Review: Ellinor Skagegård's "Wild Birds" – a strong depiction of women's inner lives in 20th-century Uppsala

In moments, it's like 120 years are suddenly erased. Women's life among students in Uppsala in 1906 and the reality we live in today are breaks in the same picture. It is so incredibly easy to recognize yourself in 20-year-old Lottie Jung, who comes to Uppsala on an August day to study. Finally, she will be able to handle herself, be herself, if only for a couple of semesters.

Ellinor Skagegård's debut novel, based on biographies of the composer Fanny Mendelssohn and the journalist Märta Lindqvist, is set in time. Historical novels from the turn of the last century with female protagonists have grown into a clear trend. But Skagegård steps closer than most others, the women's inner lives get the focus instead of descriptions of societal structures. Lottie's everyday life, her spiritual struggle, her longing, longing, guilt and shame are portrayed both convincingly and universally.

Admittedly, it may take an unnecessarily many pages before the novel takes shape and deepens. First, the characters must be presented, environments sketched out and areas of conflict made visible. Lottie finds her connection and forms a four-leaf clover with three other female students. Greta Beckius, Emilia Fogelklou and Ellen Landquist have all existed in reality, but Skagegård treats their lives fictionally and freely. Which works great.

Despite their close friendship, the four women hide much of their thoughts and relationships from each other, worried about being judged. They are marked by their upbringing and societal norms, while at the same time wanting to be wild birds that cannot be tamed. The longing for freedom fights against the superego. Sexuality, which cannot even be called sexuality but "sensuality", is the real focal point of the novel. Like mental illness.

The men around the women desire their bodies, but dismiss their intellects. And if the women don't stand up, there are always young prostitute girls for a moment's entertainment.

The double messages naturally lead to anxiety and Lottie despises herself when she "gives herself in" to the charmer Frank Levertin. Even during intercourse, she cannot show who she is and what she actually feels:

"'Are you feeling good?' he asked between breaths and she nodded in response as she assumed that was what was expected."

But while Lottie nevertheless has an inner strength that allows her to get work as a journalist, her friend Greta goes into a deep depression. Just like in reality, Greta Beckius's solution is a gunshot to the temple.

As readers, we get to follow Lottie closely, closely. How as a teenager she got an inner critical voice that told her that everything about her was weak and wrong and ugly, not worth loving. How she tries to believe Ellen Key's words that it is love and not marriage that makes sex moral. And how she finally dares to go behind dad the priest's back to find her own way.

Writing historical novels places linguistic demands on balancing between period-typical expressions and contemporary readability. Ellinor Skagegård succeeds very well in this. The text is completely believable without ever becoming heavy or cumbersome.

"Wild birds" is the first part in the planned trilogy "Uppsalakransen". I look forward to the next parts.