The Swedish writer ends the Rebecka Martinsson series with ‘The sins of our fathers’, the sixth volume that follows the protagonist through her investigation of a series of murders
Cold, crime and death accompany Rebecka Martinsson in the latest novel by the Swedish writer Asa Larsson. The lawyer who has starred in the famous saga returns 10 years later in this sixth -and final- book of the series. The sins of our fathers It is already among the 10 best-selling books in Spain and once again immerses readers in this fascinating world, located 200 kilometers from the polar circle, brimming with snow and morbidity.
“We only know one thing for sure, and that is that we are going to die. We all have that destiny in common, and that is why we are drawn to these narratives of violence. In the presence of death, we can tell stories about the meaning of life“, explains the author. She also points out that “the crime novel is a comforting genre; offers closure and justice. In the end you get peace and I think those kinds of stories become a necessity in times of uncertainty, like war now.”
Since the publication of his first novel in 2003, Larsson has expressed his opinion on the various social and political issues affecting his native Sweden. And the Ukrainian conflict, and Sweden’s imminent entry into NATO is not the exception. The writer explains that in the Nordic country there are some extreme pacifist groups that say, for example, that Ukraine should not defend itself and that the government should not get involved. “I think is a very arrogant approach, considering that many people are suffering for this invasion”, he criticizes.
Almost 20 years have passed since Asa Larsson introduced Rebecca Martinsson before the world, and today this strong-willed woman is not perceived as a transgressive or unpleasant character, but at the beginning of the 2000s this lawyer did not have the best reception: “There were some critics – they were always men – who said ‘No I can read it. I can’t read a novel with a protagonist I don’t like.’ And I’ve thought about it a lot. I like her. Sometimes she does stupid things, she makes mistakes and is ambitious to the point that she can fall into selfishness. But she has a good heart and she is a good friend”, the author defends her. The imperfect characters, who sometimes find no motivation or to live and who struggle day by day are the ones that Larsson finds attractive: “it may seem depressing, but as a reader I like the stories of those who are not entirely happyand that they should strive to get ahead”.
Through the novel, readers will uncover the secrets of the Pekkari family and a strange homicide involving a famous boxer. The characters must deal with the crimes and the violence they have inherited due to the faults of their ancestors and the secrets they kept. “I believe that the errors of our parents -especially those who have suppressed- are part of our legacy, although we know nothing about them”, reflects Larsson referring to the novel, but also to his family history. “Those of my generation [a diferencia de la de sus padres] we tend to talk more about our ‘sins’, and by doing so we can understand our roots, face our feelings and allow ourselves to feel sad or angry. And so, avoid inheriting our mistakes to our children“, he continued.
Older fans of the authorship will recall that Rebecka Martinsson’s first novel, Aurora boreal, deals strongly with the religion around the church in Kiruna. Despite its title, in this last book the Church does not have the same prominence, but it continues to be a strong influence in Asa Larsson’s literature. “Sweden is a fairly secularized country, so for the readers of my country the subject is something new, and is not perceived as conservative or old-fashioned. However, I come from a very religious family and I personally know that I am a believer. Otherwise he could not bear the horrors of this world. When I was young I read the bible a lot and that is reflected in my writing.”
And now what? With this last book, and after 20 years Larsson says goodbye forever to Rebecka Martinsson. “I feel a lot of sadness, of course. But I also feel that I have reached a point of freedom where I can do anything, whatever I want. I can say that I have changed, and I am a different person than when I started writing this saga. It would be horrible if it wasn’t.”
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