On Saturdays throughout the spring he had sat in countless Södermalm cafés along with other fathers of young children, sipped latte and eaten sourdough bread rolls with brie, crunched on the red pepper that came with the brie and explained: I've ...
On Saturdays throughout the spring he had sat in countless Södermalm cafés along with other fathers of young children, sipped latte and eaten sourdough bread rolls with brie, crunched on the red pepper that came with the brie and explained: I've been a teacher now for almost 15 years. It s time to try something else for a while. Sometimes you've got to have the courage to make a change. This is Sofia's big chance.
Sofia has high expectations of her new job as head of development co-operation at the Swedish embassy in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and Janne grudgingly accepts that going with her means he will have to assume the role of stay-at-home dad.
At the same time a young woman, Mukta, is murdered by her husband in a small village deep in the countryside. Her little sisters flee to Dhaka to take their destiny into their own hands.
Confronting the reality of Dhaka is equally as overwhelming for Swedish Sofia and Janne as it is for the young sisters from the village, and despite the different circumstances their lives soon become linked. The story reveals a world of embassy receptions, exploited textile workers and Swedish family life. A world in which careerists and idealists gather around the same swimming pool, and tennis matches and terrorism impact everyday life.
Sisters by the River is a novel vibrant with colour and teeming with life and takes us to places and events at whirlwind speed. With immediacy and humour Thorfinn describes the Swedes attempts to do good while being politically correct, and she movingly narrates the dreams and misfortunes of the Bangla girls. A sweeping, powerful and exciting portrayal touching on the urgent, difficult issues as well as the everyday ones.
Press voices:
”Sisters by the River” is an unusually mature and well-written debut, as sharp in its depiction of contemporary customs as it is in the analysis of the failure of development policies. It will surely get many readers. ” Sydsvenskan
”Exciting and enlightening novel of the Swedish development aid industry ” Aftonbladet
"The novel is a page-turner that describes life in Bangladesh so richly that you can feel the smells and the heat. It is with regret and anger one puts down the book. Helena Thorfinn is making her debut as a writer and she does it with honor. A must-read. " Femina