Bank robbery and a hostage situation. Wwhile the story touches on various themes, it primarily revolves around the actions of "idiots" and a single terrible idea. The main character introduced in this chapter is the bank robber, who left his home armed with a gun, and as a result, unfortunate events unfolded.
Man who stood on a bridge a decade ago, seemingly at the end of his life. The details surrounding this individual and his circumstances are not provided.
Present tense, with New Year's Eve approaching in a small town where the recent hostage situation occurred. The protagonist, a young police officer named Jack, conducts an interview with one of the former hostages, who happens to be a real estate agent that was showing the apartment. Jack encounters difficulty in obtaining direct answers from her as she evades his questions.
Enigmatic nature of the hostage situation. Following the release of the hostages, law enforcement authorities believed that the bank robber was still inside the apartment. However, when they stormed the premises, they were unable to locate the perpetrator.
Returning to the past, the man who stood on the bridge a decade earlier, contemplating suicide. Reader, being a "decent person," would have intervened and attempted to prevent the man from taking such drastic action. However, further details regarding the outcome or the significance of this event are not provided.
Jack continues to question the real estate agent regarding her experience during the hostage situation. The agent reveals that she wasn't scared because she didn't believe the bank robber's gun was real. However, Jack, being aware that the gun was indeed real, realizes that the agent is disconnected from the reality of what occurred during the hostage situation.
None of the former hostages have precise knowledge of the events that transpired after their release. They recall that following everyone's departure, a gunshot was heard from within the apartment. Law enforcement entered to discover blood stains on the carpet, leaving the fate of the bank robber ambiguous.
Jack interacts with an olderpolice officer named Jim. The nature of their relationship is portrayed as uncertain, but it is evident that their connection is complex. Jack is inclined towards following rules and fulfilling his duty, while Jim's motivation stems from the belief that he is doing what is right. Subsequently, it is revealed in later chapters that Jack is Jim's son.
Jack persists in questioning the real estate agent, determined to uncover certain information. However, his father, Jim, interrupts the interrogation, believing he is assisting his son. Jim steps in and provides the information to the real estate agent that Jack was trying to subtly reveal. It becomes evident to Jim that his son is emotionally hurting, and he feels the urge to comfort him. However, Jim struggles to find the right words to offer solace and support to his son during this difficult time.
Ten-year leap into the past, revisiting the moment when a man stands on the bridge, contemplating suicide. Jack is depicted as a teenager who pleads with the man not to jump. The man discloses that he has children but expresses the difficulties of parenthood, emphasizing that one is constantly judged by their worst moments. He further reveals that he lost his entire life savings during the financial crisis and feels he has nothing left for his children. There is a brief moment where Jack entertains the possibility of the man changing his mind, but ultimately, the man jumps off the bridge.
Ten years after the man's tragic leap from the bridge, Jack continues to be haunted by his inability to save him. The memory and guilt associated with the event persistently linger in his thoughts and emotions.
Jim conducts an interview with the real estate agent in private. He presents her with a drawing that may have been left by the bank robber - a child-like depiction of a monkey, frog, and elk. The purpose of showing her the drawing is not specified.
Jack becomes increasingly frustrated with the progress of the former
hostage interviews and vents his anger by throwing his coffee cup. Jim empathizes with his son's emotions but feels powerless to alleviate his distress. Despite belonging to different generations, the two men share a deep love for Jack's late mother. Additionally, both Jack and Jim care deeply for Jack's sister, who struggles with addiction.
Jim attempts to encourage his son by stating that everyone is doing their best in life, including the former hostages. However,Jack remains preoccupied with thoughts of the man on the bridge.
Transcript of a conversation between Jack and a bank teller named London, who works at the bank where the attempted robbery took place. London evades Jack's questions and responds sarcastically. When Jack comments on her unusual name, she sarcastically asks if he has been smoking something and proceeds to mock him.
Failure of the bank robbery cannot be solely attributed to the bank robber. Instead, they place blame on society, stating that it has become a place where things are no longer named appropriately. The bank robber, unaware that the bank was cashless, asked for a specific amount - 6,500 kronor. London finds this request odd, as most bank robbers typically demand much larger sums.
