19th century Sweden. A secret mansion inhabited by an unscrupulous doctor. A girl born at his hands in the first recorded C-section.
Welcome to your November read, Caesaria by Hanna Nordenhök, translated by Saskia Vogel. Inspired by a footnote in a medical journal, Caesaria comes to life in this tense and mythical gothic novel.
Caesaria narrates in first person her experiences in the mansion and her encounters with its mysterious inhabitants and visitors. Does she know where she comes from? Where is her mother? Is there a world beyond these walls?
This story, written with beautiful precision, explores themes of reality, sexuality, identity and consent. At a time when women’s bodily autonomy is once again under threat, I was struck by the timeliness of this historical fable as well as captivated by the beauty of the prose.