The Christmas Oratorio (Juloratoriet, 1983)

The novel turns around a family marked by the accident that killed the mother on her way to practise the Christmas Oratorio in choir. The husband, the son and the future grand son and the different shapes of grief are interpreted in variations on the theme of mourning. The Christmas Oratorio was adapted as a movie in 1996 and became widely known to the (Swedish) public.



As most works of Tunström, this novel takes place in the village of Sunne. The fantastic elements alludes to Marquez but also to the myth. He places the myth in the everyday life and gives an epic form to fundamental human experiences. This is Göran Tunström’s master piece. The key matter is: Can the individual when suffering a loss that seems to be devastating find a healing force that brings maturity and growth?