Finns det liv på Mars?
Inger Edelfeldt
233 p.

Nordstedts Förlag, 2006

Back cover blurb:

Joni är en musicerande och lätt kaotisk ensamstående mor. Nyligen övergiven av den senaste tilltänkta plastpappan till femåriga dottern Mårran, och med garderoben full av en egen cd hon tagit lån för att spela in, bestämmer hon sig inför sin 45-årsdag för att »bli vuxen«. Bort alla vilda drömmar, in med ordning, reda och realistiska förväntningar. En lämplig man av ny sort möter hon i Niklas, frånskild pappa till en tonårsdotter som han skaffat sig handbok för att förstå. Men varför dyker gastar ur det förflutna upp i Jonis drömmar - inte bara den galghumoristiska Magdalena, som tog livet av sig för sjutton år sedan, utan också hennes forna musikgudar, främst ibland dem David Bowie?

Finns det liv på Mars? är en humoristisk roman på mörk botten; en kärleksförklaring till rockmusik och till människor som inte lyckas stuva in sina liv i lämpliga förvaringsmöbler.

During the Gothenburg bookfair of 2006 I spent several minutes standing behind Inger Edelfeldt, nervously trying to catch her attention to tell her how enormously I had enjoyed her Finns det liv på Mars?, which then was new. On her back she had three big pins - one of Morrissey (Kill Uncle cover), one of David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust-era) and a third that I can’t quite remember. I didn’t manage to catch her attention and in a way I think that was good. I wasn’t particularly articulate. And back then, I didn’t know David Bowie. It was a bit peculiar that despite being so smitten by the book, I didn’t even consider downloading his stuff. Now, however, I know Bowie a bit better. Despite only properly listening to two of his albums (Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spider from Mars), I managed to pick up a lot more of the references. There are references to Morrissey and the Smiths as well, but Bowie-references are really all over the place. I felt so proud when I discovered them.

I realised a few days ago that I really wanted to read this book again. It is almost two years since I last read it, and I read it in one day, which is not unheard of, but it says a bit about how I felt about it. Of course, it might have been a terribly boring Sunday. I can’t remember. I do remember being very smitten. So, New Year Day’s morning came (or, really, it was in the afternoon) and I found the book after a few minutes searching in our bookcases. (Have I ever talked about my family’s bookcases? They are really quite decent.) Then I sat down and read half of it. A few hours later I read the rest of it. It was so easy and pleasant to read that I was really sad when it ended. I couldn’t quite remember everything, but I recalled quite a bit. I felt the same way about the first boyfriend’s daughter, Alma, as I did the first time: can’t I know her?! That is in fact the only thing I don’t absolutely like about this book, that she isn’t given such a big part. The little she is in it she is really quite lovely. I wish I knew more people like her.

My mum bought this book for a pretty penny, and the price tag is still stuck to it. I am too nostalgic to take off price tags - how can you know that you won’t need them?! I had the price tag on The Queen Is Dead for a couple of years. I think it is gone now. Still, the point with this seemingly pointless information is that this book was, in its day, pretty well expensive, but I think it is completely worth it. Now, I am just sad that it isn’t mine.