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A review by whatlinareads
Childhood, Youth, Dependency: The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Tove Ditlevsen – Childhood, Youth, Dependency
In this memoir, dubbed “The Copenhagen Trilogy”, one of the most celebrated Danish 20th-century writers, Tove Ditlevsen, recounts her childhood, youth and major parts of her adult life. Recurring themes are poverty, the struggle with gender-specific expectations and obstacles as well as romantic and platonic relationships, social isolation and finally addiction. The political situation (i.e. the Danish perspective on the rise of National Socialism in Germany, WW2, occupation and liberation as well as the competing ideologies at the time) is inevitably part of the backdrop of Ditlevsen’s story.
This wasn’t on my radar until I picked it up at a Berlin book store but it definitely was a lucky find for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the nuanced perspective on the problems and political activities of the working class. Moreover, I think it’s very valuable to address the topic of poverty in a Scandinavian country. Ditlevsen’s career as a female author during that time and after not being allowed to continue her formal education after middle school is also impressive. The part addressing her struggles with addiction, rehab and relapse was hard to read, but very insightful nevertheless. My only point of critique is that it should have had a warning and comment addressing the use of racial slurs on one page. The fact that it was a different time doesn’t make it any less problematic and it’s triggering to many people, so the least a publisher should do is contextualise.
Since that occurred only once, I still recommend this book, however with said warning.
In this memoir, dubbed “The Copenhagen Trilogy”, one of the most celebrated Danish 20th-century writers, Tove Ditlevsen, recounts her childhood, youth and major parts of her adult life. Recurring themes are poverty, the struggle with gender-specific expectations and obstacles as well as romantic and platonic relationships, social isolation and finally addiction. The political situation (i.e. the Danish perspective on the rise of National Socialism in Germany, WW2, occupation and liberation as well as the competing ideologies at the time) is inevitably part of the backdrop of Ditlevsen’s story.
This wasn’t on my radar until I picked it up at a Berlin book store but it definitely was a lucky find for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the nuanced perspective on the problems and political activities of the working class. Moreover, I think it’s very valuable to address the topic of poverty in a Scandinavian country. Ditlevsen’s career as a female author during that time and after not being allowed to continue her formal education after middle school is also impressive. The part addressing her struggles with addiction, rehab and relapse was hard to read, but very insightful nevertheless. My only point of critique is that it should have had a warning and comment addressing the use of racial slurs on one page. The fact that it was a different time doesn’t make it any less problematic and it’s triggering to many people, so the least a publisher should do is contextualise.
Since that occurred only once, I still recommend this book, however with said warning.