Hunter and Guardian Angel

This article explores ecocritical aspects of the novel Löpa varg (2021, Eng. The Wolf Run), by Kerstin Ekman, using postcritique and Rita Felski’s theories on the aesthetic experience to highlight the attachments and entangle-ments formed between reader, text, and context. The cross-species relationship between the protagonist Ulf and the wolf character Högben is key to the depiction of nature in the novel. Various narrative techniques convey an inti-macy with Ulf, encouraging the reader to engage with his experience of nature and his encounter with the wolf. Furthermore, the wolf encounter serves as a catalyst for various societal and environmental themes, notably climate change, thereby offering readers yet more points of connection. While not proposing a definitive solution to the complex issues and conflicts addressed in the novel, Ekman encourages an attitude of awareness towards animals and nature. This awareness and sensitivity can also be linked to the attentive reader and the attachments that bestow literature with affective meaning.