Vi ska ju bara cykla förbi
(We’ll Just Ride Past) Book not yet available in English
Summary:
Ninth graders Amanda, ”Manda”, and Malin are best friends. They live in a small town in a Swedish-speaking area in Ostrobothnia, Finland and dream of moving to New York. The girls are known as the Bicyclists, because they’re always riding their bikes around – to school, to the library, to the convenience store and to the nearest larger city. Nothing much happens in their town and the girls, who try to appear as mysterious and enigmatic, long for romance. The early weeks of spring bring a surge of life when Manda falls in love with Matias, a pizzeria worker who was adopted from Colombia. Manda’s older sister Laura, who has cerebral palsy affecting her other hand and leg, tells Manda that Matias is a punk rocker and plays in a band. Another boy, Jonne, also plays in the same band, and Malin gets enthusiastic about both Jonne and punk rock.
Edited by: Lastenkirjainstituutti
Comment:
The novel explores themes of friendship and growing up in a small town. The friendship between Manda and Malin is not only sweet – sometimes there’s also friction and disputes. From time to time, life gets so boring that one has to find some excitement and drama. Manda and Malin drink alcohol and explore their boundaries and feelings. The girls experience their first kisses, some good ones but some also forced ones, and they learn to notice who they are comfortable with and who not so much. The novel captures the fumbling and complex emotions of being a teenager.