Quicksand

This startling and compelling English-language debut by a Swedish novelist centers on the plight of 18-year old Maja Norberg, who stands accused in the mass shooting deaths of her teacher and several of her friends and classmates at the private school she attended. Is Maja truly responsible for this tragedy or was she coerced into participating by her boyfriend, who was among those who died? In a voice that deftly portrays teen bravado, distrust, and naivety, Maja narrates a tale that interweaves her daily life in jail, her experiences in the courtroom, and her drug-influenced memories of the shooting, its antecedents, and its aftermath. Giolito has created a superb unreliable narrator, one who forces readers to search for the truth within the emotionally charged commentary as Maya attempts to examine her situation objectively and prepare for a harrowing final outcome.