Without a Pulse

Bakkeid, Heine T.: Uten puls Nineteen-year-old Marcus shoots himself in the head at a party in Tromsø. Music is booming all around, and nobody realizes what is happening. Only Marius sees the shot being fired.

Marcus and Marius had something which resembled a true friendship. They grew up together, and both of them had parents who were primarily concerned with enjoying life. Marius sees his own life quite clearly – despite being doped down with alcohol and other narcotics. He sees the dirt, his own and his friend’s contempt for life. Marius has a powerful feeling that it is all going to go to hell – which it does.

Without a Pulse is a tough novel about young people’s dismal day-to-day life in a small village – young people without the power to get away and make a life for themselves elsewhere. There is harsh dialogue and there are rough scenes, but also a good portion of humour.

First published: Aschehoug fiction 2006

Heine T. Bakkeid: Biography and bibliography