The Divorce - by Moa Herngren (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An addictive domestic drama set during one hot Stockholm summer that marks the American debut of #1 Swedish bestselling author Moa Herngren.

"The collapse of a thirty-two-year marriage is depicted with an even hand in this book, which amounts to two parallel novels: one about a woman 'feverish with confusion, ' who feels that she was abandoned without warning, and another about a man who has been grappling with the end of his relationship for months. . . . As Herngren stitches together the couple's perspectives, she writes with a sharp neutrality, never overplaying the book's many tense moments of discovery or languishing in the wife's despair." --The New Yorker

There are two sides to every story . . .

Bea couldn't be more excited to trade the stifling Stockholm summer heat for vacation on Gotland Island. She's looking forward to spending quality time with her beloved husband of thirty-two years, Niklas, and their two moody teenage daughters, and recuperating from the stress of daily life in the company of her beloved in-laws. One night shortly before their departure, Bea and Niklas have a seemingly mundane argument over a trivial issue, and Niklas goes out with a friend to blow off steam. As the hours pass, Niklas doesn't come home, and Bea's irritation soon gives way to panic as she imagines what kind of disaster might have happened to delay his return.

What she soon learns will change her life forever: while her husband is fine, their marriage is not. Her kind, gentle pediatrician husband wants to leave her. But while this might seem like sudden insanity to Bea, for Niklas, it's anything but...

Writing with the warmth and empathy that have made her insightful, page-turning family novels bestsellers in her native Sweden, Moa Herngren raises thoughtful questions about why relationships fall apart: Is the person who leaves always the bad guy? What emerges once you begin scratching the surface of what seems like a clear-cut situation? Told from dual perspectives, The Divorce is a gripping novel that deftly explores the complexities of modern marriage.

Translated from the Swedish by Alice Menzies

Review Quotes

"The Divorce pulls back the curtain on a long marriage and close family, and in one moment reveals the devastating truth that has been hiding in plain sight. Moa Herngren writes with such compassion and insight, bringing the characters so vividly to life that their emotions and passions become our own. I love this novel." - Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Girls and The Shadow Box

"BOOK CLUB ALERT: who's been cruel and who's been clueless in this marriage that can't be saved? The Divorce deftly unmasks the secrets and stresses of an unraveling relationship that absolutely begs to be discussed. Moa Herngren may be the best Swedish import since ABBA and the Volvo."

"A compelling portrait of a marriage in trouble. . . . This emotional deep-dive proves there are indeed two sides to every story. . . . Thought-provoking." - Daily Mail (UK)

"With her unique (not to mention perfect) pitch for conflict in interpersonal relationships, Moa Herngren shows how two people who've shared a long life can have entirely different perceptions about it. Thrilling and a little bit spooky!" - Femina magazine (Sweden)

"[A] compelling portrait of a marriage in trouble . . . This emotional deep-dive proves there are indeed two sides to every story. . . . Thought-provoking." - The Daily Mail