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Children of God: A Novel
Daring and original stories set in New Testament times, from a rising young Norwegian author
Lars Petter Sveen’s Children of God recounts the lives of people on the margins of the New Testament; thieves, Roman soldiers, prostitutes, lepers, healers, and the occasional disciple all get a chance to speak. With language free of judgment or moralizing, Sveen covers familiar ground in unusual ways. In the opening story, a group of soldiers are tasked with carrying out King Herod’s edict to slaughter the young male children in Bethlehem but waver in their resolve. These interwoven stories harbor surprises at every turn, as the characters reappear. A group of thieves on the road to Jericho encounters no good Samaritan but themselves. A boy healed of his stutter will later regress. A woman searching for her lover from beyond the grave cannot find solace. At crucial moments an old blind man appears, urging the characters to give in to their darker impulses.
Children of God was a bestseller in Norway, where it won the Per Olov Enquist Literary Prize and gathered ecstatic reviews. Sveen’s subtle elevation of the conflict between light and dark focuses on the varied struggles these often-ignored individuals face. Yet despite the dark tone, Sveen’s stories retain a buoyancy, thanks to Guy Puzey’s supple and fleet-footed translation. This deeply original and moving book, in Sveen’s restrained and gritty telling, brings to light stories that reflect our own time, from a setting everyone knows.
Lars Petter Sveen’s Children of God recounts the lives of people on the margins of the New Testament; thieves, Roman soldiers, prostitutes, lepers, healers, and the occasional disciple all get a chance to speak. With language free of judgment or moralizing, Sveen covers familiar ground in unusual ways. In the opening story, a group of soldiers are tasked with carrying out King Herod’s edict to slaughter the young male children in Bethlehem but waver in their resolve. These interwoven stories harbor surprises at every turn, as the characters reappear. A group of thieves on the road to Jericho encounters no good Samaritan but themselves. A boy healed of his stutter will later regress. A woman searching for her lover from beyond the grave cannot find solace. At crucial moments an old blind man appears, urging the characters to give in to their darker impulses.
Children of God was a bestseller in Norway, where it won the Per Olov Enquist Literary Prize and gathered ecstatic reviews. Sveen’s subtle elevation of the conflict between light and dark focuses on the varied struggles these often-ignored individuals face. Yet despite the dark tone, Sveen’s stories retain a buoyancy, thanks to Guy Puzey’s supple and fleet-footed translation. This deeply original and moving book, in Sveen’s restrained and gritty telling, brings to light stories that reflect our own time, from a setting everyone knows.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2014
6 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Lars Petter Sveen
11 books5 followersLars Petter Sveen (f. 1981) er frå Fræna i Møre og Romsdal, men bur i Oslo. Han er tidlegare elev på Skrivekunstakademiet i Hordaland. Han fekk Tarjei Vesaas' debutantstipend, Aschehougs debutantstipend og Sunnmørsprisen for debutboka Køyre frå Fræna (2008). Da Jo Nesbø fekk Den norske lesarprisen i 2008, ga han ekstraprisen på kr 50 000 - som skal gå til «ein lovande norsk forfattar» - til Sveen. Også for si andre bok, romanen Eg kjem tilbake (2011), fekk han glitrande kritikkar.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 4, 2016
Jeg synes det var vanskelig å bestemme meg for hva jeg syntes om denne boken. Det er, objektivt sett, en bok av høy litterær kvalitet. Sveen har skapt et helstøpt univers, og språket hans er fantastisk. Han har satt seg et ambisiøst mål: Å skrive en moderne, men likevel tydelig troende kristen parabel, om menneskene i Jesu liv. Resultatet er en mix mellom modernisme og middelalder, en fragmentert og likevel nesten eposlignende bok du så vidt kan presse ned i roman-sjangeren.
Den har røtter til Dante og Vergil, Goethes Faust spøker i bakgrunnen.
Og likevel: Jeg likte den ikke i det hele tatt. Jeg er poetisk, politisk og personlig frastøtt. Jeg fikk kvelningsfornemmelser av det forkynnende universet, og bokens crescendo - der Utøya, Palestina, Gud og Djevelen går opp i en høyere enhet, gav meg lyst til å slenge hele boken i veggen.
