The best type of whodunit stories but add the theme of a wedded couple. Fast paced, and not easy to guess the conclusion.

I loved this. I have just finished reading and I am going to miss reading this one.

The Divorce is an excellently captured examination of a marriage and of its ending. Bea and Niklas have been together for 30 years and one innocuous argument on a Summer evening in their Stockolm home is the trigger that implodes their marriage. The book explores their relationship through the decades from both perspectives which made me change my opinions back and forth on both characters several times. I loved how this was written, the complexity of the characters and the setting. A clever complex domestic drama and an excellent addition to Summer reading lists.

Beautifully written this novel documents the breakdown of a long marriage between Bea and Niklas.
Written from both perspectives it is honest,moving and heartbreaking.Having been through divorce of a 20 year marriage this one resonated even more with me.

The Divorce
By Moa Herngren

"The Divorce" opens with Bea in full inner monologue rant mode, she is tired, she is hot, she is irritated with Niklas over seemingly everything, and he still isn't home, and he is not responding to any of her texts, and now she's vacillating between anger and fear, until hours later, the 3 word reply comes, and Bea's world collapses.

Bea didn't see it coming. The first section of the book explores the marriage from their childhood friendship from Bea's perspective, through to the early days of their divorce, her incomprehension, her rage that her self sacrifice has left her financially vulnerable, her fielding of shared friends for support and her relief that popular opinion seems to side with her.

The second section is told from Niklas' perspective, and of course, as every story had two sides, we soon discover the nuances of each situation, and it's not black and white anymore.

This is a highly addictive piece of writing. Herngren mines all the subtle and not so subtle ways we use inner narrative to reassure ourselves that we are winning within our relationships, chalking up brownie points we have earned, memorising slights and failures, passive aggressions to steer behaviour, all to support our own narrative of being the wronged party. Anyone who has ever had cause for resentment will recognise themselves in both perspectives and of course the age old gendered biases come into play, pulling me towards Bea's side, but then she'll do something that makes me want to reach into the book and slap her for letting herself down, for letting women down. However my overriding feeling was that Bea's concerns were all about how her children were going to be affected, whereas Nikkas' were all about being true to himself.

The Stockholm and Gotland settings are fabulously drawn. Sweden almost becomes a character in the story and this adds so much to the immersive experience of the novel.

The third section has a to and fro narrative as Bea becomes immersed in the reality that the marriage is over and the war over stuff and people begins, the apartment, their possessions, their daughters, their friends, his family and the fast approaching Christmas holiday. There's a perfect storm brewing and some ill advised decisions are made based on faulty reasoning. I couldn't look away.

An emotional rollercoaster. A romance horror. Who wins in this situation? Only time will tell.


Publication date: 4th July 2024
Thanks to #NetGalley and #BonnierBooks for the ARC

I was completely gripped by this book! Admittedly I read it while getting better after Covid so had more time when I was doing little other than reading and sleeping, but I still read it within a couple of days. The author is excellent at drawing in the reader, creating completely believable and relatable characters.

They aren't one-dimensional either. From the start I felt that Bea, an uptight woman whose husband has apparently vanished inexplicably, leaving her in the lurch, was emotionally manipulative. The way she speaks to Niklas, her husband, in particular her text messages I felt get this across very well. She is constantly making him sound like he is the unreasonable one, and making shrill demands on him.

But then again, he HAS just walked out and is refusing to talk to her, so perhaps that is unreasonable and childish behaviour? Bea certainly has her issues, but I like the fact that the author hasn't simply created a 'baddie' and a 'goodie' - there are flaws in both Bea and Niklas and at various points in the book I think readers can probably identify with both of them.

The book basically tells the story of a marriage disintegrating. Niklas, a doctor, is completely stressed out at work and feels that Bea does not understand (or worse, care) about that. She's more interested in using the money he earns to buy a fancy kitchen and on maintaining appearances. We get the sense of a man who has pushed aside his own needs for a long time because he's let his wife convince him about what he should be doing, regardless of the fact that it hasn't made him happy.

I like the fact that, as their marriage breaks down, we get a very realistic portrayal of what that looks like - the impact on the wider family, how their teenage daughters respond to the new situation, the messiness of a new person being involved in the form of Niklas' new partner Maria.

It's quite an intense book in that the drama is all taking place among mainly two people with several other side characters. But this is what relationship problems and breakdowns can feel like.

I was really impressed with the quality of the writing and the characterisation from the author, and would definitely recommend this book.

