Literature and Fiction · Hardback

Ego

Ebba Eiring

What happens between people when someone dies, gets married, ventures out on a sailing trip for two, finds themselves responsible for a stepchild, jumps on a train some place on the other side of the world, or when someone returns to their old stomping grounds and childhood home, after years of being away?

These short stories explore the nature of close relationships, those between: flatmates, best friends, parents and children, partners, siblings. Ebba Eiring writes astutely about those that can fall apart, and those that may just stand the test of time.

His girlfriend has left, and the young man is standing alone in his apartment wearing sweatpants, with a withering avocado plant and quite some aggression he needs to vent. On his way to the store, he meets again the girl who many years ago was standing at the bus stop, suitcase packed, getting away from the village. Siv would like to have Martin all to herself, be his girlfriend, have sex on the sofa or the kitchen counter just when they feel like it. But every other week Vilde is there. Vilde is Martins little daughter, and with her there everything is different. Awkward and weird. Siv wants to be a good bonus mom, but on the inside, she is a grumpy bitch.

Ebba Eiring writes with sharp wit about things that might be broken, and things that might last.