Alexander Kielland Krag - Selected Title Author

What is your book about?

Don’t Look Now follows seventeen-year-old Johannes and his friends, who live a luxurious life most people would kill for. They are wealthier and more attractive than everyone else, but both Johannes and his best friend, August, are under intense pressure from their families; they are expected to study whatever their parents choose before eventually taking over their family businesses.

It’s summer break, and Johannes is on the French Riviera, staying in August’s enormous villa with their friends. Their days are spent partying, drinking, and basking in the sun. But beneath the perfect façade, August carries a darkness only Johannes knows about.

Then, one day, Johannes meets their neighbor, Théo, a filmmaker’s son who is studying film in Paris. Théo makes him start questioning everything: Does he actually want the future that’s been mapped out for him? Does he really belong with the friends he’s known since childhood? And is it even possible to change if he wants to?

Don’t Look Now is a story about the transformations we go through when we are almost adults, about friendships, sex, expectations, pressure, and the consequences of the choices we make.

What inspired you to write this book?

I got the idea for Don’t Look Now while on vacation in the South of France. I wanted to write about wealthy teenagers experiencing a seemingly perfect summer vacation in an incredibly beautiful setting—friends living a luxurious world of sun and vacation and beaches and love. But at the same time, I wanted to write about choices and consequences.

For years, I’ve been giving talks to teenagers about breaking out of roles. A lot of young people grow up with the same friends, planning their lives around staying in that group forever. But what happens if you suddenly realize you want something totally different?

It can feel almost impossible to break free from the established roles we’ve been given. At the same time, almost every young person experiences the feeling of outgrowing who they once were. Realizing that you want something new can be both liberating and terrifying. That’s what I wanted to write about.

Who is this book for?

My publisher describes Don’t Look Now as Call Me By Your Name meets Euphoria meets Young Royals meets The White Lotus. So if you liked any of those, you might just like this too.

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