The Morning Star (novel)

The Morning Star (Norwegian: Morgenstjernen) is a novel by the Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgård, published in 2020.[1]

The Morning Star
Book cover
Cover of first edition
AuthorKarl Ove Knausgård
Original titleMorgenstjernen
LanguageNorwegian
PublisherOktober Forlag
Publication date
2020
Publication placeNorway

The novel is the story of a number of people's everyday life in Sørlandet and Vestlandet while an extraordinarily bright and large star suddenly appears in the sky.[2] It was Knausgård's first major novel after his autobiographical My Struggle series. Knausgård said that a main idea of the novel was to depict how reality and the same events is perceived differently by different people.[3] The Norwegian publisher described it as "a novel about what we do not understand, about great drama seen through the limited lens of little lives. But first and foremost, it is a novel about what happens when the dark forces in the world are set free."[1]

Morgenstjernen was published 18 September 2020 in Norway, in November 2020 in Denmark and in early 2021 in Sweden (as Morgonstjärnan) to great critical acclaim in all countries.[4][5][6][7] [8] It was nominated to the Norwegian Bokhandlerprisen in 2020.[9] The novel was sold in advance to fifteen countries.[10] An English translation with the title The Morning Star was published by Penguin Random House in September 2021.[11] It was subsequently listed by the New York Times as one of the notable books of 2021.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b Morgenstjernen Forlaget Oktober (in Norwegian)
  2. ^ Taylor, Brandon (16 October 2021). "Karl Ove Knausgaard's Haunting New Novel". The New Yorker. Retrieved 21 November 2021. The new book spans a couple of August nights in Norway as a new star shines eerily in the sky, while animals and people alike stir restlessly, as if before a disaster.
  3. ^ Knausgård skrev ferdig ny roman under lockdown i London VG 15 May 2020 (in Norwegian)
  4. ^ Karl Ove Knausgård nya roman hyllas i Norge Dagens Nyheter 18 September 2020 (in Swedish)
  5. ^ Mørkt og fascinerande comeback nrk 17 September 2020 (in Norwegian)
  6. ^ 5 hjerter til ny Knausgård-roman Politiken 28 November 2020 (in Danish)
  7. ^ Hos Knausgård flygter selv rotterne i panik Berlingske Tidene 26 November 2020 (in Danish)
  8. ^ Nya boken beskriver vardagens diskreta apokalyps Dagens Nyheter 1 February 2021 (in Swedish)
  9. ^ Nominert till Bokhandlerprisen Bokhandlerforeningen (in Norwegian)
  10. ^ Strålende mottagelse av Knausgårds Morgenstjernen i Danmark Oktober forlag (in Norwegian)
  11. ^ The Morning Star by Karl Ove Knausgaard Penguin Random House
  12. ^ "Notable Books". New York Times. 22 November 2021.