Conversation between Jack and London. Jack inquires if London recalls any details about the bank robber's appearance. However, London criticizes Jack's binary view of gender, implying that his assumption of the robber being male is narrow-minded. It is later revealed in the novel that the bank robber is actually a woman, contrary to Jack's assumption.
The narrator draws a parallel between the bank robber and humanity, making truth claims about both. They assert that "we weren't ready to become adults," using the inclusive pronoun "we" to refer to humanity collectively, including themselves.
After robbing the bank, the bank robber becomes anxious and attempts to evade the police by seeking refuge in an apartment complex. This unplanned decision leads to an inadvertent hostage situation, as the bank robber's actions escalate the situation beyond their initial intent.
As the bank robber grew up, she vowed never to become like her mother. In contrast, the man on the bridge sent a letter to the banker before taking his own life.
Jim and Jack are the first responders on the scene. While Jim had never beeninvolved in a hostage drama due to the town's quiet nature, Jack had previously taken a course on the subject. However, his knowledge fails to provide any practical assistance.
Several general truths that they believe most people would agree upon, such as the wrongness of lies, stealing, and killing. However, they complicate these truths by raising questions: Is it acceptable to kill an animal that is attacking a person? Would it have been justifiable to kill Hitler? Is it permissible to steal something small when absolutely necessary and no one is harmed? Conntecting these musings to the bank robber, who is driven by the fear of losing her children. They hypothesize that while most people may not fathom robbing a bank, they can empathize with the circumstances that pushed the bank robber to such extremes.
The bank robber endured a bitter divorce after her husband cheated on her, leaving her with nothing. Her ex-husband threatened to take
away her daughters unless she could support herself, instilling a fear of losing her children or putting them in the middle of the situation. Consequently, she conceived the idea of discreetly robbing a bank, intending to use the funds to cover her rent and eventually repay the bank in some way.
Returning to the hostage drama, Jack and Jim come across a box of Christmas lights in the hallway near the apartment where the hostages are being held. Initially mistaking it for a bomb, they call in experts from Stockholm, despite Jack's objections. Jack desires to solve the case independently, without the involvement of the Stockholm specialists.
Jim contacts the neighboring couple residing across the hall from the hostage apartment and discovers that they are in the midst of a breakup.
Hostage situation. The bank robber inadvertently finds herself in the apartment, seeking refuge rather than intentionally initiating a hostage drama. While gazing at her reflection, she has an epiphany, realizing that it is she who is the captive, not the hostages.
Transcript of a conversation between Jim and Zara, one of the former hostages. Zara consistently belittles Jim and evades answering his questions directly. When Jim offers her coffee, she sarcastically remarks that she wouldn't drink it even if they were the last two people on the planet and he promised it was poisoned. Zara, who is wealthy, holds acondescending attitude towards ordinary people.
Zara had been seeing a psychologist named Nadia before being taken
hostage. Zara sought sleeping pills from Nadia as a means to end her life, as she had been contemplating suicide. However, Zara adopts a confrontational and critical demeanor towards Nadia, using it as a defense mechanism to maintain control and distance.
Nadia, the psychologist, immediately recognizes that Zara is suffering from loneliness, though she professionally attributes it to "nervous exhaustion." During their sessions, Nadia begins to grasp the severity of Zara's condition when she falsely claims to have cancer to make a point. Although Zara later admits to the lie, Nadia finds the joke disturbing.
Over time, Nadia develops empathy for Zara despite her outwardly cold and defensive behavior. One day, Nadia asks Zara to interpret a painting hanging on her wall depicting a woman looking into the distance. Zara suggests that the woman might be contemplating suicide. This interpretation deeply concerns Nadia as none of her other patients have associated the painting with such thoughts. It is later revealed in the narrative that Nadia herself had once contemplated suicide while standing on the edge of a bridge.
Jim persistently seeks direct answers from Zara regarding the events that transpired in the apartment during the hostage situation. However, Zara evades his questions through sarcastic responses. Despite her usual demeanor, she provides an honest answer to one of Jim's inquiries. When Jim asks why she wasn't scared of the bank robber's gun, Zara reveals that she had been contemplating suicide for a long time. Surprisingly, when faced with the reality of death, she realized that she did not want to die.
