Author: Lena Andersson

Publisher: Other Press

ISBN: 978 -159051-9035

This book is representative of a relatively common problem, i.e an affair between a single woman and a married man. The latter has a clear advantage over the former and uses it when it comes to planning clandestine rendezvous. This is especially true when the woman is intellectual and analytically inclined. Such a woman who is used to objective thinking and enjoys problem solving, stands totally defenceless when her heart gets involved, thus giving the man, married or otherwise, a distinct emotional advantage in a situation, where the woman’s honor and self-esteem can be severely compromised. It is this theme that has been explored in this book, in very detailed and sensitive prose by the author Lena Andersson.

Ester Nilsson, the protagonist, is an intellectual, a playwright and an author of books. She has recently written a play that was to be performed in Västerås, in which Olof Sten was playing a part. Ester feels deeply attracted to Olof and the attraction appears to be mutual. They start corresponding and agree to meet in person. Olof points out that he is married, a  fact that Ester takes in her stride, intuiting that her love would prevail over all impediments.

It wasn’t long before Ester tells Olof that she loves him and wants to live with him. Olof refers to the fact  that he has a wife. Ester is not deterred, she plans to seduce Olof from his wife and get them to divorce. Her stance in the area of love, as described by the author is as follows:

“As for love, she had been in full and continuous operation and hadn’t taken on board, any lessons she considered inhibiting….She suffered from a certain naive open-mindedness:  each situation, each person was new and had to be judged independently and on their own merits, they had to be given the chance to defy the dictates of nature and do the right thing.”

It is this theme of dichotomy between Esther’s uninhibited love set against Olof’s divided “blow hot, blow cold” attitude that is explored with great originality and authenticity in this book.

Esther and Olof embark on a roller coaster journey of love. Ester offers Olof her body, mind and soul, hoping that he would divorce his wife,with whom she presumed that his relationship had been tepid and  faltering, in contrast to the fiery nature of her own emotions..Olof on the other hand, is loth to give up his wife, yet he also refuses to let up on his affair with Ester. Ester seeks help from her women friends, especially on those occasions when Olof shows himself to be insensitive to her needs or backtracks on a planned rendezvous, citing his wife as a reason.

After several rejections,,and even break-ups, Ester intuits slowly Olof’s bent of mind.and learns step by anguished step to get a handle on her emotions and instill some sort of balance in the relationship. Whether she succeeds or not in her endeavour to get Olof to herself and/or finds internal fulfilment is the subject of this book.

This book is very well written and is a joy to read. It provides a  clear mirror as to how the “other” woman“ lives and has her being, especially when her trained mind is confronted with problems involving her heart.  This book would appeal to many women who suffer because they are involved in dysfunctional relationships with men who are not averse to two-timing them..

Warmly recommended.