Good PR for Dagens ETC – but not a good book

The review in Svenska Dagbladet offers a nuanced critique of "Fängslad av Erdogan," a book detailing journalist Joakim Medin's 51 days of imprisonment in Turkey. While acknowledging the harrowing nature of the experience for both Joakim and his wife, Sofie Axelsson Medin, who was pregnant at the time, the review finds the book falls short of being a truly compelling narrative. The authors, as seasoned journalists, understand the power of words, yet the sheer volume of text fails to coalesce into an engaging story. This assessment reflects a common challenge in literary reviews: balancing the importance of the subject matter with the execution of the storytelling. From a Swedish perspective, where freedom of the press and human rights are highly valued, the imprisonment of a journalist is a grave concern. However, the review suggests that the book's attempt to serve multiple purposes—legal defense, trauma processing, and profiling the publication Dagens ETC—may have diluted its narrative impact. The critique implies that while the events are significant, the telling of them did not live up to their inherent drama, a point that resonates with readers who expect powerful storytelling from journalistic accounts of such profound experiences.

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The 51 days in Turkish prison were of course a terrible experience for Joakim Medin.