Published in 2005, ‘Berg’ is a novel written in Swedish by Finnish author Bo Carpelan that won the ‘Finlandia Prize‘ in 2005. Bo Carpelan‘s novel ‘Berg’ (Mountain) takes place during two summers: the hot war summer of 1944 and the summer of 1999, when Mattias Bergmark returns to the old family farm. He meets those he once lived with and played with, he is confronted with his memories and his feelings of guilt. Berg talks about children’s sadness, fear and joy, and about the inevitable aging. The boy Mattia’s love for the adult Sonja, his half-brother Jonas’ balancing act between two worlds and the dark shadows of war are parts of the intense, lyrical story.
