The White City - by Karolina Ramqvist (Paperback)

About the Book

"Karin knew what she was getting herself into when she fell for John, the high-flying criminal and love of her life. But she never imagined things would turn out like this: John is now gone and the coke-filled parties, seemingly endless flow of money, and high social status she previously enjoyed have been replaced by cut telephone lines, cut heat, and cut cash. All that remains of Karin's former life is the big house he bought for her--and his daughter, the child Karin once swore she would never bring into their dangerous world"--

Book Synopsis

A celebrated bestseller in Sweden, and the winner of the prestigious Per Olov Enquist Literary Prize, The White City is an arresting story of betrayal and empowerment as a criminal's girlfriend is left behind to pick up the pieces of her imploded existence.

Karin knew what she was getting herself into when she fell for John, a high-flying wheeler-dealer. But she never imagined things would turn out like this: John is gone and the coke-filled parties, seemingly endless flow of money, and high social status have been replaced by cut telephone lines, cut heat, and cut cash. All that remains of Karin's former life is the mansion he bought for her-and his daughter, the child Karin once swore she would never bring into their dangerous world.

Now she is on her own with baby Dream. As the authorities zero in on organized crime, John's shady legacy is catching up with her. Over the course of a few days, Karin is forced to take drastic measures to claim what she considers rightfully hers so that she can start over.

With slow-burning psychological intrigue and a seductive atmosphere, The White City is an intimate portrayal of one woman's struggle to pull herself up from the paralyzing depths of despair and an unflinching examination of what it means to lose control-over your body and your life.

Review Quotes

"A literary tour de force . . . Ramqvist knows how the heart works. And although her book is short . . . it displays an abundance of lyrical writing." -Mystery Scene Magazine

"Ramqvist crafts a story of sparse detail that moves at a rapid pace . . . This page-turner shows one young woman's struggle to face harsh realities." -Susanne Wells, Library Journal

"The White City is rich in language and ambience. Moody, mysterious, maternal and magnetic . . . it is a haunting novel of a woman adrift yet firmly attached to romantic memories of her lover and the simple needs of her daughter . . . Ramqvist is a serious contender for the Swedish literary limelight." -Shelf Awareness

"The ghostly Scandinavian setting and [protagonist] Karin's closely narrated sense of impending doom, baby cooing patiently at her hip, make Swedish star Ramqvist's English-language debut an atmospheric and suspenseful read." -Booklist

"Though the plot of Ramqvist's English debut may make it sound like a crime thriller, the pace is lulling, the writing sensuous and patiently observed . . . the book feels, more than any thriller, like an allegory of parenting . . . Delicate and unsparing." -Kirkus Reviews

"Full of suspense and beautifully written dreamlike sequences . . . [The White City] will have a lasting impact on readers." -Publishers Weekly

"The White City is the first novel I have read that follows the adventures of a dyad, a character with two bodies not one, a mother, Karin, and her nursing, still speechless infant, Dream. Ramqvist's acute rendering of embodied sensual experience combined with her evocation of her double character's increasingly desperate circumstances create a story of high tension, startling insights, and lasting resonance." -Siri Hustvedt, author of The Blazing World

"A stirring portrait of human melancholy that fills a Swedish winter with fear, grace, and urgency." -Rebecca Dinerstein, author of The Sunlit Night

"Karolina Ramqvist writes with frosty precision the kind of literature that is unforgettable. Her portraits of women hit deep into bone and marrow." -Dorthe Nors, author of So Much for That Winter and Karate Chop

About the Author

Karolina Ramqvist is one of the most influential feminists and writers of her generation in Sweden. She has published several novels, short stories, essays, and criticism in leading political and literary publications, and she is the former editor-in-chief of Arena magazine. She lives in Stockholm with her husband and children. The White City is her English debut.