AshehougAgency

At the Mouth of the River

AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER is the story of the ship owner Mads Bugge and his Egyptian wife Medé. The perspective alternates between the two, and with precision and insight, Kiøsterud writes out two different ways of existing: Mads, who has recently taken over the family’s shipping company, longs for complete freedom, while Medé demands complete love and wants their relationship to be real, and true.

Praise for AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER:

“Kiøsterud is very good at the visual parts, he brings in colours and shapes so that the reader can picture things clearly … Kiøsterud generally writes good sentences, especially when depiction nature or constructions”
(Dag og Tid)

”As usual, Erland Kiøsterud delivers a text exceptionally sure of style, with no nonsense, he uses a lot of the space for steady, precise depictions of interiors, streets and places, nature and surroundings in a town where the snowdrifts are getting bigger … In his quiet, wary manner, Kiøsterud points out deeply serious tensions”
(Aftenposten)

”Goes deeply into the interesting cleft of communication between cultures … The book masterly imparts how Medé’s wisdom is not is not seized by her surroundings, how her insight and experiences collide with the modern world”
(Trønder-Avisa)

”Brilliant pathos … Both cool and heartfelt on people that probably don’t belong anywhere … This is a novel that might not reach the top of the best-seller lists, but that shows the temperature of a linguistic presentation that is quite unique”
(Adresseavisen)

”Erland Kiøsterud is a master of language – clear, concise and stringent. There are no superfluous words or unnecessary phrases … The descriptions of the milieus in Drammen and Oslo are obviously based on thorough research. The characterizations of the minor characters as well as the main characters are very pertinent and believable.”
(Oppland Arbeiderblad)

”Beautiful passages in and existential tragedy about love and cruel revenge, freedom and responsibility. There are not many authors of Erland Kiøsterud’s calibre left … There are passages in this book that are absolutely beautiful … a rhythm and a sureness of style that have an almost hypnotic effect on the reader.”
(Dagbladet)

First published: 2008, Forlaget Oktober
Erland Kiøsterud: Biography and bibliography