The Shanty Empire

In her debut collection, Hanna Dahl writes about how language at some point or other started to distort reality and the people contained in it. About attempting to control her temperament, but not knowing how a disciplined temperament behaves. About wanting to get to the bottom of sadness, or at any rate a little deeper down into the matter. About being afraid of the x-ray view that irradiates everything you see. About being almost overcome by longing and fighting a fairly disappointing struggle against the clock. About being reduced to a religion. And about the legionnaires who want to revive the empire mentality – while a column of slow nuclear ice-breakers plough thunder through the ice. For the empire is a boundary-breaking force.

«Every word seems to be meticulously weighted and carefully chosen, and Dahl writes with an authority even established writers should envy her.»
Stavanger Aftenblad (6 out of 6 stars)

«A refreshing debut.»
Dagbladet (5 out of 6 stars)

«… one of this autumn's best and most intelligent books.»
Adresseavisen (5 out of 6 stars)

«With a strong force of language, bitter humour and great knowledge, Hanna Dahl describes the inner workings and uniqueness of a family while effortlessly lifting the story to an acute, political level.»
Klassekampen

«The Shanty Empire is a joy to read.»
Vårt Land

«The Shanty Empire balances wonderfully between the unrecognizable and the recognizable, between seriousness and humour, and it does so in a flexible, inventive language…»
Aftenposten