With her novel Echoes of home, to be released in spring 2026 by Bookmark Förlag, Carina Bergfeldt tackles one of the most hidden chapters in Swedish history – the period when Sweden attempted to become a major power in the slave trade.
The story takes place in 1790, in the Swedish colony of Saint Barthélemy in the Caribbean. Here, four lives intertwine: a Swedish lawyer and his wife, a young woman from the Ashanti Empire, and her husband. Together, their fates reflect the brutal reality that Sweden has long chosen to remain silent about.
“I was shocked when I understood the extent of Sweden’s colonial ambitions and everything I hadn’t been taught in school. When I realized how much we had swept under the rug, I knew it was a story I just had to write,” says Carina Bergfeldt.
Echoes of home is the first part of an epic novel series. The book is planned to be released in May 2026.
“Carina Bergfeldt succeeds in bringing to life a period that has long been absent from the Swedish self-image through solid research and warm character portraits. Echoes of home is as captivating as it is important reading,” says Stephanie Demmler, publisher at Bookmark Förlag.