I loved the style of writing of this novel, particularly the descriptions of the natural environment. Having the situation of their marriage written from two points of view was really interesting, and I felt empathy with both Bea and Niklas. However, I found the pace a bit slow, so only 4 stars.

The Divorce, translated from Swedish , is a stunning novel that I was completely absorbed in over the course of 24 hours.
It’s told from the dual points of view of Bea and Niklas as their 30 year marriage comes to an end. It’s a clever and thought provoking novel , initially I felt complete empathy for Bea but as I read Niklas’s point of view I had a deeper understanding of why he ended the marriage. However I still felt that ultimately he was extremely selfish and I felt anger on Bea’s behalf.
I found the consideration of how Bea’s divorce from Niklas also meant separation from his family extremely insightful and emotional.
I loved the description of the family’s life in Stockholm and the trips to the extended family in Goatland. The places are described in such detail and convey the beauty of Sweden.
This is such a beautiful and sad novel , the relationship is described in such detail and the characters are so well drawn I felt that I knew them well.
An insightful and emotional read that I’d highly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

This book, originally written in Swedish and brilliantly translated into English, is so true to real life it’s compelling. The relationship between a seemingly happily married couple unravels and we get chapters from each point of view. There is a massive grey area where, like in real life, no one is totally at fault but the reader gets to see why the marriage was failing. The writing is sensitive and the characters were so well depicted that you feel like they are your friends. A masterclass in writing with restraint and in not making it black/white, good guy/bad guy. I’d definitely read another book by Moa Herngren.

This is a translated literary fiction novel. It was very well written and well translated. About a couple in their 50s falling out of love with each other. It has dual pov so you can see the demise of their relationship from both sides which I really liked.

The story was ok, I just found both characters annoying and not something I could personally connect or relate to but might be great for someone who can.

Realistic breakdown of the marriage of a couple in their fifties. Niklas decides that he cannot continue a loveless marriage (after finding himself a new woman...), Bea cannot accept nor understand. Sad reality of the end of a relationship.

The premise of 'The Divorce' is interesting and I really like the way the novel changes direction, quite unexpectedly. Here, in this novel translated from Swedish, there is a seemingly happy couple - Bea and Niklas - who live with their twin teenage daughters in Stockholm. From the beginning, the novel focuses on Bea, and how Niklas has become detached from her, less interested in their life. She struggles - she stresses - and readers feel sorry for her, believe Niklas to be the one at fault. When the novel switches to focus on Niklas in more depth, this changes to an extent - and readers question whether Bea is in the wrong. Interestingly, Herngren doesn't write from the first-person of either character; rather, she chooses the close third-person so it feels as if the reader is being fully immersed into the characters' lives.

Niklas is, in many ways, heartless to do what he does - he has an affair with Maria, a married friend of the couple, and mother to children they know - and eventually leaves Bea to be with Maria full-time. There are many thoughtful points in this book, such as what happens when one has a close relationship with their partner's family, as Bea does with her in-laws on Gotland, and then things go awry. My main criticism, though, is the prose is so very cliched and unoriginal in parts. Examples include 'Bea's legs practically gave way beneath her' (really?). Her imagining that her '... heart feels like it might break...' (urgh), the fact that 'She needs to do something' (yes, she does, but seemingly this won't have much impact), and 'The realisation hits her like a punch to the gut.' There are many more examples. Part of me wonders if the translation doesn't help - perhaps, in the novel's original language of Swedish, such things are not an issue. Here, though, it all sounds cheesy and over-used, and certainly false.

I think this book will provide plenty of food for thought, perhaps to reading groups, likely dominated by women readers. This is fine - but the clunky, cliched prose detracts for me and this is a shame. I will award 3* - any lower would be insulting given that writing any book is tough.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of 'The Divorce'.

An amazing book that goes through the divorce of Niklas and Bea. This shows family emotions as well as describing so well the actions by the two people involved. I loved this and could not put it down. Telling the story of both Niklas and Bea in separate sections really emphasized the two different view points and how a separation slowly happens and the resulting impact on the whole family. It made me think about my own marriage and familial relationships, as like everyone I only think of behaviour from my perspective.
A superb book that I would recommend to everybody to read and digest the depth of emotions and how people act.

