Colony
Author: Annika Norlin
Translated by: Alice E. Olsson
Published by: Scribe Publications
Pages: 528
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★★★★
Translated by: Alice E. Olsson
Published by: Scribe Publications
Pages: 528
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★★★★
Burnt-out from a demanding job and a bustling life in the city, Emelie has left town to spend a few days in the country. Once there, in the peaceful, verdant hills, down by the river she encounters a mysterious group of seven people, each with personal stories full of pain, alienation, and the longing to live differently. They are misfits, each in their own way, and all led by the enigmatic and charismatic Sara.
How did they end up there? Are they content with the rigid roles they’ve been assigned? And what happens when an outsider appears and is initially drawn to their alternative lifestyle but cannot help but stir things up?
A masterful blend of humour, emotion, unforgettable characters, and sharp social commentary, Colony is a magnetic and deeply touching story about love, community, and the unfathomable power we have over others and that others have over us.
How did they end up there? Are they content with the rigid roles they’ve been assigned? And what happens when an outsider appears and is initially drawn to their alternative lifestyle but cannot help but stir things up?
A masterful blend of humour, emotion, unforgettable characters, and sharp social commentary, Colony is a magnetic and deeply touching story about love, community, and the unfathomable power we have over others and that others have over us.
My thoughts:
Colony by Annika Norlin is a gripping, quietly unsettling novel about escape, and what happens when escape isn’t as simple as it sounds.
We meet Emelie at a breaking point. Burnt out by the relentless pace and expectations of city life, she retreats into the forest in search of something quieter, simpler and truer. What she finds instead is a mysterious, seemingly mismatched group of people living deep among the trees. They exist almost entirely outside conventional society: few rules, little speech, and a strange but beautiful system of communication through song, movement and dance.
At first, Emelie only watches. For days. She observes their rhythms, their silences, their dynamics as she becomes slightly obsessed, as though they represent both a solution and a question she hasn’t yet articulated. When she finally enters their world, the novel slowly begins to unfurl. Piece by piece, we learn the histories of each member of the group. Their lives are wildly different, yet all have been shaped by a shared impulse: the need to flee; from pressure, responsibility, grief, expectation, or themselves.
Norlin handles this structure beautifully. The shifting perspectives deepen the story, and each backstory adds weight to the central question: can we ever truly remove ourselves from the world that made us?
What I loved most is how emotionally layered this novel is. It’s a story of love, confusion, anger, forgiveness and responsibility. It is sometimes tender, sometimes frustrating, often quietly devastating. The tension simmers beneath the surface, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
This is a thoughtful, compelling novel that lingers long after the final page. A strong four stars from me. Colony is unsettling in places but brilliantly done.
Overall reaction:
Colony by Annika Norlin is a gripping, quietly unsettling novel about escape, and what happens when escape isn’t as simple as it sounds.
We meet Emelie at a breaking point. Burnt out by the relentless pace and expectations of city life, she retreats into the forest in search of something quieter, simpler and truer. What she finds instead is a mysterious, seemingly mismatched group of people living deep among the trees. They exist almost entirely outside conventional society: few rules, little speech, and a strange but beautiful system of communication through song, movement and dance.
At first, Emelie only watches. For days. She observes their rhythms, their silences, their dynamics as she becomes slightly obsessed, as though they represent both a solution and a question she hasn’t yet articulated. When she finally enters their world, the novel slowly begins to unfurl. Piece by piece, we learn the histories of each member of the group. Their lives are wildly different, yet all have been shaped by a shared impulse: the need to flee; from pressure, responsibility, grief, expectation, or themselves.
Norlin handles this structure beautifully. The shifting perspectives deepen the story, and each backstory adds weight to the central question: can we ever truly remove ourselves from the world that made us?
What I loved most is how emotionally layered this novel is. It’s a story of love, confusion, anger, forgiveness and responsibility. It is sometimes tender, sometimes frustrating, often quietly devastating. The tension simmers beneath the surface, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
This is a thoughtful, compelling novel that lingers long after the final page. A strong four stars from me. Colony is unsettling in places but brilliantly done.
Overall reaction:
