Published in 2025
420 pages
Annika Norlin is an author, songwriter, and artist from Sweden. She releases music under her own name, as well as in the projects Säkert! and Hello Saferide. Her short story collection, I See Everything You Do, was nominated for numerous awards. The Colony is her first novel.
Alice E. Olsson is a literary translator, writer, and editor. She has served as the Cultural Affairs Adviser at the Embassy of Sweden in London and is the recipient of a fellowship as well as multiple grants from the Swedish Arts Council. She has been shortlisted for the 2020 Peirene Stevns Translation Prize and the 2023 Bernard Shaw Prize.
What is this book about?
A mega bestseller in Sweden — and winner of its two biggest literary awards — Colony is a gripping portrayal of contemporary society and its alternatives.
Burnt-out from a demanding job and a bustling life in the city, Emelie has left town to spend a few days in the country. Once there, in the peaceful, verdant hills, down by the river she encounters a mysterious group of seven people, each with personal stories full of pain, alienation, and the longing to live differently. They are misfits, each in their own way, and all led by the enigmatic and charismatic Sara.
How did they end up there? Are they content with the rigid roles they’ve been assigned? And what happens when an outsider appears and is initially drawn to their alternative lifestyle, but cannot help stirring things up?
A masterful blend of humour, emotion, unforgettable characters, and sharp social commentary, Colony is a magnetic and deeply touching story about love, community, and the unfathomable power we have over others and that others have over us.