Zara confesses to Nadia that she has taken up a new hobby of visiting middle-class apartments to interact with the most unfortunate members of society. However, she keeps a secret from Nadia: she has been doing this for almost a decade to alleviate her guilt over the suicide of the man on the bridge. Zara feels responsible for his death.
When asked why she enjoys her job, Zara explains to Nadia that she
considers herself an "analyst" rather than an "economist." She differentiates the two terms by stating that analysts always anticipate the worst, which is why theycome out on top. Before leaving the session, Zara poses a question to Nadia, asking if she believes that there are bad people in the world. Nadia responds affirmatively, suggesting that many people make excuses for their bad decisions because they cannot bear to believe that they are inherently bad. Unspoken to Nadia, Zara believes that she herself is a bad person and carries an unopened letter from the man who took his own life, convinced that it contains a declaration of her own inherent badness.
A week after the man on the bridge committed suicide, Nadia, as a teenager, stood on the same bridge, inspired by his actions. Unlike the man, Nadia did not have any apparent trauma or grief in her life; she simply felt a perpetual sadness. She experienced a sense of being an imposter among people, unable to share her inner sadness. This overwhelming loneliness and despair led her to the bridge, but Jack noticed her presence. In a twist of events, as Jack approached Nadia, he accidentally pushed her so hard that she fell and hit her head. Nadia woke up in the hospital and never saw Jack again. As an adult, she frequently reflects on the reasons why she had wanted to jump off the bridge.
Zara witnessed Jack saving Nadia that day, but she could never bring herself to approach Nadia and inquire about what propelled her to continue living after that moment. Instead, she observes Nadia's life from a distance and continues to carry the burden of guilt for her perceived role in the man on the bridge's death.
Moments before the bank robber entered the apartment. The apartment viewing is described as a disaster from the beginning, with potential buyers engaging in arguments. Zara judges the low-class and seemingly dirty decor, Anna-Lena and Roger falsely accuse the apartment of being drafty, and Julia and Ro argue about whether or not
to purchase the place. Julia, who is pregnant and nearing her due date, is eager to buy an apartment, while Ro is hesitant.
Zara is the first to notice the bank robber entering through the front door. Anna-Lena panics and yells that they are being robbed as soon as she sees the ski mask and gun. Except for Zara, everyone starts to panic.
Transcript of a conversation between Jack and Anna-Lena. Rather than answering Jack's questions, Anna-Lena consistently laments about her marital troubles.
It is challenging to hold people hostage when they are idiots because the hostages do not take the bank robber seriously. Roger continuously provokes the bank robber, demanding to know if they are being robbed or held hostage. Zara makes disparaging comments about the apartment's dirty state, and Julia questions the authenticity of the gun. Despite the bank robber's instructions to be quiet and lie down, no one pays attention. Estelle, an elderly woman also viewing the apartment, claps loudly after the introductions, mistaking it for a gunshot, causing everyone to fall to the floor. Roger instinctively falls on top of Anna-Lena to protect her.
Conversation between Jim and Estelle. Jim apologizes to Estelle for everything she has experienced, but Estelle reveals that she has actually enjoyed the excitement since she doesn't get much of it at her age. Jim asks Estelle about the drawing, and she brings up how nice Julia and Ro are.
Julia and Ro engage in an argument, with Zara offering her sarcastic commentary. Julia needs to use the restroom, but they soon discover that the bathroom door is locked, indicating the presence of an unknown person inside.
The transcript between Jim and Estelle continues in this chapter. Estelle mentions that Julia and Ro are from Stockholm, which Jim interprets as a code word for "homosexuals." However, Estelle clarifies that she does not see anything wrong with that. She also mentions that Roger and Anna-Lena had a significant argument about the rabbit, but she does not elaborate further due to her train of thought being interrupted.
Hostage situation, with the hostages attempting to determine who is inside the bathroom. Anna-Lena pleads with them not to knock, but they do anyway. In response, the person on the other side knocks back, causing Anna-Lena to start crying.
Roger becomes defensive about his wife, while Jack inquires about the floorplan of the apartment. Roger insists that the floorplan is incorrect and believes that there are three missing feet between the walls.
