She reads Jack beatnik parties ”In operation” (1957) and yearn for experiences as ”it has there instantly nostalgic shimmer over”, worth to write a book about. Like so many other packs her bags and goes to the united states.
The expecting a trip in the beatnik parties footsteps will be disappointed. ”In California, the quaking of the earth” is a collegeroman that takes place in a small town. Hörnell describes initiated the american collegelivet with all what it entails of beer in red plastic cups, tequila shots, marijuana, vomit and snogging. She writes in a tradition of the decadent, sun-drenched ungdomsskildringar where Bret Easton Ellis ”Zero to lose” (1985) is the worst (and best).
go to hell. In short chapters with poetic titles drawn Melin and her friends are all closer to some kind of downfall. Someone will be raped as in Maria Padians youth novel ”Wrecked” (2016)? Shall they rob a restaurant as the girls in the Harmony Korines film ”Spring Breakers” (2012)? The tension builds up, but not until the end of the novel, it happens that may not happen.
Hörnell is skilled, in particular, to drive the story forward and write dialogue that feels authentic. But many sections are too long and some of the details do not match, for example, does not give the drug MDMA knappnålssmå pupils.
won on switching tenses. As narrator, she is smart, the text is filled with beautiful commentaries of the sentences, but unfortunately, it is also wise after the event. Sometimes she sees to the bottom of her 19-year-old I, which creates an unnecessary distance. ”Adrift” is certainly written in past tense but there is a reason that Ellis, Padians and Korines collegeskildringar is told in the present tense. The feeling of doom becomes very tiful when the narrator himself does not know how to go.
Nostalgia is a dangerous ingredient in depictions of young people’s madness.
Read more: Talented fantasy novel about desires