Jeg skjønner at ambisjonen til Sveen er å utvide fortellingene fra Det Nye Testamentet, å trekke Jesus tettere inn i samtiden, men for meg fungerte denne romanen som ekstremt fremmedgjørende. Å ha Djevelen som en faktisk karakter som påvirker menneskenes handlinger gav meg både narrativ og moralsk klaustrofobi. Og jeg liker bøker med religiøs klangbunn. Jeg liker spirituell litteratur. Men å sammenlikne ABB på Utøya med slangen i paradis er å krympe massemorderen, å redusere tragedien til en søndagsskole-leksjon, uansett hvor godt litterært håndverk den søndagsskole-leksjonen er.
Den har røtter til Dante og Vergil, Goethes Faust spøker i bakgrunnen.
Og likevel: Jeg likte den ikke i det hele tatt. Jeg er poetisk, politisk og personlig frastøtt. Jeg fikk kvelningsfornemmelser av det forkynnende universet, og bokens crescendo - der Utøya, Palestina, Gud og Djevelen går opp i en høyere enhet, gav meg lyst til å slenge hele boken i veggen.
Jeg skjønner at ambisjonen til Sveen er å utvide fortellingene fra Det Nye Testamentet, å trekke Jesus tettere inn i samtiden, men for meg fungerte denne romanen som ekstremt fremmedgjørende. Å ha Djevelen som en faktisk karakter som påvirker menneskenes handlinger gav meg både narrativ og moralsk klaustrofobi. Og jeg liker bøker med religiøs klangbunn. Jeg liker spirituell litteratur. Men å sammenlikne ABB på Utøya med slangen i paradis er å krympe massemorderen, å redusere tragedien til en søndagsskole-leksjon, uansett hvor godt litterært håndverk den søndagsskole-leksjonen er.
December 13, 2021
Sveens apokryfe evangelium
Det klassiske søndagsskolegrepet med å fortelle om Jesu liv gjennom menneskene han møtte, funker sånn middels til å begynne med, bedre etter hvert. Måten persongalleriet og settingen blir presentert på i starten, fremstår for meg noe anstrengt og blir mer informasjonsbolker enn en integrert del av historien. Når disse elementene først er etablert, flyter historien bedre og beveger seg lengre og lengre vekk fra søndagsskolen – språket blir mer innholdsrikt og historien mørkere og dypere.
Det kan virke som om forfatteren var dypt inne i Cormac McCarthy da han skrev boka. Både tittelen (ref. Child of God, Et guds barn på norsk), den spartanske tegnsettingen, den nøkterne dialogen kontrastert av utbroderende, tidvis groteske beskrivelser, innslag av det overnaturlige og en tydelig legemliggjøring av det onde, er alle nikk i retning McCarthy. Ikke at det er meg imot.
3,5 stjerner.
Det klassiske søndagsskolegrepet med å fortelle om Jesu liv gjennom menneskene han møtte, funker sånn middels til å begynne med, bedre etter hvert. Måten persongalleriet og settingen blir presentert på i starten, fremstår for meg noe anstrengt og blir mer informasjonsbolker enn en integrert del av historien. Når disse elementene først er etablert, flyter historien bedre og beveger seg lengre og lengre vekk fra søndagsskolen – språket blir mer innholdsrikt og historien mørkere og dypere.
Det kan virke som om forfatteren var dypt inne i Cormac McCarthy da han skrev boka. Både tittelen (ref. Child of God, Et guds barn på norsk), den spartanske tegnsettingen, den nøkterne dialogen kontrastert av utbroderende, tidvis groteske beskrivelser, innslag av det overnaturlige og en tydelig legemliggjøring av det onde, er alle nikk i retning McCarthy. Ikke at det er meg imot.
3,5 stjerner.
October 10, 2018
As an admitted sucker for a Biblical reference, I was incredibly impressed by this bold English-language debut from Norwegian author Lars Petter Sveen--a novel composed of interlocking stories set during the New Testament. Sveen deftly subverts traditional religious tales, foregrounds the importance of storytelling to spirituality, and captures the chaos and dread of following a prophet in real time. My only request--more Judas, please! But I could say that about any book. (Pub date: Oct 16)
September 14, 2014
Stemma mi er berre ein gneiste av den store eld, og slik eg vart tend i mørket, skal eg slokne ein kveld.
