A funeral is being held for an elderly woman at Paulus Church in Grünerløkka. Her granddaughter Carla sits in the second row and thinks back to what her grandmother told her about her life and previous generations. ‘Don’t have children!’ she’d said when Carla was young and wild. ‘We need to stamp out these crazy Italian genes!’
Marble is an original family history about a unique family. Many members of the family are very talented, yet they still struggle with the unwritten rules of society. We get glimpses of an Italian ancestor, we meet the deceased’s two daughters who both harbour an intense hatred for her, and we meet Carla’s millionaire cousin Jam, who lives in isolation from the world around him. Carla has just found out she’s pregnant – does she dare have a child?
Toril Brekke writes far-reaching, epic novels and has an impressive list of publications to her name. She has gained a wide audience through her three books about Norwegian emigration to America, the historical novels Sara and Cobblestones and the stonemason novel Granite.
Five out of six stars
“Disturbing Family saga and a fresh portrait of Oslo.” May Grethe Lerum, VG
“Ok, so this is a novel of about 400 pages. Still I’m impressed over the multitude that Toril Brekke covers; episodes, life cycles, curses, changing of times and city development. Still there is space left for the reader to reflect upon difficult matters. A lovely bonus.
“OK, dette er ein roman på drygt 400 sider.” Marta Norheim, NRK
