SHARE
COPY LINK

BOOK CLUB

Book Club: We’re reading The Circle by Sara B Elfgren & Mats Strandberg

In March, the chosen read for The Local Sweden's Book Club is young adult novel The Circle, a fantasy set in a small Swedish town, Engelsfors, which has a magical problem.

Book Club: We're reading The Circle by Sara B Elfgren & Mats Strandberg
Duo Sara B Elfgren & Mats Strandberg wrote the book, part of a trilogy set in the fictional town of Engelsfors. Photo: Berit Roald / NTB scanpix/TT

Join us as we're whisked to rural, central Sweden, where there are some strange goings-on.

It soon turns out that six students, all teenage girls, are witches with the power to save more than just the town: clever Minoo, popular Rebecca, lonely Anna-Karin, party girl Vanessa, social outcast Linnéa, and bully Ida.

The girls are brought together after the death of Linnéa's close friend Elias in what most people believe to be a suicide. A spirit tells them of their task, to protect Engelsfors from evil. The park is their safe haven and the school is where danger lies.

The girls have different views on whether and how they should work together, and as the weeks pass they each discover magical skills and begin to learn to control them. The story unfolds through alternating points of view. But who can we trust?

The Circle has been showered with awards in Sweden and turned into a film, as well as being translated in over 20 languauges.

Throughout the month, we'll be discussing The Circle, so here are a few questions to keep in mind:

  • What role does the setting of Engelsfors play? Does it remind you of anywhere you've visited in Sweden?
  • How do the multiple viewpoints influence your experience as a reader?
     
  • Does the story or style remind you of anything else?
     
  • How do the authors create the book's dark atmosphere and suspense? Did the novel keep you up at night?
     
  • Like February's book Beartown, this book is part of a trilogy. Do the story, setting and characters grip you enough to convince you to read another Engelsfors book?

We will also be speaking to Sara B Elfgren & Mats Strandberg in March and will put your questions about the book to them. So let us know what you would like us to ask!

If you'd like to share your thoughts on The Circle, or any ideas on what we should read next or other suggestions for the Book Club, join The Local Sweden's Book Club on Facebook, or send us an email.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

BOOK CLUB

Book Club: In December, we’re reading Good Sweden, Bad Sweden by Paul Rapacioli

The Local's Book Club is looking at this non-fiction book by one of our founders about how Sweden's reputation is used and misused around the world.

Book Club: In December, we're reading Good Sweden, Bad Sweden by Paul Rapacioli
Paul Rapacioli is co-founder of The Local and author of a book about Swedish values. Photo: Sofia Runarsdotter

Published in 2018, Good Sweden, Bad Sweden by Paul Rapacioli draws on his years of experience managing The Local in a world where fake news and polarised narratives pose a serious threat.

So what part does Sweden play in this?

For nearly three decades, values and social norms around the world have been measured by the World Values Survey, in which Sweden is an outlier: more secular and individualistic than any other country. In this way, it's extreme.

It is also a country that a lot of people have limited knowledge of: it has a relatively small population, a language few foreigners understand, and it's geographically fairly isolated.

This makes it easy for people to misrepresent Sweden, and present a one-sided picture to support their own views. Good Sweden or bad Sweden. 

To join in with the Book Club, all you have to do is find a copy of Good Sweden, Bad Sweden and let us know what you think of the book.

If you have questions for Paul, send us an email and we will put some of your questions to him in a Book Club Q&A later this month.

Throughout the month and beyond, we'll be discussing the book in our Facebook group, so here are a few questions to keep in mind:

  • The book discusses several news stories and how they were portrayed around the world. Do you remember coming across any of these stories?
     
  • What adjectives and what values do you associate with Sweden? If you moved here from abroad or have visited regularly, has your impression changed?
     
  • Good Sweden, Bad Sweden was published in 2018. How has the situation changed since then?
     
  • Do you agree with Rapacioli's arguments, and why/why not?
     
  • If you read Factfulness earlier this year, do you see any parallels or contrasts between the arguments both books put forward?
If you'd like to share your thoughts on Good Sweden, Bad Sweden, ideas on what we should read next or other suggestions for the Book Club, join The Local Sweden's Book Club on Facebook, or send us an email In Sweden, you can buy the ebook from Adlibris and the paperbook from Amazon, among other retailers.

 

SHOW COMMENTS