title: Krilon
text: # Krilon
  
  Krilon is a trilogy of novels by the Swedish author Eyvind Johnson, Grupp Krilon ("Group Krilon", 1941), Krilons resa ("Krilon's journey", 1942), Krilon själv ("Krilon himself", 1943), published in one volume as Krilon in 1948.
  
  Written and published during World War II, the novel is partly a realistic story set in contemporary Stockholm and partly an allegory of the events during the war that criticises nazism and fascism as well as Sweden's neutrality during the war.
  
  ## Plot summary
  
  The main character is Johannes Krilon, a middle aged real estate broker in Stockholm. He has formed a conversation group with six middle class friends that regularly meet to discuss various topics. Krilon's business is eventually attacked by two real estate rivals and he struggles to keep his group united against the aggression.
  
  ## Critical reception
  
  The novel was generally praised by the leading contemporary Swedish critics. Anders Österling wrote that it was "the most original achievement in our modern prose literature". In his 1990 Eyvind Johnson biography, Örjan Lindberger hailed it as an outstanding work in Johnson's production.
  
  