October 26, 2014
Meget velskrevet collageroman fra Jesu tid om mange av dem som fulgte ham. Interessant, men noe langtrukket
August 21, 2016
Eit bra konsept: ein mosaikk av stemmer rundt Jesu liv. Men mørk og tung, meir vondskap og skygge enn lys og håp.
October 27, 2017
This is a very thought-provoking story, one about good and evil, and about how the choices we make are both influenced by good and evil and influence them. I can recommend it highly.
August 11, 2015
Anmeldelsen kan læses på http://bognorden.blogspot.dk/2015/08/...
October 10, 2023
Божии чеда са и грешниците: https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
Историята започва по най-жестокия възможен начин, като светлината на прожекторите пада върху римски войници, изпратени да избиват младенците по заповед на цар Ирод. Следва мъката на бащата, чийто син заеква силно (“Трябваше да поведа битката срещу злата сила в Яков, срещу онова, което разкъсваше речта му на парчета”); той го отвежда при един популярен проповедник, който успява да го излекува. Майката на Яков, макар и починала, получава шанс да разкаже своята история от другото място, там, където властва една преливаща от разказ в разказ фигура, която сама се описва повтаряемо като ”това, което остава в сенките, когато свелината падне другаде”, но този дявол е по-аморфен и неопределен, ще минат няколко века, докато църквата го дооформи в каноничния образ.
Издателска къща Персей
https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
Историята започва по най-жестокия възможен начин, като светлината на прожекторите пада върху римски войници, изпратени да избиват младенците по заповед на цар Ирод. Следва мъката на бащата, чийто син заеква силно (“Трябваше да поведа битката срещу злата сила в Яков, срещу онова, което разкъсваше речта му на парчета”); той го отвежда при един популярен проповедник, който успява да го излекува. Майката на Яков, макар и починала, получава шанс да разкаже своята история от другото място, там, където властва една преливаща от разказ в разказ фигура, която сама се описва повтаряемо като ”това, което остава в сенките, когато свелината падне другаде”, но този дявол е по-аморфен и неопределен, ще минат няколко века, докато църквата го дооформи в каноничния образ.
Издателска къща Персей
https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
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December 12, 2018November 12:
Our son handed this book to me while I was visiting. He'd read it and wrote a review for it: http://thediagram.com/18_5/rev_sveen....
The present 2 reviews here on Goodreads are split -- quite good and very, very bad. When I asked my son if the book will unnerve or upset me, his response as I remember was, "It is just a story."
The setting is Jerusalem and beyond. The time is during the life of Christ. The characters have bit parts in the stories of Jesus found in the Bible. In as much, their stories here are one man's artful imaginings.
Clearly, I won't be looking for answers to any questions I have about Jesus, but already, the second chapter in, I've found what I believe to be a truth about life.
"I think Jesus was showing me how small and simple we humans can be, how we can all be afraid of the simplest things. We are small and simple when we let ourselves be driven by what we fear instead of what we love. Today my brothers have shown me how small and simple they are."
________
December 12:
This evening I finished Children of God: A Novel. I did not enjoy the book. How can one enjoy a story that colors the world dark? Nevertheless, the characters the author created and the subtle commentary regarding the state of affairs in the world during the time of Jesus and into the present made it a compelling read.
There is a lot of despair in this story, but a gem of light is found in Martha's story. When an old man (a satan archetype) tries to take control of Martha and her siblings with a dark story, she fights back with a story of her own. She beats the old man at his own game and brings smiles back to her younger siblings faces. The old man loses his power over their emotions and their actions. They march home and he is left empty handed.
Oh that we would all tell stories with our lives that leave evil sitting confused and empty handed.
Our son handed this book to me while I was visiting. He'd read it and wrote a review for it: http://thediagram.com/18_5/rev_sveen....
The present 2 reviews here on Goodreads are split -- quite good and very, very bad. When I asked my son if the book will unnerve or upset me, his response as I remember was, "It is just a story."
The setting is Jerusalem and beyond. The time is during the life of Christ. The characters have bit parts in the stories of Jesus found in the Bible. In as much, their stories here are one man's artful imaginings.
