Relief + Yuletide + recent reading

[luzula]

My mom does not have cancer! I never said anything here, but we've had a couple of weeks being worried that she might have, but further investigation reveals that no, she doesn't. *hugely relieved*

I have my Yuletide assignment, and have an idea for it which seems doable, though I'm still mulling it over. I'd actually spontaneously offered Jean and Darklis from Bonnie Dundee, when I saw them among the nominations, but since nobody has requested this fandom, I think it reveals nothing for me to say that I'm sort of disappointed not to be assigned that.

Mitt hjärtas slag: en motståndsrörelse by Hanna Wikman (2021) [The Beat of my Heart: a Movement of Resistance]
Well hey, I read something in Swedish! This book has just been published and is written by a friend of mine (or maybe more of an acquaintance) whom I know through my union. It's an m/m romance set in northern Sweden during the 1930's, which is also about unionizing among loggers. That is to say, it's an m/m romance in the sense that there are two men in a relationship, but not at all in the genre sense! I doubt the author ever read one, or slash fanfic either. Anyway, I liked it a lot--it's great at portraying nature and community, and has a lovely sense of warmth to it. The relationship has the rush of new youthful love, with a lot of physicality to it without much explicit sex scenes. The main character (Adrian) has younger siblings that he loves, and takes care of when his mother becomes depressed by the grief for the death of a child (the father is out of the picture). This is why he doesn't go with his beloved Alvar when he leaves to fight fascists in the Spanish Civil War. I really thought this book would end with Alvar never coming home! Not because he dies in the war, but because he stays in Göteborg after he gets home, and doesn't seem all that interested in coming back to the north where Adrian is pining away for him. We do eventually get a happy ending for them, but I don't quite think the book sticks the landing for me? It leaves too many things unexplored: why is Alvar so cold towards Adrian when he first comes home, and what is it about Adrian's letter to him that changes that? How did his experiences during the war change him? I wanted more, and I just don't see why she didn't write that... Well, I guess I'll discuss it with her!

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

Very glad about your mom.

[luzula]

Thanks! It's the first time I've really had to confront the fact that my parents will grow old and sick and die eventually. But not this time, at least. Mom is 72 but is generally active and goes out walking a lot.

[dolorosa_12]

That's wonderful news about your mother! What a huge relief!

[luzula]

Yes! It really is a huge relief, it had been grinding away at the back of my mind.

[regshoe]

Oh, that is good news about your mom.

Mitt hjärtas slag sounds like a really intriguing combination of ideas and historical, setting and character elements. Perhaps I'll put it on my list of Swedish books to read when I'm able :D

Good luck with the Yuletide assignment! Hmm, yeah, Darklis and Jean could have been a good thing—perhaps one for future years...

[luzula]

Thanks, it's such a relief.

Du är ambitiös, som funderar på att läsa romaner redan! : ) Actually 'novell' in Swedish means 'short story', it's quite confusing, and 'roman' means 'novel'.

Gah, I always want to talk about my Yuletide assignment, but I know I shouldn't! *keeps mouth shut*

[regshoe]

'novell' in Swedish means 'short story', it's quite confusing, and 'roman' means 'novel'.

Haha, yes—those similar-sounding but different-meaning words do keep things interesting :D I suppose 'roman' is related to 'romance', which is more like what 'romance' used to mean in English.

[vatine]

Yeah it is also arguable that the Swedish "novell" covers at least the shorter range of the English "novella" (the upper end is probably covered by "kortroman").

[china_shop]

That's great news about your mom. *hugs*

That is to say, it's an m/m romance in the sense that there are two men in a relationship, but not at all in the genre sense! I doubt the author ever read one, or slash fanfic either.

Heh. It's always interesting to step outside the genre. What were the main ways it was different, if you don't mind saying?

[luzula]

Thanks! This is what I wanted hugs for the other day. *hugs back*

What were the main ways it was different, if you don't mind saying?

