This is the second installment in Knausgård’s trilogy, following “The Morning Star,” published in 2020. Knausgård has been exceptionally productive, completing two substantial books in less than two years. However, readers may question his preference for lengthy formats. “The Morning Star” was already excessively long at over 570 pages, and “Ulvene Fra Evighetens Skog” adds another 200 pages while reducing both the number of characters and the mystery. Despite reducing narrative elements, the focus does not sharpen but becomes the opposite.
“Ulvene Fra Evighetens Skog” serves as a prequel to the first book in the trilogy. It takes us back to the 1980s, primarily following a young man named Syvert, recently returned from military service as a cook on a patrol ship. He struggles with unemployment and reluctantly signs up for unemployment benefits, conflicting with his right-wing liberal beliefs. Syvert’s political views cause minor confrontations in his small town, but he usually keeps his thoughts to himself. A local newspaper interview, highlighting his unemployment, garners sympathy, which infuriates him as it contradicts his self-perception.
Syvert eventually accepts a job from a friend’s father, given his complicated family situation where his mother and brother rely on him. His mother works tirelessly as a cleaning lady to make ends meet and is burdened by her challenging job. Vivid dreams play a significant role in the narrative, beginning with Syvert’s younger brother dreaming of their mother’s death, which Syvert dismisses as superstition. Tragically, their mother is later diagnosed with cancer, and Syvert must care for his brother while their mother battles the illness in a cancer clinic.
Prior to his mother’s diagnosis, the story delves into Syvert’s growing frustration, stemming from his unemployment and virginity. His discovery of his deceased father’s secret lover and the revelation that his parents were on the brink of separation before his father’s fatal accident adds another layer to the narrative.
The book, like its predecessor, revolves around various characters, each with lengthy stories, resembling individual sections. After the ‘Book of Syvert,’ there is a brief interlude featuring a truck driver, followed by ‘The Book of Alevtina,’ the Russian woman. It takes a staggering 300 pages to confirm that Alevtina is indeed Syvert’s secret daughter. Her story contrasts sharply with Syvert’s, featuring a culturally rich upbringing, literature and biology studies, an unexpected pregnancy, and a promising academic career. The narrative takes an intriguing turn when her stepfather shares a letter from Syvert, unaware of her mother’s death.
Throughout the book, Knausgård delves into philosophical and theological theories, including the idea that everything we experience is already within us, and all connections already exist. Alevtina’s research and her friend Vasilisa’s essay, “Evighetsulvene,” contribute to the development of speculative theories. Vasilisa’s essay connects Russian cosmism with modern DNA research but feels somewhat confusing and laden with references to obscure philosophers and writers.
Knausgård excels in portraying characters from a male Norwegian perspective but seems less capable of fully inhabiting the lives of characters outside his comfort zone. Alevtina’s section appears more theoretical, detached, and distant, with Knausgård’s strengths shining when she visits the Kola Peninsula research station. Vasilisa’s essay, on the other hand, feels uninterested in understanding other perspectives and becomes a convoluted homage to various thinkers.
The novel concludes with a bright star, echoing the beginning of “The Morning Star,” and a cliffhanger involving Syvert finding his sister in Moscow. Although they initially struggle to connect, they eventually bond over drinks. The book also introduces an enigmatic situation where no one in Oslo has died over a weekend, a technical impossibility.