Selma Lagerlöf
Step into Scandinavia with this charming collection of tales from acclaimed Swedish author Selma Lagerlof. In terms of subject matter, the tales range from realistic portraits of rural family life to fanciful forays with fairies and elves, but Lagerlof's lyrical language adds a touch of magic to the entire collection.
Many critics and fans have drawn parallels between The Emperor of Portugallia and Shakespeare's masterpiece of father-daughter dysfunction, King Lear. In the novel, the teenage daughter of a small-town Swedish farmer strikes out on her own and heads for the big city. Increasingly distraught by her absence and lack of communication, her father begins to weave a fantastical tale explaining her whereabouts. As he slips further into despair,
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