Review: Three Days In September by Luna Miller

Published: September 2016

Pages: 143

Synopsis: “New Swedish crime writer Luna Miller’s debut novella translated. A contemporary adult relationship drama. The desires, dreams and fears of six lives collide when a stranger comes to town. Are they willing to face their fears to chase their dreams or will they fall victim to desire?

With the best intentions in the world, streetwise, charmer Gabriel plans to lock himself away from temptations and get down to some serious art work in the house by the sea. But when fate sends him to a primitive cottage in the northern woods, he determines to make the most of this far-less-inspiring backwater.

However, remote Ludvika turns out to offer anything but peace and solitude. Gabriel soon becomes embroiled in a chain of events affecting the lives of almost everyone he encounters. Unlikely friendships, loyalty, love and hope intertwine with sex, violence and tragedy over three days in September that leave no one untouched.”

Rating: ***

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I received a free copy of Three Days in September in exchange for an honest review.

Set in a remote Swedish town, Three Days in September follows artist Gabriel who rents a house in a remote Northern town where he can shut himself away and paint. Or that was the plan. We are then introduced to Johan who works in the local pizza restaurant, his girlfriend and waitress Lea and friend Niklaus. Anna, a customer, fancies Johan much to her friends' Kessa and Mari's disapproval.

I wasn't sure how well this fit into the 'Scandinavian Noir' genre, and after a bit of research I am still unconvinced. Three Days in September explored both consensual and non-consensual sex, but there was no reporting of this to the authorities. It was almost as if the female in question accepted this as a part of her life. A very negative portrayal of men; one who cheats on his girlfriend and then rapes another woman, another who sleeps with numerous women without any thought and a final man (the least deplorable of the three) who has feelings for his friend's girlfriend. There was very little character development and I couldn't identify a clear plot structure. The book had a definite beginning and ending, but the middle section was rudderless. It almost felt as though there wasn't a plot at all and the reader had entered at a random point in the lives of the characters.

Despite these negatives, I quite enjoyed Three Days in September as it was written well, concisely. I was very surprised to learn that this was Luna Miller’s debut novel! She is definitely an author to keep an eye on as her writing and career develops.

There were some very graphic sex scenes, both consensual and non-consensual and because of this I would say Three Days in Sweden is only suitable for mature readers. Originally written in Swedish, I read the translation by Aidan Isherwood and must commend him on a job well done. I often struggle with translations, as more often than not something is lost. But I would never have known this was a translation, which is testament to both Luna Miller's original writing and Aidan's translation.