The Stockholm Octavo explores an aspect of European history that will be completely unknown to most American readers. I have always thought of Sweden as being a progressive, peaceful country. The Octavo reveals it as a country in transition from violence and conquest, riven by bitter factions. Emil Larsson, a feckless young man, holds a position in what we would call Customs and is under pressure to marry in order to prove himself a respectable, stable employee to his boss. He seeks out help from Mrs. Sparrow who runs a popular card parlor (the most popular game was Boston Whist) and reads Tarot-like cards as a sideline. These characters become extras in the political theater of Sweden under Gustav III (1771-1792). The book confirmed my allegiance to my Kindle. I found myself using google and wikipedia to explore the context of the book, reading entries on Sweden and its royal family. The novel is enjoyable and understandable without the internet resources, but I could not resist doing my own history exploration. Warning: if you know the history, you will know one of the major plot elements about 200 pages early. There are enough other things going on with the characters that there was still a lot of ground for the author to play with, but you will know how things turn out with the King. Mrs. Sparrow clearly represents the real-life Swedish fortune-teller, Ulrica Arfvidsson. The book weaves elaborate and subtly satirical plots around Swedish nobility, the tradespeople who serve them, and the sharp elbowed competition of the marriage game as a means of social advancement. Much of the book centers around the language of fans in courtship and in societal maneuvering. There is much more to the creation and use of fans than I had ever imagined. Mrs. Sparrow makes her predictions based on an elaborate Tarot-like spread called an Octavo. The Octavo for Emil Larsson drives most of the action of the book. The Octavo for Mrs. Sparrow ties her and her circle to plots around the king. Altogether, I found the book to be intriguing enough for me to keep going to the end, and a source of stimulation for an educational self-guided tour of eighteenth century Sweden. This book was a fun take on the events leading to the assassination of King Gustav of Sweden 1790ish. I liked the interesting characters and how they were all connected via Emil' s Octavo. The fans were also great - especially the allusion to magic around them. But, I thought there would be more magical elements in the book and missed that aspect. All in all, an interesting slice of history I knew nothing about, told in a story ripe with fascinating characters.
What do You think about Het Stockholm Octavo (2012)?
Loved the atmosphere and characterizations. List myself in a beautifully created time and place.
—Kay
Hard to make historical politics exciting but this book did it
—Consolez
