The fourth part of a sensational literary cycle that has been hailed as
perhaps the most important literary enterprise of our times. --Rachel
Cusk, Guardian 18 years old and fresh out of high school, Karl Ove
Knausgaard moves to a tiny fisherman's village far north of the polar
circle to work as a school teacher. He has no interest in the job itself --
or in any other job for that matter. His intention is to save up enough
money to travel while finding the space and time to start his writing
career. Initially everything looks fine: He writes his first few short
stories, finds himself accepted by the hospitable locals and receives
flattering attention from several beautiful local girls. But then, as the
darkness of the long polar nights start to cover the beautiful landscape,
Karl Ove's life also takes a darker turn. The stories he writes tend to
repeat themselves, his drinking escalates and causes some disturbing
blackouts, his repeated attempts at losing his virginity end in humiliation
and shame, and to his own distress he also develops romantic feelings
towards one of his 13-year-old students. Along the way, there are
flashbacks to his high school years and the roots of his current problems.
And then there is the shadow of his father, whose sharply increasing
alcohol consumption serves as an ominous backdrop to Karl Ove's own
lifestyle.