you may be left wondering whether we are creations of divine inspiration or the puppets of a frustrated novelist.

Broken is my first introduction to Karin Fossum and I should also mention that I don't speak Norwegian, so I'll be reviewing the English translation done by Charlotte Barslund. There's no way for me to know how much of the author's voice and style was (or was not) lost in translation. And now, with that small caveat out of the way, on to the review.

This book is actually two stories in one: The story of an author struggling to complete her novel and the story of Alvar Eide. Sometimes these two stories overlap, mainly in subtle ways, but for the most part, they remain separate.

It opens with an author staring out of her window at the long line of people in her driveway waiting to have their stories told. But one character takes initiative and ambushes the author while she's sleeping. He begs her to write his story, allowing him to cut in front of the girl who would have been next.* Eventually the author gives in, names him Alvar Eide, and begins to tell his story. And from time to time Alvar pops in to discuss the story's progression.

The telling of Alvar Eide's story was more about character development and setting the overall tone for the events which would follow. He was a painfully shy man who avoided friendly banter and thought of himself as a good person, meticulous and removed from society. He was a darn fine art dealer, carefully pairing the paintings with the people he believed would most appreciate them rather than the people who only purchased for investment value. Then all of that changed when a young blond heroin-addicted girl wanders into the gallery to escape from the cold, and instead of turning her away, Alvar offers her a cup of coffee.

While I can't be certain whether this was the product of the translator or Fossum's intention, the gentle ebb and flow of the telling was, I believe, a rather nice juxtaposition to the brutality of each story. To be clear, when I say the stories were brutal, I don't mean in a physically violent sense, but psychologically: the author's turmoil about the meaning of life, the significance of her craft, and her sense of impending doom; Alvar's constant fear of being judged, his self-doubt and weak will; and the blond girl's sociopathy and her addiction to heroin. Reading the book was akin to drifting down a placid river, bobbing up and down with its currents.

By page 184 I already knew what would happen. It didn't happen the way I'd anticipated, but still it happened. Basically there is a level of predictability, but it didn't bother me. By that time, I was already engaged by Alvar's story. I thought it interesting that Alvar and the girl could be so different, yet so similar. As it played out, Alvar became to the author what the heroin-addicted girl was to Alvar--a greedy beggar who intruded without invitation--except in the case of the author, she was able to stave him off with proffers of wisdom in exchange for his patience rather than giving him cold hard cash. In a way, the author's sections came to have a Conversations with God feel to them.

It's easy to see this as a book club selection because there is so much to chop up and dissect and there is likely to be plenty of differing views on the choices the author and Alvar and the blond girl made and why they made them. But this book certainly will not appeal to everyone--in fact, I'd say it wouldn't appeal to most--and it is neither a thriller, nor suspense, nor mystery. If I were to categorize this book, I'd say that it's dark gray literary fiction, focusing mostly on the psychological makeup of its characters. Overall, a compelling read if you enjoy such studies, but if you're expecting a fast-paced romp or a mystery to solve, you will find yourself disappointed.

[*] There is a tidbit at the end which may explain why Alvar was right to cut in the line. I thought it was a nice twist.

I purchased this book because I loved this author's inspector series so much. When I first started reading I thought I had made a big mistake. It seemed like it was written by a completely different author and I didn't like the format. However, as I continued reading, I got more into the plot and began to like the format of going back and forth with the main character visiting the author of his own story and trying to influence the direction of the plot. I ended up liking this book very much. It was not only a good read but quite different from any book I had previously read by any author, not just Karin Fossum. I think she is an outstanding story teller. I have read almost all of her inspector books and loved every one.

Broken is my first exposure to Karin Fossum. While her writing technique and ability to tell a story is exceptional, I found the story line dark and depressing.

One of the main characters in this book is an author who sees the subjects of her future novels waiting in line to have their story told. An impatient man crowds in front of a woman carrying her dead child and convinces the author to write his story first in fear that the author would die before his story was told.

The author names her 42-year old subject Alvar Eide. His father, Emmanuel Eide died at 53 years of age and Alvar thoughts are dark and boring. Alvar lives alone in an "upstairs flat of a house in Noste outside of modern day Drammen, Norway; his neighbors, the Green family own the ground-floor flat."

