Really interesting one. Difficult to rate. This is more literary fiction than anything else. There are some very dark scenes (check tw) but overall the book explores some very interesting themes about connection both to nature and with one another.

In The Colony we follow Emelie who is suffering from corporate burnout. She decides to spend some time in nature where she encounters a strange group of misfits who have disconnected from society. We’re also given the backstories of the group which show how they’ve all come together. There is a lot of peculiarity within how they live together, but they’ve also mostly perfected the art of a small, well functioning society. Obviously with introducing an outsider comes some strife which is where we find our characters.

Very little of the book is action. Many of the backstories of the characters show why they’ve chosen this path and how this life has affected them. The characters are flawed and relatable. They don’t always make the best decisions but when do we ever? This was a fascinating read but I would consider this a slow book. I couldn’t put it down but I do think some readers will struggle to connect with the story. I’ve always been a fan of Scandinavian literature and this is an excellent representation.

I expected a little more from this book. The last 50 pages were riveting and fascinating and I wish we got a bit more action, a bit of the journalistic tone of the main character throughout the book. I loved the premise and generally enjoy a Swedish translation and the language. It was an interesting premise but could've gone deeper.

The Colony was quite unexpected. As a nature nut (I practically live outdoors), the setting grabbed me. I am torn about the novel, though. The writing is simultaneously weird and beautiful. I loved it and hated it. The premise was much more intriguing to me than the execution. The story didn't click or resonate with me as I had hoped. Nonetheless, many literary fiction fans will be deeply drawn to it.

Emelie hated the outdoors as a kid but after a breakdown she began frequenting the place her grandmother found peace and solace...outdoors in a tent. The author writes about her struggles in her first days and her discovery of a strange group of people who lived together in quiet. Emelie longed for human interaction and observed the group from afar, how they communicated and treated each other. She eventually met them, one by one, and learns what makes them tick. The thought of an unusual community is fascinating. Observing the group dynamic would be revealing and disconcerting. But the story fell to pieces and the graphic descriptions didn't help. All in all, this wasn't for me and I did not care to finish it.

Fantastic! I loved everything about this story. I feel like fans of character driven literary fiction are going to eat this up like I did and I can see it being the next big, buzzy book.

This was quite disappointing for me. I was really looking forward to it because of the intriguing concept and the high praise. I’m also a sucker for Scandinavian translated fiction. But this one fell flat in many ways. I thought that at points the writing was beautiful and I managed to get invested in the lives of these characters, but otherwise felt disjointed enough that I put it down and struggled to get started again. I think I would come back to this one at some point, as it does feel like a book I would love in the right moment. But unfortunately it just wasn’t right for me in the now.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The length of this book really makes it so you can get lost in the vibes. Quiet character development and somehow has a strong plot, but doesn't feel plot-driven.

My rating for this book ranges from a 3.5 to a 4. The 4 is for the carefully-wrought characters and the depiction of social life within a colony. The 3.5 is for the amount of enjoyment I experienced reading this book. This is a peculiar book that has its appeals, though will not be for everyone. I opted to read this book when I learned it had been a best-seller in Sweden. The plot focuses on a series of characters who have become disenchanted or disenfranchised from mainstream urban life and ultimately form their own mostly off-the-grid colony that echoes the social organization of ants (one of the characters had been a ant scholar). Ultimately woven into the plot is the opening character who suffers from burnout and decides to retreat to the remote countryside to live in her tent. The plot shifts between characters and time periods and is not divided into standard chapters. Normally, this sort of plot structure appeals to me, but I found it hard to track the characters and time periods for the first long chunk of the book. While I persevered and the threads slowly started coming together, I am not sure I would have done so had I not agreed to read an advance copy for the publisher. The novel dragged in various spots and I did not find all the characters equally interesting. There are so many luminous books being published and by the end I was not entirely sure that this one was worth the time investment. I understand this is being made into a film, which I suspect may be a better vehicle. I probably should mention that the plot contains a rape which may be difficult for some to read.

I normally like a book with a lot of threads that seamlessly come together by the end to form a complete plot. However, I had a hard time with this book. I think the pacing, at least at the start, may be a little bit off as I struggled to keep each person straight and by the end I wondered if this book was the best use of my time. That doesn't mean it is a bad story at all, I have heard several other people that say they liked it - for me it may have just been the wrong book at the wrong time.

Norlin’s keen eye for detail and tender approach to character portrayal make The Colony a compelling read. The novel presents an intriguing and socially critical concept, an experiment that feels both utopian and thought-provoking.

The Colony explores a group of broken individuals who find belonging outside the confines of conventional society. The group dynamics within The Colony are particularly well-crafted.

The narrative has a distinct, almost conversational tone, at times making the reader feel as if they are eavesdropping on a break-room discussion. While this immersive style adds authenticity, it also creates moments of self-awareness in the reading experience.

The Colony is as much about living in the present as it is about the blind spots people develop when they become part of a collective. It’s a light yet meticulously written story, balancing its weighty themes with ease. While the shifts in perspective, especially when Emelie views The Colony from the outside, are compelling, some of the novel’s tonal nuances feel slightly lost when the narrative moves deeper into the community. Still, Norlin delivers a rich, multi-layered exploration of human connection in an isolating world.

