An intriguing journey…
I’ve just finished reading The Nobels by author Lars W. Ehrlander. This book is apparently the first in a series (which for now has two books), but could seemingly have more in the future.
In The Nobels, the reader begins his/her journey in Sweden, circa 1939. It’s a warm August day and best friends Annika, Lisa and Camilla are enjoying an afternoon of tanning and relaxation. However, as the sun begins to cool, the girls decide to take the train to Liseberg that evening; where they will entertain themselves with amusement rides, games and … some harmless flirting.
A day or so previously, several British frigates docked in the port and the three girls are curious what the sailors are like. While frolicking in Liseberg, they meet a group of sailors and spend the remainder of the night enjoying each other’s company. Sadly, the night ends with a sudden downpour; followed by a mad dash to return the sailors to their ship’s berth prior to the regulation imposed curfew. The girls exchange addresses and make tentative plans to meet the men the following day.
Unfortunately, war waits for nothing, not even new love. When the girls wake, later that same morning, they learn that Germany has invaded Poland and that the British ships had left immediately; answering the call of duty.
I don’t want to provide more about this poignant novel, but it is at this point that the reader will follow along as Ehrlander details the life experiences of each girl; both together as a group and individually. The Nobels is an adventure of historical fiction, that also includes the tale of childhoods outgrown, innocence followed by its inevitable loss, as well as love and betrayal. Yet, throughout the various twists and turns of each girl’s life, the reader will discover that love can be rediscovered and reborn.
All in all, I did find The Nobels to be an intriguing read. I appreciated the era it began in and, having visited many of the book’s European locales myself, I enjoyed being reminded of them as I read. As far as the writing, Lars W. Ehrlander is a capable writer with good descriptive skills. Consequently, this novel was a smooth read with no jarring stop/starts or majorly glaring errors. The story and character interactions were also, for the most part, believable. As stated by the author, on the back cover, The Nobels did feature ‘promiscuity.’ Based on the eras referenced in the beginning to middle half of the book, I found this promiscuity to be completely plausible. My only complaint is that once Ehrlander moved into a second generation aspect, this promiscuity soon became tiresome and very over the top.
Regardless though, The Nobels was a unique journey through a bygone age and I definitely enjoyed the experience.