Clearly, I won't be looking for answers to any questions I have about Jesus, but already, the second chapter in, I've found what I believe to be a truth about life.
"I think Jesus was showing me how small and simple we humans can be, how we can all be afraid of the simplest things. We are small and simple when we let ourselves be driven by what we fear instead of what we love. Today my brothers have shown me how small and simple they are."
________
December 12:
This evening I finished Children of God: A Novel. I did not enjoy the book. How can one enjoy a story that colors the world dark? Nevertheless, the characters the author created and the subtle commentary regarding the state of affairs in the world during the time of Jesus and into the present made it a compelling read.
There is a lot of despair in this story, but a gem of light is found in Martha's story. When an old man (a satan archetype) tries to take control of Martha and her siblings with a dark story, she fights back with a story of her own. She beats the old man at his own game and brings smiles back to her younger siblings faces. The old man loses his power over their emotions and their actions. They march home and he is left empty handed.
Oh that we would all tell stories with our lives that leave evil sitting confused and empty handed.
December 8, 2018
The book should really have been titled The Children of Satan, and I say that despite the fact that I don't believe in Satan. I enjoy imagining the life and times of Jesus from various perspectives even though I don't consider myself a Christian. So I picked this book up - and I'm sorry I did. After reading 4 stories in it, I threw it away. I can't remember doing that before because I usually just pass on books to the library that I don't want to keep. But this book was so dark, so fascinated with evil, that it actually felt harmful. I think that's a first for me in all my years as a reader.
Sveen chooses minor characters in New Testament stories and tries to imagine a context, an event at which they are the center - the Roman soldiers murdering the male children in Bethlehem, one of the thieves on the cross, a man healed of stuttering by Jesus. But in each case, the focus and the clear fascination of the author is with the evil side of human nature and its ability to bury and harm the good. Several of the stories feature a mysterious blind figure in the shadows who has the power to corrupt good intentions. Or they have detailed descriptions of murderous criminal acts one after another and the possibility of good is only a flicker of possibility that never seems to catch fire.
I don't generally shy away from unorthodox views of religious figures. For example, I found intriguing the book Testament by Nino Ricci which sees Jesus's mission from the perspective of Judas, or his skeptical and disappointed mother, for example. But this book wanted to take me deep into the power of evil and especially with the state of the world right now, I didn't think that was a healthy place to go. So there the book is, lying in the coffee grounds and I regret having put money in the pockets of Lars Sveen.
Sveen chooses minor characters in New Testament stories and tries to imagine a context, an event at which they are the center - the Roman soldiers murdering the male children in Bethlehem, one of the thieves on the cross, a man healed of stuttering by Jesus. But in each case, the focus and the clear fascination of the author is with the evil side of human nature and its ability to bury and harm the good. Several of the stories feature a mysterious blind figure in the shadows who has the power to corrupt good intentions. Or they have detailed descriptions of murderous criminal acts one after another and the possibility of good is only a flicker of possibility that never seems to catch fire.
I don't generally shy away from unorthodox views of religious figures. For example, I found intriguing the book Testament by Nino Ricci which sees Jesus's mission from the perspective of Judas, or his skeptical and disappointed mother, for example. But this book wanted to take me deep into the power of evil and especially with the state of the world right now, I didn't think that was a healthy place to go. So there the book is, lying in the coffee grounds and I regret having put money in the pockets of Lars Sveen.
December 31, 2018
I'm not sure if I understood this book. It was well written and was almost poetic in its prose but I expected it to all to come together in the end, but it didn't. It's so different from anything else I've read before, which is part of its beauty. I just wish I had understood it better. I would happily read another book by this author. His writing is so beautiful.
August 31, 2021
Picked this one up at a local little free library based on the title and description. Maybe something was lost in translation but I found it hard to follow and a little too staccato in the delivery. An interesting premise though to write the story from the point of view of other people outside the usual story presented in the Biblical telling of Jesus's life.
September 14, 2014
An absolutely beatiful story about the people you never read about in the Bible - but who were there with and after Jesus. Very good ritten i hope as many as possible will read this.
May 24, 2022
Eerie and mystical. It’s quite original!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews