by Peter Hoeg
First published 2007
Kasper Krone works as a circus clown with an unusual gift. He can hear the unique music that emanates from every person he meets. A couple brings him KlaraMaria, a ten year old girl with psychological problems they want him to help. Kasper recognizes her from his audience before. He remembers how her face could shift from angelic to demonic in moments. The quiet girl keeps running away from him. Kasper pursues her through a maze of government offices, medical facilities, flooded buildings, and underground tunnels. The chase leads to a monastery where a leader named Cain believes he can cut evil from humanity like removing a tumor. KlaraMaria belongs to a small group of children who possess abilities that bring them closer to God than anyone else. These rare gifts make the children valuable targets for kidnapping and imprisonment. Through his search for one silent girl, Kasper discovers a world shaped by violence, fear, and the slippery nature of what people call reality.
Genres: literary-fiction, mystery, fantasy, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Monastery, Government Offices, Medical Facilities
Period: Contemporary
464 pages · Paperback · ACTES SUD
Content warnings: child-abuse, mental-illness, violence