Keynote
A smart, witty novel of driving lessons and vertigo, a finalist for the Man Booker International Prize
Book Title
Mirror, Shoulder, Signal
Subtitle
A Novel
Cover Image
- “Opening [Mirror, Shoulder, Signal] feels like opening a window—there’s a bracing freshness and chill to the writing, and the unforced ease of a song.”—The New York Times
Body
Sonja is ready to get on with her life. She’s over forty now, and the Swedish crime novels she translates are losing their fascination. She sees a masseuse, tries to reconnect with her sister, and is finally learning to drive. But under the overbearing gaze of her driving instructor, Sonja is unable to shift gears for herself. And her vertigo, which she has always carefully hidden, has begun to manifest at the worst possible moments.
Sonja hoped her move to Copenhagen years ago would have left rural Jutland in the rearview mirror. Yet she keeps remembering the dramatic landscapes of her childhood—the endless sky, the whooper swans, the rye fields—and longs to go back. But how can she return to a place that she no longer recognizes? And how can she escape the alienating streets of Copenhagen?
In Mirror, Shoulder, Signal, Dorthe Nors brings her distinctive blend of style, humor, and insight to a poignant journey of one woman in search of herself when there’s no one to ask for directions.
Sonja hoped her move to Copenhagen years ago would have left rural Jutland in the rearview mirror. Yet she keeps remembering the dramatic landscapes of her childhood—the endless sky, the whooper swans, the rye fields—and longs to go back. But how can she return to a place that she no longer recognizes? And how can she escape the alienating streets of Copenhagen?
In Mirror, Shoulder, Signal, Dorthe Nors brings her distinctive blend of style, humor, and insight to a poignant journey of one woman in search of herself when there’s no one to ask for directions.
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About the Author
Credit: Astrid Dalum
Praise
- “In flowing and absorbing prose, Nors illustrates . . . how it might be possible for anyone to overcome immense loneliness and make a connection.”—The New Yorker
- “First rate. . . . Often hilarious. . . . Exceedingly smart. . . . [Dorthe Nors] possesses a rare gift.”—NPR “Fresh Air”
- “Exquisite. . . . Nors gives the invisible woman the dignity of her artful gaze. . . . This triumphant novel sounds the depths of women’s unseen strength in a register that reconciles enlightened feminism with working-class rage.”—The New York Times Book Review
- “[Nors’ writing is] agile and profound. . . . The novel’s power builds as Sonja’s inner world unfolds.”—The Atlantic
