The Room, The Invoice, and The Circus
By (Author) Jonas Karlsson
Translated by Neil Smith
Vintage Publishing
Vintage
5th September 2019
5th September 2019
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
Fiction in translation
839.738
Paperback
496
Width 129mm, Height 198mm, Spine 30mm
391g
A compendium of three brilliant Jonas Karlsson novellas, with one, The Circus, published for the first time here. In this trilogy of novellas, Jonas Karlsson explores the quirkier side of human nature, helping us to see the world anew via three eccentric narrators. Firstly, jobsworth Bjorn starts a new career and expects to progress quickly with his meticulousness and efficiency. But he only gets the recognition he deserves in the Room which, it transpires, only he can visit. Next, a man with a seemingly unremarkable life -- a job in a video store, a small flat, no partner, one good friend and a nice ice cream shop nearby -- receives an enormous invoice for his 'experienced happiness'. Unable to pay, he sets out to discover how, exactly, his happiness bill was calculated. Finally, in The Circus, published in the UK for the first time, two old friends decide to visit a circus together. When Magnus disappears during a magic trick, our protagonist is consumed by the need to find him. And yet, as with any Karlsson story, things aren't quite what they seem...
Jonas Karlsson, one of Sweden's most prominent actors, has performed on Sweden's premier stage and in acclaimed feature films and TV series. Karlsson's playwriting debut, Nocturnal Walk, received rave reviews; spurred by the joy of writing for the stage, Karlsson began writing fiction. His first novel in the UK, The Room, was published last year.