Near Distance

Her whole life, Karin has fled from everything and everyone who wants to possess her. She has a daughter she rarely contacts, a job she never dreamed of, and she largely socialises only with men she meets on the internet. But when her daughter’s marriage becomes at risk of falling apart, she is forced out into a world that demands something from her.

Nada deals with introspection and self-deception, and with how strange the story we tell about ourselves can seem to others. And it deals with putting oneself first and longing for purity in a world of chaos.

Winner of the Tarjej Vesaas' Debutant Prize 2019.

Foreign Sales
UK, Weatherglass Books (World English Rights)

Praise
‘Stoltenberg writes clearly and precisely with a finely honed, at times acidic eye for the Norwegian middle class’s manners, values and consumption.’
Littkritikk

‘The debutant sticks needles into contemporary topics, not entirely different from those that Trude Marstein’s latest novel, Conscience, touches upon. Stoltenberg’s style is a little more elegant, or “mock” elegant. And she gets away with it ... Stylistically and thematically, and within a familiar but fragmented framework, Hanna Stoltenberg has found her way to those spots that are both painful and ticklish.’
Morgenbladet

‘Nada is a cracklingly strong debut ... I sense that we are seeing the beginnings of a great author.’
Dag og Tid

“In a relatively short novel, which plays out over the course of a week, this debut author proves herself to be a competent stylist. The fluid prose is full of imagery that stays with you. [...] Through a well-composed text, in which various levels of time effortlessly play out against each other, and a with a keen eye for contemporary events, Hanna Stoltenberg is far more than just an averagely interesting first-time author.’
Aftenposten

“A promising debut, […] exceptionally well-observed.”
Klassekampen (Book of the Week)

“This is superbly portrayed. 5/6 stars.”
5 out of 6 stars, Stavanger Aftenblad