The Swedish Radio listeners' jury describes the book as a story about a boy "stuck in the 'hole hour of life'. All of it is portrayed in a unique language with humor, empathy and depth."
Mikael Yvesand has a divided relationship with praise and attention.
I usually try not to care at all about what people think, but it's hard not to feel very honored. At the same time, I think you shouldn't give this award to me.
Among the nominees were Alex Schulman for the novel "June 17" and Monika Fagerholm for "The Dead Region/Women in Revolt".
"Lightweight," the author says jokingly.
“Ordinary rascal”
The acclaimed debut "Häng City" was awarded Borås Tidning's debutant prize. The darker and more experimental sequel "Våran pojke", inspired by the double murder in Linköping in 2004, has been nominated for a number of awards, including the August Prize.
He is one of the most noted Swedish authors of recent years, but Yvesand wants to remain ordinary at all costs. The interview takes place over the phone from his office at the copyright organization STIM.
He needs his two identities, he says.
If I'm sitting there at a boring meeting, I might think that this is all bullshit, I'm a writer, a great and important person. In a literary context where I don't feel at home, I think this is crap, I'm just an ordinary nerd.
Concluding trilogy
The duality allows Yvesand to remain an outsider - "I can stand aside wherever I am" - and gives him the freedom to think less about how his creations will be received.
Writing isn't my livelihood, so I don't have to consider what I think people will like. I'm terrified of feeling like I've tried to remake something that was good. It just feels cheap, embarrassing, and pathetic.
Book number three, the final part in what he considers a trilogy, will be published this fall.
I know no one will like it. I've said it before, but now I know for sure.
Born: 1986 in Luleå.
Work: Full-time at STIM, writes in the evenings, weekends and on vacation.
Background: Debuted in 2022 with the novel "Häng City", which was awarded Borås Tidning's debutant prize. It was also nominated for several other awards.
The Swedish Radio Novel Prize was established in 1993 and is awarded each year to "an outstanding Swedish novel from the past year's production".
The prize money is SEK 30,000. The winner is chosen by a jury of listeners.
Last year the prize went to Karolina Ramqvist for "The First Book".
This year's other nominees: Alex Schulman for "June 17", Frans Wachtmeister for "Lost Land" and Monika Fagerholm for "The Dead Region/Women in Revolt".