During the hostage situation, Julia pleads with the bank robber to shoot the lock off the bathroom door. Instead, a man dressed in a rabbit costume emerges willingly.He is wearing a rabbit mask but lacks a shirt and pants. The man is revealed to be Lennart, whom Anna-Lena hired to disrupt the showing so that Roger could make an offer and secure the apartment. Lennart's role is to behave foolishly and deter others from wanting the apartment. He has been doing this at every apartment
showing attended by Anna-Lena and Roger. Anna-Lena's intention is to boost Roger's self-esteem and provide a sense of purpose during his otherwise directionless retirement. Roger feels betrayed and hurt, realizing that his success in securing previous apartments was not due to his negotiation skills. He punches Lennart, and Anna-Lena apologizes before going into the walk-in closet to give him some space.
However, instead of answering Jack's questions directly, Roger expresses his dissatisfaction with retirement, describing it as awful because he feels useless.
Roger, the bank robber, and Ro find themselves sitting together in the apartment hallway. They engage in a conversation about relationships. Roger reflects on the devastating impact of Anna-Lena's betrayal and how he feels useless without her presence in his life.
Upon discovering that there is extra space in the apartment where the hostages were held, Jack informs Jim that he knows where the bank robber might be hiding. They hurriedly return to the apartment to test Jack's theory.
During the hostage situation, Julia enters the closet to offer comfort to Anna-Lena. Julia attempts to empathize with Anna-Lena, suggesting that Roger must be an overbearing and dominant man. However, Anna-Lena defends him and shares anecdotes that reveal his hidden kindness and sensitivity. This revelation surprises Julia, as she realizes that Roger is not who she initially perceived him to be. The conversation shifts to Julia expressing her fear of becoming a mother, but Anna-Lena provides encouragement and support.
The bank robber is feeling sorry for themselves, and Ro suggests ordering pizza to lift their spirits, citing that in hostage films, the police always provide pizza. Roger takes charge of organizing the pizza delivery to feel useful.
Jack and Jim search the apartment, trying to validate Jack's theory that the bank robber may be hiding in the unlisted extra space. They eventually discover an attic passageway hidden in the closet. Jack climbs up and finds Lennart's rabbit head costume.
Roger takes everyone's pizza orders and attaches them to limes,throwing them off the balcony to the waiting police officers below. Unfortunately, one of the limes hits Jack in the head, causing a significant bump.
Jack realizes that it would have been impossible for someone to escape through the small attic passageway, leading to his disappointment. Another police officer enters the apartment and reveals that the blood found on the floor is stage blood, shattering the previous belief that it belonged to the bank robber. This revelation sparks Jack's idea that the bank robber must be one of the former hostages.
Jack initially wanted to interview them individually, but they insisted on a joint interview. However, the conversation becomes frustrating as Julia and Ro argue over trivial details, making it difficult for Jack to obtain clear and direct answers.
In the apartment where the hostage situation occurred, Jack has a realization. He now understands that the bank robber didn't shoot themselves, as he initially believed. Instead, a phone vibrating on the table caused the gun to shake and fall on the floor, accidentally discharging it. This revelation adds complexity to Jack's understanding of the events that transpired during the crisis.
The narrator reflects on the death of Jim's wife and Jack's mother, which had a profound impact on Jim. Her passing caused Jim to age poorly, indicating the immense grief and loss he experienced. She had been the pillar that held the family together, and her absence has made things difficult for everyone. Jack's sister further complicates matters by only contacting Jack or their dad when she needs money for heroin. This situation weighs heavily on Jack, as he feels responsible for his sister and desperately wishes to save her, particularly because he couldn't save the man on the bridge, possibly referring to a past incident or trauma.
During the hostage drama, the bank robber reflects on the extent to which she has failed her daughters. On the other hand, Zara consciously tries not to think about anything in particular. When the pizza arrives, Zara takes a significant step by trying pizza for the first time. Although she finds it disgusting, the act of trying it represents a major milestone for her.
Back at the police station, Jack accuses the real estate agent of being the bank robber in disguise, suspecting her involvement in the hostage situation.
The narrator reflects on Jack's mom, who is described as a devoted priest committed to assisting others. Both the narrator and Jim often
think about her. The scene shifts to a hostage situation where Jack is on the phone with the hostage negotiator. While this tense situation unfolds, Jim secretly takes the pizzas and goes up to the apartment without his son's knowledge.