Bea has been happily married for 32 yrs and is looking forward to a summer family holiday when her husband changes his mind saying he wants time to think and will not tell her anything else but Bea is determined to find out what is happening and finds out he has moved in with a friend and neighbour.
The story is told from both sides but I found the husband very irritating just keeps saying Bea won`t listen but he doesn`t say anything to listen to.
The story is very sad as Bea feels her in-laws are more a family to her than her own family and she is now being excluded, and her children are also suffering.
A story of many divorced families today.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me this eARC in exchange for a review.
This book is not for me.

While I did enjoy the dual POV, I just didn't care about any of the characters for the majority of the book.

I was determined to finish this book but I really couldn't get into it. There was no emotional attachment for me, so it was difficult to get through.
While it was enjoyable and refreshing to see relationship issues from both parties, but personally it just didn't hit quite right.

Nicklas and Bea have a beautiful home and 2 daughters. Niklas all of a sudden doesn’t come home and says to Bea he needs a break, he needs to think.

He is the main breadwinner and he is feeling the pressure. Bea doesn’t understand why he is not coming home and feels lost without him. Has he reached breaking point?

An interesting book outlining the complex family dynamics when only one is earning. Narrated from both point of views.

However I found it a bit flat, not sure whether some of the book got lost in translation.

The Divorce by Moa Herngren

In suburban Stockholm, Niklas and Bea have almost the perfect lifestyle, with two daughters and a circle of friends. One night, Niklas goes out and texts he’s not coming back. If that sounds like a murder mystery with fabulous knitwear, it isn’t. The first half of the book is Bea’s side of the story as she copes with the break up, the middle is Niklas version of events and the third is the final part of the story as the two threads come together at Christmas.

It’s in the construction of it that makes the novel sing. Not just that three act structure, but the significance of what seem to be insignificant small things at the time - a childhood friend, a tattoo, an incorrectly booked ferry crossing, a kitchen renovation.

Added to this, the sense of dislocation from the foreign location and the now, almost historical setting of 2015. Tribute must also be paid to the translation by Alice Menzies, which lays on the pain and mordant humour expertly.

If it owes more than a worktop to The Doll’s House, no matter. It’s a twisting, emotionally painful read. It’s published by Bonnier on 4th July and I thank them for a preview copy. #thedivorce

Loved the dual POV, but not sure this book was for me. Excellent writing though and beyond thankful to have had the chance to read this before it’s publication date.

The Divorce is an incisive and sharp look at relationships at their breaking point with a unique and compelling style.

It really tries to capture the signs of a breakdown that are ignored or overlooked leaving one person blindsided - and uses a split narration to give both sides of the story with one half from the wife, one from the husband as we watch both of them as their marriage crumbles and try to find the real story between them.

The narration was intense, emotional- at times a little heavy with long running sentences but it would flow again quite easily. The split narration was intriguing - taking one entire perspective at a time which both worked and didn’t for me; I loved how you get a first impression based on one person telling their version then have to rethink it and then repeating it again in the second half - But it also felt a little too separate at times, visiting the entire events again as someone else but as the story goes on it switches more frequently and it makes the pace so much more enjoyable.

A breathtakingly honest and raw look at love and family at their hardest points.

I love a good, dramatic story! This book is an engrossing tale of modern marriage and all its complexities. I discovered this book from Pandora Sykes’ Instagram page and am thankful for the arc copy. I read it all in one sitting during the plane journey!

We know that there are always two sides to every story, so I found it particularly interesting to read the story not only from the wife’s point of view, but also the husband’s. The story begins with the wife’s side of the story. Bea is looking forward to spend some time with Niklas, her husband of thirty-two years and their two children, at her in-laws’. The couple argue about a trivial matter before the trio, which leads to Niklas leaving the house and not returning. Weeks later, Niklas would like to have a divorce, having met someone else. ⁣
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Readers then get to read Niklas’ side of the story and I couldn’t help but empathise with the characters. The way Moa Herngren tells the story of the breakdown of the marriage over time is done so skilfully. I also thought it’s interesting to read about the complexities of it all, including the impact on the children and the extended family. ⁣

I think it’ll be very popular!

The Divorce is an interesting look at both sides of the breakdown of a marriage and the effects it has on the children and the wider family as well as the couple thwmselves. At first I was annoyed at Niklas because he just couldn't come clean about his feelings and how he had ultimately already left the marriage but the more we learnt about Bea and her dependence on her husband, their children and her in laws it became quite difficult to have any patience whatsoever with her. It was good to see her eventually come to terms with all she'd lost and begin to flourish again, this time as an independent woman. Overall a most compelling read.