She is married, has two children, and lives in stockholm. Up to 20 books are listed, in descending order of popularity. Rosario ar da d by majgull axelsson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Majgull axellson is a writer who deserves a lot more attention than she gets here. April witch created a furor upon its original publication in sweden. April witch by majgull axelsson book cover, description, publication history. Institutionalised since early childhood due to severe disabilities, she lies in her hospital bed making plans. Addressing themes of motherdaughter relationships, competition between women, and the failures of swedens postwar welfare state, it is foremost a thrillingly written and fascinating story. The emigrant novels book 4 the emigrant novels vilhelm moberg, book 4 vilhelm moberg. April witch by axelsson, majgull, 1947publication date 2002. As far as i know, only two of her books april witch and an early documentary, rosario is dead have been translated into english. With over 400,000 copies sold in hardcover, it landed on majgull axelsson b. April witch by majgull axelsson a woman given up for adoption at birth explores what might have been in this harrowing novel from swedish author majgull axelsson. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers.
April witch by axelsson, majgull 2002 hardcover on. Majgull axelsson is the author of four works of nonfiction as well as one previous novel, far from nifelheim, for which she was awarded the 1994 moa stipend. Majgull axelsson is a swedish journalist and writer. A smash hit in its native sweden, majgull axelsson s second novel, april witch, is both a fantastic and earthbound story of memory and regret. April witch is the story of a severely disabled woman named desiree, her three sisters, and her plan to find out which life was stolen from her. Suzy boots book collection a reading history of sorts page 5. Suzy boots book collection a reading history of sorts. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published.
Mar 11, 2003 desiree lies in a hospital bed thinking, dreaming. If you find a book that has either one of these things you are in for a good read. Mellon collie and the infinite sadness by the smashing pumpkins. Books about foster parents what should i read next. The awardwinning swedish novel april witch is the dark and powerful tale of desiree, a severely disabled woman. But the story, which revolves around the lives of four women, all of whom were abandoned. Borrowing its title from a famous story by ray bradbury, it is. If you find one that has all of them you are in for a great read. Born severely disabled in 1950s sweden, desiree cannot walk or talk but can use her clairvoyant and onmiscient powers to travel through time and space into the lives of her three foster sisters. Click to read more about april witch by majgull axelsson. One of the children born severely disabled in 1950s sweden and then routinely institutionalized for lifeand one of a very few to survive nearly to the centurys endshe cannot walk or talk, but she has other capabilities.
Swedish books you should read umgas umgas magazine. Majgull axelsson born 1947 in landskrona is a swedish journalist and writer. Musing on books by michelle west tanya huff, the better part of valor, daw march 2002, 6. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. April witch part of an effort to read more contemporary swedish authors i live in sweden. Glimpses of abuses in the swedish welfare system of the 1950s, as well as indications of inadequate reforms, will prompt comparisons. Abandoned by her mother, ella, to a life of institutions, desiree ends up at age 50 wracked with pain. Praised for passionate writing on difficult subjects such as physical disability and childhood trauma, april. Borrowing its title from a famous story by ray bradbury, it is a peculiar but compelling mixture. Book trailer for majgull axelssons april witch music. About the supernatural inner life of a quadriplegic woman. Majgull axelssons april witch is one of the strangest and most ambitious books in recent memory.
Axelsson novels, and april witch is no exceptions, are very feministic, but on the pole, which i especially like. Oct 01, 2019 april witch by majgull axelsson a woman given up for adoption at birth explores what might have been in this harrowing novel from swedish author majgull axelsson. Born severely disabled, she cannot walk or talk, but she has other capabilities. In february, i read a book called april witch, written by swedish author majgull axelsson. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Buy april witch by axelsson, majgull from amazons fiction books store. Joanna szachowskas paintings have appeared on the covers of a number of the worlds bestselling books, such as twerp by mark goldblatt, the piano teacher by elfriede jelinek, no laughing matter by joseph heller, drinking coffee elsewhere by zz packer, when i forgot by elina hirvonen,the family muscat by isaak singer, april witch and the woman. April witch book by majgull axelsson the awardwinning swedish novel april witch is the dark and powerful tale of desiree, a severely disabled woman abandoned at birth by her mother to spend her entire life in hospitals, and her three fostersisters. Praised for passionate writing on difficult subjects such as physical disability and childhood trauma, april witch delivers a stunning blow to readers illprepared for a journey through fantasy gore and psychological suspense. Originally published in sweden in 1997, it was an international best seller. Desiree afflicted, abandoned and clairvoyant travels through time. How does desiree, an invalid with no ability to move or speak, function as the conjurer of this story.
A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Petroglyphs 2020 tbr challenge tbr challenge librarything. Apr 03, 2004 if you find a book that has either one of these things you are in for a good read. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. She can neither walk nor talk, but she has special abilities. April witch by majgull axelsson, linda schenck kirkus. The best way to tell you what the story is about is by quoting the book description from the book jacket end flaps. Im reading a book called april witch, by majgull axelsson. Trending book lists a closeto completely objective list of the worst books ever written.
Majgull axelsson s april witch is one of the strangest and most ambitious books in recent memory. This awardwinning 1997 swedish novel shapes a complex family melodrama from an entirely original premise. Part of the reason for that decision is that its not a wellknown book at least, not in the booktube circles that i am in, though it was wellreceived in sweden. April witch is an intense and wellwritten, if somewhat offputting, book. Majgull axelssons major breakthrough as a novelist came in 1997 with aprilhaxan april witch. A smash hit in its native sweden, majgull axelssons second novel, april witch, is both a fantastic and earthbound story of memory and regret. It brought her both the swedish august prize and a nomination for the european aristeion prize. A spellbinding story that makes us view the world with different eyes, april witch won majgull axelsson the prestigious august prize for fiction. Buy this book desiree meaning desired one johansson is the. Mar 11, 2003 majgull axellson is a writer who deserves a lot more attention than she gets here. Some 20 translations were published, some of them very successful in the netherlands, for instance, sales topped 80,000. Suzy boots book collection a reading history of sorts page 5 show list info. Paranormal fiction, space and time, fiction, sisters, people with disabilities, foster parents, mothers and daughters, foster children, competition.
Mostly it is about motherdaughter relationships, competition between women and the failures of swedens postwar welfare state. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Sep 19, 2010 book trailer for majgull axelsson s april witch music. Aprilhaxan is a 1997 novel by swedish author majgull axelsson. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Her first book was nonfiction, and focused on the problems of child prostitution and street children in third world, and poverty in sweden.
Desiree johansson is born with a variety of birth defects into swedens welfare state of the 1950s. She grew up in nassjo and had education in journalism. Desiree is an april witch, clairvoyant and omniscient, traveling through time and space into the world denied her. Mar 22, 2015 in february, i read a book called april witch, written by swedish author majgull axelsson. The 1997 publication of april witch in sweden earned her the prestigious august prize. Its february as i write this, but january of 2002 lingers, and probably will for some time.
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