Copenhagen drowned

Tags: Danish Me Review Science fiction

Review of City under water (By under vand) by Mogens Wenzel Andreasen.

Outline: Lars is 16. He hangs out with Karin -- and unfortunately also her twin sister, Hanne. They live in a Copenhagen surrounded by dikes and dams, 50 meters tall, so the water can't get into the city.

Is it science fiction? There's a certain occupation with how high the water is and why, as well as the surrounding society. Both are phenomena we don't know from our current world. Therefore, yes.

Themes: Maybe predictably the dam burts, and we witness a well ordered evacuation and disaster plan, and all the technical details surrounding such a process. Lars and Karin have their own process -- they are not together when the disaster strikes, but are soon reunited. And as the book goes on, they learn more and more about each other. Lars often thinks: am I good enough? Isn't it selfish to want to be with Karin, and then leave Hanne at home? Finally there's society at large, separated into the educated elite, and the rest who get "borgerløn". And some complain about this.

Is it good? The book rolls along nicely. In some areas I can't quite figure out the exact value -- I am no longer the same age as Lars. But it seems like it doesn't talk down to the reader or anything like that.

Note: the theme of societies split in two also surfaces in The war Belle. In both cases you see an educated person trying to create change. In this case it's more organized. Belle was more the kind of person, who didn't like stuff, and then decided to thrash them.

Created: 29 July, 2009 - Last changed: 29 July, 2009 - Comments (0)