It's hard to put my finger on! The prose style was a bit stream-of-consciousness and not what you'd find in the typical romance novel. And at the end, when we did get the happy ending, I feel like the book didn't give you the full emotional payoff of that.

[china_shop]

And at the end, when we did get the happy ending, I feel like the book didn't give you the full emotional payoff of that.

*nodnod* That makes sense. I guess fandom has its own expectations and dialect. :-)

[rachelmanija]

I'm so glad about your mother!

[luzula]

Thanks! Much relieved.

[hyarrowen]

I'm so glad about your mom. :)

[luzula]

Thanks! It's really the first time I had to confront the idea that she would get seriously ill and possibly die...I was actually very grateful I'd spent so much time with her during the pandemic.

[hyarrowen]

I don't doubt she was glad of it too, and of your support.

[garonne]

I'm so glad to hear about your mother.

And that book sounds great. Maybe someday it will be translated into English. I can only hope!

[luzula]

Thanks! It's such a relief.

Well, it's published at a tiny publishing house, so sadly I think the chances that it will be translated are very low! It was also interesting how very different her writing style is from mine--much more stream-of-consciousness.

[dhampyresa]

What great news about your mom!

[luzula]

Thanks! I was all set for it to be bad news, so I'm very relieved.

[osprey_archer]

I'm so glad about your mom!

And good luck with your Yuletide assignment! Even though it isn't Jean & Darklis, alas alas... Maybe some other year.

[luzula]

Thanks! : )

I think this year I will do a workmanlike job on Yuletide--I have an idea, I know I can write it, but I don't feel any great inspiration yet (which some years I have done!)

[mergatrude]

So glad for your mum and your family! *hugs*

[luzula]

Thanks! It's a great relief. *hugs back*

[nnozomi]

So glad that all is well with your mom *knock wood for continued health of all concerned* <3

Very interesting-sounding book! It's lovely to be able to say "I guess I'll discuss it with [the author]" once in a while, without needing the help of a spiritualist to do so ;)

[luzula]

Thank you! She still has the health issue that made us think it was cancer, but now we know it's much less sinister, at least. And hopefully she'll get help with that.

Ha ha, yes! Looks like she was looking forward to the feedback, too.

[killclaudio]

That's great news about your mother, it must be a huge relief! Waiting and not knowing what's going to happen can be so stressful, I hope you're okay. ♥

I'm still pondering my Yuletide assignment too - I have a couple of ideas, but nothing that really grabs me. Gonna let it simmer in the back of my mind for a while and see if anything better pops up. :)

[luzula]

Thanks! Yes, waiting was pretty stressful, I'm glad it's over now. <3

I've only failed at Yuletide one year, but iirc there were other factors besides lack of ideas then. It's cool how deadlines and assignments most often do get me to produce fic! I hope something percolates through for you. : )

[riverlight]

Oh, what great news about your mom! Yay!

I might have to see if I can get a copy of that book for my mom for Christmas. (Jag vet inte om min förtrogenhet med svenska räcker till romaner, tyvärr…) Thanks for the rec!

[luzula]

Thanks! : )

Oh right, you know some Swedish! I'd almost forgotten. Here's the book at the publishing house website.

I hope your headache has improved, and if not, that you're getting healthcare for it!

[riverlight]

Thanks!

Headache is… better, I guess? But still here. :( I have a doc appointment on Monday, at least.

[chestnut_pod]

Wonderful news about your mom!

[luzula]

Thank you! Yes, it was great news--and I think I did a fair job of supporting her in the weeks before she was able to take the test.

[seascribble]

I am very glad about your mum!

[luzula]

Me too, obviously. : ) Thanks!

[cahn]

Oh yay about your mom, that must be such a relief <3

And (in a different way :) ) yay Yuletide! I have an assignment which is perfect for me, but might be a nightmare for someone else who had offered different characters (recip requested Any), so I am happy about it plus have the pleased feeling of having saved someone else from a bullet :)

[luzula]

Yay indeed! : )

Congratulations on your assignment, that's great! My assignment is okay--I feel like I will do a workmanlike job of it, but not anything really inspired.