GEORG-KOMPLEXET – THE GEORG COMPLEX
by Kirsten Hammann
ONCE UPON A time he was a successful author, selling books in droves, beloved by readers and critics alike. Now he’s just a middle aged man with writer’s block. But that is not the worst of it. The worst is that his wife has started writing a novel and it has been accepted by a big publishing house, and they are guaranteeing that it is going to be a huge bestseller. Georg is panicking and in his desperation he decides to: A) Sabotage his wife’s book, and B) write a bestseller before his wife does, even if that means he has to plagiarize his way to it.
THE GEORG COMPLEX is a raving, paranoid and embarrassingly honest crisis novel about how far you are willing to go for success. A bloody marriage drama with voodoo, murder and devilry – and all the grim feelings that can be just as difficult to shake as a nasty cold.
“Kirsten Hammann has a strong and vibrant satirical talent. She traps us in what hurts, and doesn’t use humour to smooth things over but rather get us stuck in. She spares no one. With The Georg Complex she grants us the freedom to speak to ourselves about the forces that rule in the society that we have created. Similarly to what Honoré de Balzac did with The Human Comedy in the 19th century, she shows us that the quest for success, human folly and the pursuit of fame’s capital is still thriving in modern Nordic times.”
– Nordic Council Literature Prize Jury
ABOUT THE BOOK
First published by Gyldendal, 2022
RIGHTS SOLD
Denmark, Gyldendal
REVIEWS
Kirsten Hammans’ new novel is a pure delight and a sparkling, mischievous joy. An all-out party to read […] it’s just incredibly funny and discreetly malicious—truly good company, in short, if you want to kill some time one day or evening and wake up the next day in a good mood. It is also an achievement […] The simple tone and the daydreaming bubble technique set the humor free; it is like watching Georg held with tweezers, turned and twisted, immersed in a bath of comic acid.
– Information, Denmark
A supremely twisted and furious novel […] The Georg Complex a completely wicked, black as ink Frankenstein creation that refuses to speak edifyingly about the virtues of literature.
– Weekendavisen, Denmark
Hammann’s novel offers a brilliant parody of the languages in circulation today, whether those of the therapist, the mood app, social media, crime fiction, or literary salons. […] Hammann has a knack for exposing the jargon of the times and portraying a character who is trapped within it, so that we laugh at it, at him, and at ourselves—but not without a touch of compassion.
– Politiken, Denmark
Kirsten Hammann has written a funny novel about a self-important male author […] a delightfully morbid tale.
– Jyllands-Posten, Denmark
Hammann writes in a biting and baroque style, in her own familiar, Hammann-esque way.
– Ekstra Bladet, Denmark
Bitter, humorous satire is Kirsten Hammann’s signature […] With The Georg-Complex, Hammann has crafted a very well-written and spirited crisis novel and a marital drama that tackles the biggest hot-button issue of our time: the white, privileged man running around confused and headless. It is wild, embarrassing, and very entertainingly written.
– POV International, Denmark
Georg delivers a real punch for the price, and Kirsten Hammann writes a literary crisis novel that both grips and entertains.
– Berlingske, Denmark
A sarcastic and humorous portrait.
– Dagbladenes Bureau, Denmark
Kirsten Hammann writes with sharp wit and no holds barred […] Cruel and brilliant!
– Magasinet LIV, Denmark
Incredibly funny. Satirical, cringe-worthy, and dark, with vivid language and sharp, witty dialogue.
– Femina, Denmark
BOOKS
Fiction
