Den blå rullgardinen tillhör ju onekligen de svenska klassikerna. Tidig feministisk litteratur. Mycket vackert språk, person och miljöbeskrivningar. Historisk roman som visar hur det var på 20-talet. Detta är ju första boken av 7 och det märks i hur persongalleriet byggs upp. Småtrevligt utan att så mycket händer. Ser fram emot övriga delar i serien. ( )

Petra von Pahlen, after having her heart broken by her way too ambitious fiancée (he never came home from his expedition to South America, the bastard), settles for a solitary life in the country, running an inherited farm. She surprises everyone, including herself, with taking in Angela, a young orphaned relative. The growing friendship between this woman and this girl forms the core of “Den blå rullgardinen”, first of seven books about the von Pahlen family. But there is a lot going on in just 160 pages here – a rich and interesting cast, flawed and human, that I will look forward to getting to know better. I really like Adéle, deliciously petty, bitter and vindictive. And Elsa, living humbly in the spoils of love lost. And I feel perhaps a little too close to Hans, who despite having a good life spends way too much time longing for something unspecific, something “more”.

These books, now modern classics in Sweden, caused controversy when they were published in the 30ies, with their questioning of marriage as an institution, and (for their time) rather candid descriptions of sex out of wedlock. For a modern reader, this story comes across unpredictable and human, if at times a tad too lyrical for my particular taste. I’m looking forward to spending more time with this fragile and flawed lot. ( )