Mare Kandre

Life & Legacy

Mare Kandre (27 May 1962 – 24 March 2005) was a Swedish author.
Mare Ingrid Hansson was born on 27 May 1962 in Söderala. Her mother, whose maiden name was Kandre, was a biologist who had fled Estonia during World War II. Kandre grew up in Gothenburg.
Between 1967 and 1969, she lived with her family in British Columbia, Canada, a period which made a very deep impression on her and later in life influenced her writing.
Kandre achieved considerable acclaim in Scandinavia and her works have been translated into more than eight languages. Her novels, short stories and prose poetry often deals with children's, in particular girls', development to adulthood; women's roles; and marginalized and traumatized individuals who opt to break with society's expectations.
Kandre's stories have a marked metaphysical dimension which is strengthened by her poetical language and representation, with existential themes paired with contemporary social issues. In her writing she often returns to issues like the expectations placed on women, how alienation develops, and the significance of instincts. Several of her books were influenced by Gothic fiction.
In 1991, she won the Aftonbladet Literary Prize.
Before Kandre entered onto the path of writing, she was the frontwoman for the music group Global Infantilists (1981–1983).
She died on 24 March 2005 of a drug overdose, at the age of 42. She had one son.