INTERVIEW WITH JO NESBO: THE NEW STAR OF NORDIC CRIME FICTION
BR: How would you sum up your latest novel, The Snowman?
JN: It’s a story about love, hate, murder, infidelity and ice.
BR: What compelled you to tackle the subject of infidelity?
JN: I think infidelity is interesting both from a moral, social and dramatic point of view.
BR: Some of the scenes are incredibly grueseome – do you ever write things and think, ‘No, that’s too much’ – do you have a line that you won’t cross?
JN: I don’t know where that line is exactly, but yes, I have written things that I’d have to take away.
BR: Harry is definitely our new favourite ‘troubled cop’. Where did the inspiration come from for such a complex character?
JN: He is a combination of people I’ve met in real life, in fiction and probably myself too.
BR: What response do you want the novel to evoke in readers?
JN: I want them to sympathise, understand, not understand, laugh at, get mad at, and cheer for Harry. And see themselves in him.
BR: Did you plan the entire Harry Hole series before you began writing the novels?
JN: No, but after book number three, The Redbreast, I did.
BR: The book has been exquisitely translated by Don Bartlet – do you get involved in the translation process?
JN: No, I trust Don, he has to do his own thing, because some things will get lost in translation, and it’s his job to find surrogates.
BR: Does it bother you that Norwegian and Swedish crime fiction is often lumped together as ‘Scandinavian’ or ‘Nordic’?
JN: No, I’m ok with that. Although I’m not sure it’s a very meaningful way to categorize such different writers.
BR: What’s your theory as to why such incredible crime fiction is coming out of Nordic countries – apologies, we’ve just gone and lumped you altogether!)
JN: I think it has to do with tradition and prestige that crime fiction has in Scandanavia. It has made many of the best story telling talents turn to crime fiction.
BR: Do you still work on your music or has that taken a back seat?
JN: I don’t record, but I still play around 50 gigs a year. But now it’s just for fun.
BR: Can you tell us what you’re working on at the moment?
JN: A children’s book, number three in the series about Doctor Proctor (Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder is published in the UK by Simon & Schuster).
BR: What gives you the most pleasure out of all the things you’ve achieved so far in your writing career?
JN: Having readers who are so passionate about my characters.
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