Jack interrogates the real estate agent, persistently claiming that she is the actual bank robber. The real estate agent appears shocked and bewildered by the accusation.
Love story, with several intertwined narratives. To illustrate this, the narrative takes a flashback to a session between Zara and Nadia. They discuss matters of identity, and Nadia suggests that Zara needs to experience and feel more rather than relying on antidepressants to suppress her emotions. Nadia diagnoses Zara with loneliness. Towards the end of the appointment, Zara reveals the personal detail that she finds solace in listening to loud death metal music.
The story takes a flashback to Jack's conversation with the hostage negotiator. The negotiator shares a personal story about a previous hostage situation he was involved in. He successfully freed the hostages, but the perpetrator ultimately took their own life. The negotiator asks Jack why he turned down the promotion in Stockholm, but Jack remains silent, choosing not to provide an answer.
Zara stands on the balcony, gazing at the bridge while listening to her death metal music. Lennart joins her outside and attempts to engage in small talk. However, their interaction escalates into a slight argument. It is a connection between these two seemingly unlikely individuals.
Estelle joins Anna-Lena and Julia in the closet. She discusses her marriage with Knut, using it as an example to encourage the other women in their own marriages. Julia begins to realize that Knut is no longer alive and that Estelle has been referring to him in the present tense as a coping mechanism to deal with his death.
Jack questions why the bank robber made fireworks as a hostage demand, but Lennart pretends to be ignorant and does not provide a clear answer.
Back to the hostage scene. Estelle, while in the closet, reflects on her late husband, Knut. She imagines him embarking on a grand adventure while she feels trapped in the "beautiful prison" of life. Estelle engages in a conversation with Anna-Lena and Julia, praising her wonderful marriage with Knut. Anna-Lena surprises Julia by revealing that she was a senior analyst beforeretiring, challenging Julia's previous perception of her as a submissive woman defined by her husband.
The story flashes back to Jim delivering the pizzas to the hostages during the hostage situation.
Julia opens up about her abusive father and describes her mother as a strong single woman. She shares the story of how she met and fell in love with Ro. Estelle confesses to having an emotional affair with her neighbor, who also had a love for books. The neighbor gave her a key to his apartment, hinting at a potential romantic affair that never
materialized before his passing. The women hear a noise coming from the attic area above the closet, prompting them to investigate and discover the real estate agent hiding there.
At the police station, Jack continues to confront the real estate agent, yelling at her and accusing her of being the bank robber in disguise.
In the given text, Jim informs Jack that he had a conversation with the bank robber. According to Jim's account, the bank robber asked for fireworks. However, the narrator, while acknowledging the conversation, doubts the accuracy of Jim's recollection, implying that Jim might be lying but expresses it politely.
Lennart falls from the attic, catching the attention of the bank robber(Roger), Ro, and the real estate agent. Lennart explains that his bleeding is due to theater blood, as it was intended to be part of his apartment-crashing act. The real estate agent shares that she was terrified upon realizing that someone had entered the apartment with a gun, leading her to hide in the attic. In a gesture of kindness, Julia asks Roger to show her how to light a fire in the fireplace, recognizing his desire to have a sense of purpose.
Jim knocks on the apartment door, holding the pizzas. The bank robber attempts to answer the door, but everyone stops her, fearing that she may be shot. Both Roger and Lennart plead with her, wanting to take her place and answer the door instead.
Jack is furious with the real estate agent, convinced that she is lying to him. He storms out of the interrogation room, and Jim enters. Jim expresses his belief in the real estate agent's innocence. He reflects on his late wife and the difficulties he faces in accepting her absence, particularly the grammatical shift from "is" to "was." Jack questions how Jim knows that the real estate agent is not the bank robber, and Jimconfesses that he has been lying.
The former hostages are released from the police station together. Once outside, they inquire about each other's interviews and express their concern for the bank robber. Estelle, who had given her phone number to the bank robber, receives a text message assuring her that the bank robber is doing well. London, the bank teller, also emerges from the police station, and everyone warmly welcomes her, inviting her to join them for coffee. Julia reveals to Estelle that she and Ro have purchased the apartment next to hers.
