The novel Kærleiki (Love) is the story of Vibekka and Jón, mother and son, who live in a small town in northern Norway. It is the day before Jón’s birthday. He is turning nine.
Vibekka is late home from work. She reads, takes a bath, and later, she goes to the library. The library is closed, but she meets a man and disappears for hours … Practically without a word to her son … Jón is alone, contemplating what he might get for his birthday. He hopes, that she only left to go and get the ingredients for the birthday cake. The pair eat together, but otherwise, they live in different worlds. Vibekka does not even notice, that he has left to go and sell lottery tickets for the sports team, when she is to leave herself for the library.
After this, we follow the two individually on their journey through the cold winter evening and impending night. All the while, apprehension and suspense grow, until the ice-cold consequences of selfishness unravel.
In 2006, Kærleiki was named one of Norway’s top 25 novels by the Norwegian newspaper, Dagbladet.
