A review by laz_
The Trouble with Happiness: And Other Stories by Tove Ditlevsen

4.0

I've been hearing a lot about Tove Ditlevsen since the English-speaking world sort of rediscovered her with the translation and publication of her Copenhagen Trilogy a few years ago, so when I saw this I knew I had to request it. The title, taken from one of the short stories included in the book, is very apt; all of these stories dealt with the empty and unsatisfied lives of many women, especially in the domestic sphere. You see women fighting to escape their situations, women who are trapped, women who feel that their lives could have been so much more—it's a very quietly sad book.

A lot of the stories are quite short, and although that may lead some people to feel less connected to each narrative, for me those small glimpses of these women and their struggles with happiness made them stick with me so much more. Ditlevsen just has a beautiful way with words and makes these stories, small in scope, feel so large and important. This just made me more excited to read her Copenhagen Trilogy as I've seen her prowess and how beautiful her writing is.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!