Shy and socially inept, Avar is a celibate homosexual who works at Ole Kristian Krantz's Art Gallery selling paintings. He has saved his money and has found a painting in the gallery that he feels absorbed with and desperately wants to buy; however, like all other things in his life he is unable to make a decision.

Enter 16-year old drug addict sociopath, Katrine Kjelland who gradually uses Eide's pathetic inability to say no to invade his place of work, his home, his bed, his pet,his bank account, his freedom and ruins what little life he had to live.

This was a creative 265-page novel written by a superbly talented author, but the storyline is not something that I enjoyed.

Alvar Eide is in a tough position. He's a character in a book, and feels like he doesn't have much control over his life. He had been waiting in line for so long, outside of his author's house, observing her drink too much and take too many pills. He and the others in line are concerned. If something were to happen to her, what would happen to them? Alvar, therefore, does something rather out of character: he jumps ahead of the first person in line, enters the author's bedroom while she is sleeping, and begs her to tell his story next. He is very convincing, and the next morning she begins.

Alvar's life is very predictable; he lives by himself, keeps to a tight schedule, and works in an art gallery, which is the only time he feels as though he can talk to others. He is content, with only the barest nagging edge of loneliness.

At first, Alvar feels as though things are going along in an acceptable way. Then, suddenly, his story takes an unusual twist that makes him uncomfortable. His author confides that once he heads down a certain path there isn't much that she can do to stop the narrative. Together they watch Alvar's life grow more and more wretched.

I loved the idea of this book, and I thought it started off so well. I really liked the author, and found her backstory just as compelling as her character's. I liked the interludes of conversation between her and Alvar.

However, I found Alvar to be infuriatingly frustrating. Things that happened to him made him so angry, but he refused to do anything about them. Even when he had a perfect escape and something useful to do with his money, instead he chose to be taken advantage of and to feel terrible most of the time. I grew weary of his complete inaction, and was disappointed to get to the end of the story and find he still hadn't really done anything.

I have to say that I enjoyed "Broken" by Karin Fossum. The story tells the tale of an author who is visited, almost haunted, by the characters that she writes about. The story begins with the author reviewing the line of characters outside her door waiting their turn to have their story told. The author is about to begin her next story when a man who is second in line jumps his place and visits the author at night and requests his story be told.

Alvar Eide is a man who is distant from the world. He prefers his own company. He lives alone. He has a job at an art gallery. The author and Alvar talk during his visits to the house. It seems that Alvar is not the normal type of character to wait outside and have his story told. He's worried about what will happen to him and what the author will do to him. The author decides to test Alvar and introduces a young drug addict. This is to be Alvar's "test".

One of the most striking aspects of this novel was the dialog and visits between Alvar and the author. I kept visualizing Will Farrell and Emma Thompson having the conversation in my mind. There is a bit of the absurd with the author and her subject talking about the subject as if he were powerless to do anything. And yet, Alvar is powerless before her. Just as Alvar is apparently powerless against his young drug addict who moves in and takes over his life.

The imagery, food and lifestyle of Alvar were also quite interesting. Alvar has to stop for food a the Cash and Carry which always made me stop and research just what the heck he just ordered up for dinner.

I would recommend this. It's a quirky read but interesting.

Karen Fossum is a first-rate crime writer, but "Broken" doesn't fit in that category and isn't really even a mystery. The writing is still excellent (including translation from the Norwegian original), but this is more a meditation on writing fiction and what the responsibilities of being a human being entail. These themes do not make for a rollicking story, but this is actually a pretty entertaining book in its own way. Author Fossum sets up three tracks (and three principal characters) for the book. The first is the fictional author's internal dialogue--her thoughts on writing and her solitary life. The second is a dialogue between the fictional author and one of her want-to-be characters. And the third is a narrative with dialogue that chronicles the want-to-be character's daily life, including interactions with others and his own internal dialogue. This is literally a work in progress as the process of writing by the author establishes the fictional character's direction in life. Is anybody still with me here?

This is an uncomfortable book to read as it raises questions of civic and personal responsibility that we all struggle with every day. In this story, for example, the principal character, who always wants to do the "right thing", finds that that might mean the most difficult and inconvenient thing. There are times that this character makes some questionable decisions that you know will have negative consequences. You are watching that proverbial slow-motion car wreck. Painful.

Fossum gets points for originality in setting up the story and for provoking some thought on the part of the readers about their relationships with the rest of society. It's not a book that entertains in the same way her detective stories do, but it does give you something to think about. Think of it as a Nordic cousin of some of Albert Camus' existentialist novels.

