As a result of the conflict in Ukraine, rising Western-Russian tensions, and Sweden’s bid to join NATO, the region of Scandinavia has suddenly become a potential future front line.
Mayday, the first novel by Grethe Bøe, takes place on the frozen tundra of northern Finnmark in Norway and tells an unsettling tale of geopolitical manoeuvring and a last-ditch effort to prevent political and military escalation.
Exercise Arctic Blizzard, the biggest exercise ever conducted by NATO, has commenced in the frozen North. Ylva Nordahl, a fighter pilot from Norway, is enlisted by renowned instructor Major John “Stone Face” Evans and finds herself piloting an F-16 fighter jet. As Nordahl skims the Russian border, she begins to demonstrate her abilities to the renowned instructor, determined to prove that she is just as skilled as her late father, who was also a famous fighter pilot.
Encountering the Russian Airforce and a crash landing on the wrong side of the border ensue from a seemingly routine request to accompany a Norwegian helicopter on its way back from the oilfields.
Before Russian forces, the cold, or the local wildlife overwhelm them, the two quickly face the challenge of navigating the frozen wilderness to cross the Norwegian border.
Many thriller readers, or anyone who has watched any military thriller on television, will recognise this plot thread. You could almost expect to find camera directions on the page given the cinematic feel of the book, which is a result of Bøe’s background as a film writer, actress and director.
Despite Bøe’s cinematic background, this approach doesn’t always benefit her. The brief chapters and constant changes in point of view and narrative make what should be an engaging and fast read tedious at times. The fact that Bøe provides extensive details about the past, present, and even the landscape also makes the flow difficult. It tries to be a fast-paced thriller, but its vivid imagery isn’t always compatible with it.
Having a female F-16 pilot as the main character is what makes Mayday refreshing. Ylva is vividly depicted by Bøe, with her internal struggle to live up to her late father’s reputation, external family obstacles, and her determination to prove herself as a top pilot all providing ample material. The novel really shines when it delves into these themes, which are highlighted by Ylva’s harsh environment and the difficulties she encounters.
Even though it has been three years since the work’s initial publication in Norway in 2021, the English translation by Charlotte Barslund maintains its relevance and timeliness. The reader is kept entertained with enough chills, but the big twist that was expected never comes to fruition.
In the last line of the book, our protagonist says, “This isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning.” And maybe she’s right. Ylva Nordahl may become another Nordic franchise character in the future, now that the groundwork has been laid in the first book.
Although it seems like Mayday is destined for the big screen, and maybe that’s the best place for it, there’s great potential for Bøe to become a formidable addition to the thriller writer field if she can refine her writing, increase the suspense, and concentrate on the plot.
Mayday by Grethe Bøe and translated by Charlotte Barslundis out now, published by Mountain Leopard Press
