"The person who has once taken life in the wrong way must finally accept life as it is"
By sally tarbox on 17 July 2016
Format: Paperback
Third in the Alberta trilogy: we were left at an exciting point in the second volume, where Alberta - in an unsatisfactory relationship and about to try to launch a literary career - finds herself pregnant.
This book takes up the story six years on. Alberta and Sivert are still - unhappily - together, with their young son, and sharing a holiday home in Brittany with friends: Liesel and Eliel and war-damaged author Pierre and his wife and child. The relationships are wonderfully portrayed - Alberta's fear and vulnerability as Sivert looks set to leave her and the boy; her growing attraction for Pierre, the only one who seems to take her writing seriously; her love and fear for her little son, who can tear her heart with an innocent comment...
Returning to their home in Paris, and finally back to Sivert's family home in Norway, Alberta's future remains uncertain. But we see her finally taking steps to protect herself from the apathetic lack of action which has previously characterized her nature...
After loving 'Alberta and Jacob', I was a tad less taken with 'Alberta and Freedom'. But in this volume the author writes superbly; it's at least as good as the first volume, and I can't recommend it enough. ( )

This is the third book in a trilogy by Norwegian writer, Cora Sandel. The trilogy explores Alberta's life as she grows from a shy, young girl living in Northern Norway through her life in Paris during and after WWI as she struggles to become a writer.

In this last book of the trilogy, Alberta is at the French seaside with her son, Tot, and partner Sivert, a painter. Also with them are two other couples. They've all left for the seaside in an attempt to avoid the Influenza ravaging Paris. All three couples are unhappy, cheating on each other but more importantly all struggling to find their way both artistically and just as humans after experiencing the horrors of war. Alberta begins a relationship with one of the men staying with them, the married Pierre. Pierre and Alberta never have much of a physical relationship, but they connect over writing. Pierre was on track to be a successful author until the war changed him, physically taking away his hand and mentally his focus and desire to write. Alberta seems paralyzed by her own fears and insecurities and can't seem to do any work on her manuscript.

They all move back to Paris at the end of the summer, but things are not better. Sivert eventually decides to take Tot back to his parent's home in Norway and lets Alberta come along too. Though their relationship is over in all but name, they seem to both love Tot and as both are unwilling to leave him, they nominally stay together. When they return to Norway, things improve. Tot's health and confidence vastly improve. Sivert successfully returns to his way of painting (he had been experimenting unsuccessfully in cubism) and makes some sales. And Alberta finally begins writing again. Alberta finds the confidence to strike out on her own and make her way as a writer. The book ended with me convinced that she would make it.

Sandel's writing is beautifully subtle. The repercussions of the war on these young people permeates the book without being overly dissected. It's simply there. Alberta's struggles are internal and somehow undramatic and highly emotional at the same time. Most of all, Sandel's description of setting is wonderful, especially when she gets back to Norway. I also loved reading about Alberta's journey of writing her novel. Throughout the book there are ideas about what it is like to pour yourself into authoring a novel and I felt like I learned a lot about the writing process. I've read that Cora Sandel put many autobiographical elements in these novels and Alberta's writing journey struck me as the most authentic.

I've really loved discovering this trilogy. I highly recommend the first novel, Alberta and Jacob]to just about everyone, especially anyone interested in Scandinavian literature. It is amazingly evocative of Norway. I didn't love the second book, Alberta and Freedom, but this last in the trilogy wrapped everything up beautifully for me and made me so glad that I read all three books. I think that Cora Sandel is an author that deserves to be more widely read. ( )

The third part of a trilogy (following on from Alberta and Jacob and Alberta and Freedom), but written to be read by itself. Alberta is living in France with her small child after WW1 with her circle of friends who are families of writers and artists. The book is largely about her mismatched marriage and inability (for financial and social pressure reasons) to make the steps necessary to escape from it. I found there was perhaps less going on in this book than the previous two in the series, and would hesitate to recommend it to anyone who hadn't already invested time in the other Alberta books. ( )