In Karin Fossum's "Broken," there are no serial killers, world-weary detectives, or abducted children. Instead, the "queen of Norwegian crime" has crafted a clever and involving story about a fifty-one year old novelist who feels compelled to write about the individuals who populate her imagination. One of them is a forty-two year old loner who cuts ahead of the others in line. He visits the author, begging her to tell his story, giving her suggestions about how she should proceed, hounding her to stop procrastinating, and generally making a nuisance of himself.

The man, Alvar Eide, is solitary, neat, and obsessive. He is stooped, has thinning hair, and cannot connect emotionally with either men or women. "He had never distinguished himself, never caused a stir." Alvar works at an art gallery where he is a successful salesman, but in his private life, he is nervous and insecure. Alvar's limited composure is shaken when an emaciated and needy young heroin addict enters his life and starts making demands. How will he free himself from the strange hold that this pretty but pathetic girl has over him? On the other hand, can this unsettling relationship be just what he needs to shake him out of his lethargy?

Complicating matters further, one day Eide's boss brings a powerful yet disturbing painting into the gallery that depicts an unfinished bridge reaching "halfway across the void, as if the project had been halted" or the structure had been severed. Alvar thinks, "It speaks to me in all its gloomy silence." He is mesmerized, since the broken bridge expresses just how he feels about his amputated life. He is tempted to purchase this expensive work, even though it would mean depleting his savings.

"Broken" is a compelling look at the toll that the creative process can take on an artist who is driven by the need to write. The unnamed author drinks, smokes, and takes pills for anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Producing works of fiction is "a passion and a lifelong obsession" that gives her no peace. Her equanimity is disturbed by Alvar's visits, during which he stubbornly insists on expressing his opinions. The conversations between the two are hilarious as well as ironic. Where does this unprepossessing man come off challenging his creator's choices? In a strange way, though, the author and Alvar have some traits in common, especially their tendency to live vicariously. She tells Alvar, "You live in a fictitious world of people and landscapes. I live my life through all the characters I invent."

This is a thoughtful book about writing and also a touching tale of a man whose spirit was shattered during his childhood. Alvar Eide is a sensitive and decent person who is mired in self-loathing. Will he be able confront and overcome his inner demons? The reader watches and waits, wondering what fate his puppet master has in store for him. The versatile Karin Fossum holds our interest without resorting to the formulaic plot lines or clichés that are typical of so many novels. "Broken" is Fossum's take on the human condition. How much of what befalls us can be chalked up to fate, our own actions, our interactions with others, or our inborn personality traits? Is there a higher power pulling our strings? It is impossible to say for sure, but this is a philosophical subject worth pondering. Charlotte Barslund's fine translation from the Norwegian underscores Karin Fossum's beautiful prose, fine delineation of character, and stunning originality.

That's what this story is mainly about. First, because the reviews are very mixed, I want to warn people: Karin Fossum is best known for mysteries starring a police officer named Inspector Sejer. They are excellent books and apparently a lot of people (including me) mistakenly thought this was one of them. This is not part of the series and is not a mystery or action thriller. Some people were disappointed to find this out, and some others don't seem to like it when authors depart from their usual genres. This is a psychological novel involving basically three people: a writer and two fictional characters whom she interact with. The more I read, the better I liked it. The writer seems in control of the story. She creates Alvar, a middle-aged man who seems pretty obsessed with having total control over his life. Everything is neat and orderly. He has no friends or relationships and avoids contact with most people. He follows routines. He could be boring, but then another person enters his life who is his complete opposite. Lindys is a drug addict who admits she lives from hour to hour, does exactly what she wants, and follows no rules. She starts taking control of Alvar's life. Pretty soon you want to see how this ends, what happens to these two extreme personalities. The writer interacts less and less, indicating that she may not have the control over these characters that she thought she did. Don't underestimate Karin Fossum's talent. It's not a long book. The title comes from a painting Alvar thinks he has to have, as well as what happens to the story and the characters. Highly recommended.

Note: This story of these two people reminded me of a novel I read a long time ago by Cornell Woolrich called Waltz Into Darkness. The same kind of action between a man and a woman was portrayed, although the author didn't step in. This is the man who wrote the classic Rear Window (I believe). You may want to look for it.