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Knausgård's Faustian Pact: London and the Dark Arts
22 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Author Karl Ove Knausgård's new novel, The School of Night, explores supernatural themes.
- The novel is set in 1985 London, drawing inspiration from Christopher Marlowe.
- Knausgård views his protagonist's extreme ambition and ruthlessness as a Faustian tale.
Karl Ove Knausgård's new novel, 'The School of Night,' ventures into supernatural territory, a departure from his previous autofictional works. This fourth volume in the Morning Star sequence shifts to 1985 London, focusing on the art school ambitions of photographer Kristian Hadeland. Knausgård draws parallels between Kristian's all-consuming drive for fame and the classic Faustian bargain, highlighting a character willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for success.
The narrative is set in Deptford, a neighborhood Knausgård chose for its association with Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe, a figure linked to the legend of the School of Night. Knausgård himself moved to London nearly a decade ago, embracing the city's cultural influence. His approach to writing avoids traditional research, preferring to discover the story's direction as he writes, a method that allowed him to develop Kristian's ruthlessness organically.
