Literature and Fiction · Hardback

Sanatorium

Päivi Laakso

- I will come with you, I tell Mother when she is calling from Finland.

Mother and I will go to the invalid’s holiday camp. One family member can come for free, and that is I. My father is going touring with car and caravan, driving further up north along the Tornio River, to participate in an annual fishing contest. I will fly by Finnair, it will take a little over an hour from Oslo to Helsinki. I am already looking forward to the taste of Drambuie, my favourite liqueur.

Päivi from the novel I love sun (2001) has grown up. In this novel, we follow her to Rantalaita, the invalid’s holiday camp, on a research trip to Egypt and her life in Oslo and her relationship with Chinese Bob. All of this portrayed with a convincing visual energy. Funny, grotesque and emotional.

"Besides, she has the gifted ability to blend lush associations into the running text, with abundance of irony and black humour."AFTENPOSTEN

"Sanatorium is a wonderful novel about being different, about individuals and mans tolerance of itself and others. In the Nordic countries I do not know any other female writers prose that is so limitlessly funny and at the same time seriously realistic. And most importantly, the story is full of characteristic humour and a raw and beautiful language."HELSINGIN SANOMAT, Finland