Jim finally reveals the truth to Jack. He discloses that when he delivered the pizzas to the bank robber, he realized that she was a woman. She reminded him of his daughter, evoking feelings of compassion for her predicament. They engaged in conversation, and Jim recognized that she was a good person who had found herself in a difficult situation. He made the decision not to apprehend her and instead encouraged her to seek refuge in the vacant apartment across the hall. When the bank robber questioned his kindness, Jim explained that it was inspired by his late wife, who believed in acts of kindness even in the face of chaos. He likens this act of kindness to planting an apple tree amidst a burning world.
Go back to the hostage scene. Fireworks start to go off outside the apartment as requested by the bank robber. Estelle appreciates the
fireworks and thinks that her late husband, Knut, would have loved them. The group tries to come up with a plan for the bank robber's escape and realizes that the apartment across the hall will soon be put up for sale by the real estate agent. It is currently vacant and could serve as a hiding spot. However, the real estate agent doesn't have a key to provide the bank robber with access.
Estelle reveals that they are all in her apartment, which she requested to be shown to ease her loneliness. She pretended that Knut was out parking the car so she could briefly live in the illusion that he is still alive. She discloses that she has a key to the vacant apartment because it once belonged to the man with whom she had an emotional affair.
Jim has finished telling Jack the whole story. Jack initially wants to be angry, but instead, he goes outside to address the reporters. He takes responsibility for the bank robber's escape, covering for his father. Afterward, they plan to go home, watch television, and have a beer together.
Estelle expresses her gratitude for having met the other hostages. She is happy to be keeping her apartment instead of selling it. Lennart shares his view that there is something romantic about the thought of all the apartments that are not for sale, capturing the general sentiment of the moment among the newfound friends.
Ro's father will soon pass away, but she will be a good mother to her soon-to-be-born son and is willing to rob banks if necessary for him. Julia and Ro's marriage will continue to flourish like a flower shop. Zara and Lennart will ride in a taxi together, hinting at a romantic connection. Roger takes Anna-Lena to a movie, a gesture of his love for her. Estelle invites the bank robber and her daughters to move into her apartment, covering their rent. Eventually, Estelle passes away, but she has made a lasting impact on Julia, Ro, the bank robber, and her daughters.
Bank robber unintentionally prevented another bank robbery from happening. She found a pistol hidden among blankets in a basement
storage area where she used to go to decompress. By taking the pistol, the true owner of the gun was unable to carry out a bank robbery scheduled for the day after New Year's.
Zara hands Nadia the unopened letter from the man on the bridge who committed suicide. She feels ready to hear itscontents and asks Nadia to read it aloud.
Zara drops the unopened letter off the bridge and watches it fall into the water. The letter contained the words, "It wasn't your fault." Afterward, she gets into a car with Lennart, moving on from the weight of the letter and its message.
The bank robber reflects on a story written by one of her daughters. The story was about a princess torn between two kingdoms, reflecting the daughter's anxieties about being caught in the middle of her parents' divorce. This sheds light on why the bank robber tried to rob a bank quietly and why she submitted so much to her ex-husband. She wanted to spare her daughters from the chaos and division. After the robbery, living with Estelle, she finally finds peace for herself and her daughters.
The bank robber and her daughters are walking outside one day when they see Jim and Jack driving by in their police car. The bank robber becomes terrified, thinking they will arrest her. However, they just keep driving without stopping. Jim mentions that he would have understood if Jack wanted to arrest her, but Jack explains that he didn't want to. He wanted to see her, so they could share this experience. Jack tells his father that they are going to get coffee and then bring his sister home.
Outcome of saving his sister is uncertain, but what matters is that people make an effort to save those they can.
Jack arrives at Nadia's office after receiving an anonymous letter with her address and a picture of the bridge. It turns out that Zara sent the letter. When Nadia opens the door, Jack realizes that she is the girl he saved on the bridge years ago. He hands her another letter anonymously from Zara. Nadia reads it and realizes that Jack is the boy who saved her. This encounter marks the beginning of a deeper connection between Nadia and Jack. Zara donated a significant portion of her fortune to the summer camp where Nadia attends each year.
Everyone is doing their best and should not be too hard on themselves. At least they have made it through the day, emphasizing the importance of perseverance.