About the Book

Niviaq Korneliussen is a ground-breaking young writer hailed for creating “[her] own genre” (Politiken, Denmark) in her witty and fearless debut Last Night in Nuuk. A work of daring invention about young life in Greenland, Korneliussen brilliantly weaves together the coming of age of five young people in the capital city, Nuuk. Fia has recently sworn off sausage (men) only to discover that the woman she wants is unavailable. Arnaq struggles to cope with her past as her hard-partying life spirals out of control and she betrays those she loves most. Inuk, Fia’s brother, is forced to escape Greenland after political scandal implicates him, and confronts the true meaning of home. Meanwhile, Ivik and Sara must confront an important transition in their relationship. In a collection of blurry nights and bleary mornings after, Korneliussen creates a Greenlandic literature unlike any we have known before—young, urbane, stream-of-consciousness, studded with textspeak and delirious with nightlife.

With vibrant imagery and daring prose, Korneliussen writes unforgettably about finding yourself and growing into the person you were meant to be. A stunning debut from a brave new voice, Last Night in Nuuk is a dashing entrance onto the literary scene and establishes her as a voice that cannot be ignored.

Praise for Last Night in Nuuk

“Transports us to a cold homeland where the blood runs hot.”—Guardian

“A work of a strikingly modern sensibility . . . The first of a new generation of Greenlandic writers to find a true relationship outside of her native land.”—New Yorker

“Startling and beautiful . . . a heartbreaking yet hopeful look at what it’s like to be young and queer in one of the most isolated places in the world . . . Youthful angst is well-worn territory, of course, but nothing about Last Night in Nuuk is trite or overfamiliar . . . Young people often aren’t the best at writing about youth, but Korneliussen, who is not yet 30, knocks it out of the park. Last Night in Nuuk is a stunning book, at once audacious and honest, sorrowful and triumphant, and Korneliussen seems certain to have a remarkable career ahead of her.”—NPR

“Urgent, tense, and full of intentional rough edges that allow emotions to shine through . . . Last Night in Nuuk [is] a convincing, nuanced depiction of what it feels like to be young and out of control while allowing us to inhabit a world that has been infrequently, if ever, presented to American readers.”—Zyzzyva

“Where she succeeds, she soars high, inviting us into a world of blurred lines where neat resolutions are probably just new and complicated beginnings. This debut book shines with hope for the youth and literature of Greenland and for the writer herself who, like her characters, is still finding her way.”—Bomb Magazine

“Last Night in Nuuk is written with immense courage. There is no faking the feeling of honesty on each page and the palpable pain of self-discovery in youth. You can feel this writer’s soul as she grapples with personal and national identity and conflict. It is harsh, tender, naked and without vanity – a brave novel reminiscent of Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting.”—Laline Paull, author of The Bees

“An extraordinary young writer.”—Naja Marie Aidt, author of Rock, Paper, Scissors

“[A] whirlwind debut . . . vibrant and vulnerable . . . [Last Night in Nuuk is] sharp, witty, and cathartic, like releasing a long-held breath.”—Booklist

“Last Night in Nuuk combines the wit and brio of Conversations with Friends with the woozy cinematic hedonism of the Terrence-Malickesque Polish slacker film All Those Sleepless Nights to create a raw and riveting narrative that explores and ultimately celebrates queerness and Greenlandic youth culture. Effortlessly cool, funny yet sad, breezy but thoughtful—this is an edgy and unputdownable work of modern literature.”—Sharlene Teo, author of Ponti

“Tender, evocative, and pithy, this debut novel creates a vivid picture of people struggling for authenticity and voice.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Last Night in Nuuk is ferocious, inventive, and unlike anything I’ve read in a long time. As the actions of the characters intertwine and impact on each other, it is both a raw and bold portrayal of young queer Greenlandic life and a study into the repercussions of finding yourself in a place where everybody knows everybody else.”—Sophie Mackintosh, author of The Water Cure

“A wonderful debut novel about love and about standing out in Greenland. The book is both formalistically and linguistically exciting—and there are many moving scenes.”—Kristianstadsbladet (Norway)

“This is a wonderful mix of banging punchlines and poetry—it is well written and vibrant.”—Litteratursiden (Denmark)

“I have not read something like this written by such a young person in this way, ever . . . [Last Night in Nuuk] has created its own genre [of] unfiltered sexual realism” —Politiken (Denmark)

About the Translator

Anna Halager is a Danish-British literary translator, educated in Denmark, Wales, and England. She has been a teacher and has been the Official Translator at the Embassy of India in Copenhagen for several years. Her translations have been sponsored by the Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik Foundation and other prestigious foundations. Anna has published in Denmark, Sweden, the UK, the US, and Austria. Together with Niviaq Korneliussen, she has been nominated for the Man Booker International Prize.