This story had an interesting premise, but it was a bit of a slog to get through it. I struggled to stick with it, and I’m not entirely convinced that it was worth it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As to be expected from Europa this Swedish bestseller was seamlessly translated.
The members of the colony are an are interesting and fully formed set of characters - all with well-rounded backstories - although it took quite a while for all the threads of the novel to pull together.
Readers will find found the group's choice of lifestyle intriguing and I think that would make an excellent book club choice with plenty of meaty subjects to discuss.
My thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance review copy.

When Emelie has had enough of the daily grind, suffering burnout from trying so hard to get a permanent job, she heads to the woods. Tent in hand, she camps in the forest near her grandmother's old property in a rural, isolated part of Sweden. There she see a group of seven people who are living together in what appears to be commune. They appear happy and peaceful, if a little odd. This group of lost souls has lived together for almost two decades, trying to live in harmony with the land, and isolated from society. They seem to have hit upon some secret formula, which is disrupted when Emelie finally meets them. The stories of how each member of the group joined, as well as Emelie's own journey are meditations on modern life, coming to terms with one's role in the natural world, and how to hide from life and yourself. This was a wonderful book. I enjoyed the complicated characters and their motivations and choices. I loved the philosophical bits exploring modern life and our roles in it. Content warning for sexual assault.

Emeile, burned out from work, decides to take a break by camping, only to find herself pitched next to a cult. As the story unfolds, we meet each member of the cult, learning how they ended up there and why they stayed.
When Emeile makes contact with one of the members, she’s invited into their world. This shift raises interesting questions about the dynamics of the group: Are they truly satisfied with the lives they’ve created together, or does Emeile’s presence stir doubts?

This was absolutely stellar! One of the best fiction reads I've had in awhile. A beautiful combination of reflection along with a cast of super compelling characters and a nice timeline that allowed you to see them evolve over decades. Would highly recommend, and I can totally see why this was a smash hit in Sweden!

interesting tale of communal living and growth that definitely fels cool. the ant colony vibe is one that works out fairly well, too! 4 stars, tysm for the arc.

The novel follows Emelie, a woman burnt out by the relentless pace and demands of city life. Her arrival in the countryside feels like a breath of fresh air—both for her and the reader. The descriptions of the verdant hills and quiet riverside create a strong sense of place, offering a stark contrast to the chaos Emelie has left behind. When she stumbles upon the group of seven, it feels like she has entered a hidden world where time moves differently. The boundaries of conventional life have been intentionally discarded.

Each commune member is vividly drawn, carrying stories of pain, alienation, and an almost desperate desire to live outside society’s confines. The charismatic Sara emerges as both a guiding force and an unsettling presence, her authority within the group raising unspoken questions about freedom, power, and belonging. The novel’s strength lies in its nuanced portrayal of this alternative lifestyle—not as utopian or dystopian, but as something far more complex. Are the roles assigned to these individuals a path to healing or a trap?

Emelie’s presence as an outsider brings tension and momentum to the story. At first, drawn to the group’s apparent simplicity and shared purpose, she soon challenges the commune’s fragile harmony. Through her perspective, the novel explores how appealing it is to step outside societal norms and how difficult it is to abandon one’s sense of self and autonomy entirely.

This beautifully written and thought-provoking novel raises questions about the meaning of belonging and the limits of escape. It’s a compelling study of human connection and the fine line between finding freedom and losing oneself.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Colony was a peculiar, quiet and at times odd read.

What I liked:
The characters were incredibly well drawn, I had a great sense of each of them and could always tell them apart.
After a slower start I felt a great sense of tension as we reached the climax.
I love books that look at alternative ways of living and this one was very approachable and believable.

What didn’t quite work:
This book could be 100-150’pages shorter, maybe some part of this is the translation, but there is far too much filler.
The ending was so lacklustre and an easy way out I was expecting so much more after everything that was transpiring.

3.75 hopefully gets a good edit before pub day.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for my ARC copy.

Sadly this was a DNF for me, at around 40%. I found this super slow and kind of all over the place, it was really difficult to follow and subsequently I had no interest in it or desire to pick it up and keep reading.

Three stars for this, but, honestly, I’m only saying that because that was my note when I finished it. It was only a few weeks ago but I can’t seem to remember much about this book which can’t be a good sign.

Emilie is burned out from her exhausting job and busy life and decides to spend a few days in the country. Once there she visits a river where she comes across seven people who appear to be led by a woman named Sara. She eventually makes contact with them and learns the stories of how they all ended up together, living life differently.

It’s coming back to me now. This translated Swedish novel was apparently very popular in that country and I’ve always found stories of communal living interesting, so I did enjoy this., The characters are fascinating (some more than others, naturally) and one can see how things just…happen. If it sounds like something you might like, you probably won’t be disappointed.

I wanted to love this book—the idea of a remote island community and the tension between isolation and connection is such fertile ground for a great story. But while the premise intrigued me, the execution fell flat.

The narrative follows Lina as she retreats to a secluded Swedish island after a personal crisis, weaving in themes of identity and nostalgia. While the character exploration is thoughtful, the pacing is uneven and the writing sometimes feels disjointed, which made it hard to stay invested.

It’s not without merit—there are moments of insight and beauty—but overall, it felt like a missed opportunity. If you enjoy slow, introspective reads, this might still work for you, but it didn’t quite click for me.