Ute av verden
Cover of the Norwegian first edition
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| Author | Karl Ove Knausgård |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Yngve Knausgård (design), Jock Sturges (photo) |
| Country | Norway |
| Language | Norwegian Bokmål |
| Publisher | Tiden Norsk Forlag |
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Publication date
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1998 |
| Pages | 699 pages |
| ISBN | |
| 839.82374 839.82 839.82s 839.823[S] | |
Ute av verden (direct translation: Out of the World) is the 1998 debut novel by Norwegian writer Karl Ove Knausgård. Knausgård was awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature for the book. This was the first time in the award's history that a first-time author had won.
In his interview for The Paris Review's My First Time (film series), Knausgard described the book's writing process as not being "related to me, in any normal sense. I'm writing things that I never could think of. It's like there's something else coming out there. And I think that's the definition of writing. It was a very good time for me."
The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, the 26-year-old Henrik Vankel, the story's narrator, is a substitute teacher at an elementary school in Northern Norway. He falls in love with his 13-year-old pupil Miriam, and after a sexual experience with the girl, he is forced to flee the village. He decides to return to the city where he lived for several years during his early youth: Kristiansand in Southern Norway.
In the second part, as Henrik is on his way to Kristiansand, he recedes to the background of the narrative. Instead this part focuses on his parents: how they met, how their relationship developed, how they had children and established a home. Ingrid is a young girl from a small village in Western Norway, visiting a friend in Kristiansand. Here she meets the local boy Harald, and decides to seduce him. The spend a night together, but later Harald shies away. Only when she disowns him completely is his interest piqued, and he decides to win her back. They eventually move in together and have a child, but struggle with acceptance from Harald's domineering father, and with Harald's own anger issues. As this story ends, they move to Southern Norway with their newborn second son, who is Henrik.
The third part, which is about the same length as the other two combined, Henrik is in Kristiansand. The environment brings back memories, and he starts reflecting on his earlier days. His time in upper secondary school was troubled, with difficulties fitting in socially and disastrous attempts to woo girls. In addition to this, his parents' marriage was falling apart, as his father slipped further into alcoholism and neglect. Back in the present day, Henrik finds out that Miriam is coming to Kristiansand with her family. As the novel ends, Henrik travels to the airport, just to get a glimpse of her. Miriam, however, spots him, runs towards him and embraces him.
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