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    The Invoice: A Novel
    The Invoice: A Novel
    The Invoice: A Novel
    Audiobook3 hours

    The Invoice: A Novel

    Written by Jonas Karlsson

    Narrated by Shaun Grindell

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Hilarious, profound, and achingly true to life, Jonas Karlsson's new novel explores the true nature of happiness through the eyes of a hero you won't soon forget. A passionate film buff, our hero's life revolves around his part-time job at a video store, the company of a few precious friends, and a daily routine that more often than not concludes with pizza and a movie in his treasured, small space in Stockholm. When he receives an astronomical invoice from a random national bureaucratic agency, everything will tumble into madness as he calls the hotline night and day to find out why he is the recipient of the largest bill in the entire country.
    What is the price of a cherished memory? How much would you pay for a beautiful summer day? How will our carefree idealist, who is content with so little and has no chance of paying it back, find a way out of this mess? All these questions pull you through The Invoice and prove once again that Jonas Karlsson is simply a master of entertaining, intelligent, and life-affirming work.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJul 12, 2016
    ISBN9781515975861
    The Invoice: A Novel
    Author

    Jonas Karlsson

    Jonas Karlsson joined Ericsson in 1993. Since then he has held various technical and leader positions in Ericsson covering both radio access research and system management in product development. He is currently an Expert in Multi Antenna Systems at Development Unit Networks. He holds an M.Sc. in electrical engineering and engineering physics from Linköping University, Sweden, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan.

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    Reviews for The Invoice

    4/5

    224 ratings67 reviews

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    • 4/5
      What if everyone received a bill for all of their experiences? Everything...smelling flowers, enjoying the sunshine, the fall of rain, love affairs, and so on. And your bill is based on how happy you are. Not surprising but the people who seemed to have the most money and things are lower on the happiness scale. Our part-time video store clerk who has little lives in the moment and finds contentment in all that surrounds him. His happiness bill is off the charts. Very interesting story and highly enjoyable.
    • 2/5
      I had read and loved the author?s The Room, so when The Invoice showed up on the LTER list I was very much looking forward to it. Unfortunately, The Invoice was a struggle to get through. The narrator's voice was flat and uninteresting and the pages got harder and harder to turn. Too bad, as the premise ? receiving a bill for your happiness in life ? could have made for an excellent read.
    • 3/5
      It's taken me a while to write a review because I just don't know how I feel about this book. My conclusion is that I don't understand satire. The premise of this short book is so dystopian, a world like ours where people are billed for happiness. I was disappointed with the superficiality of the story: the characters are flat, the infrastructure for this massive billing system is completely missing. It's absurd. But I went into this book with the wrong ideas. I shouldn't have been expecting in depth explanations of the inner workings of these mysterious invoices. This story, though shallow, did make me think more in depth about people and where they find happiness, like the people who are happiest when they are unhappy. It especially made me think about where I find pleasure and how I savor small moments. All in all, this was my introduction to satire so it is very hard for me to be a fair critic.
    • 5/5
      Seriously, one of the most uplifting books I’ve ever read. A “must read”!
    • 4/5
      What if every experience in life had a price tag, only we didn't know it? Would we appreciate it more? That is the premise of this little book. The (unnamed) narrator might be construed a "slacker" by society's uber-achieving standards: part-time job at a video store, nearing middle-age, single, apartment dwelling, carry-out eater, very few possessions....One day he receives an invoice for $5, 700,000 (kronor, actually as the story takes place in Sweden) which he disregards, assuming it is an error, since money in those amounts was never conceivable in his lifestyle. But no, he gets another, with a late fine, and so he goes in pursuit of who is charging him for what. The WRD, (World Resources Distribution) is a maze of bureaucracy, but he finally connects with a person, Maud, who just says "Being alive costs"(p. 31) Apparently, everyone, everywhere must pay up for experiencing life and the amount corresponds to a index created by number crunchers at the WRD who assess people's happiness. The narrator is an anomaly in that he is off the charts, especially because he has so little material wealth. His attempts to get his invoice reduced and to determine the source of the high number consume the rest of this short book and it is both humorous and meaningful in the ways we measure and value our lives as we live them. Good lessons without heavy-handed moralizing.
    • 3/5
      In some ways this book is quite creepy and a cautionary tale with regards to the level of surveillance that everybody is under, the protagonist doesn't seem bothered by this however.

      Overall I liked the book, at first it did annoy me because the basic premise seemed a little far-fetched but as it went on I was able to suspend my disbelief and enjoy.  It could be viewed as quite a philosophical novel as the basic premise appears to be that happiness has very little to do with what you have but how you perceive it.  The narrator has almost nothing, and yet he is one of the happiest people in the country.  He takes immense pleasure in the small things of life in contrast to his friend Roger who is  a pessimist and even when things work out well he grasps the negative.  You could call it a surreptitiously  Buddhist book.

      For the full review check out my blog: Engrossed in a Good Book
    • 3/5
      Happiness. How much is it worth to you? An interesting take on the value of life. The author had a great idea and he really tried to bring across this existential idea of the value of happiness. The author unfurls the idea through the mundane life of a video store clerk: what events in our life can make us happy or not and what can it be worth? Love, death, mediocrity. And then how do we measure those awful things in life that may result in a positive outcome? Again very interesting but I think the author just missed something extra. I can't really put my finger on it although parts of the book were rather slow and other parts could be fleshed out more.Even as slow as it read, it made me think about perception or mindset of happiness. Isnt that what books are aimed to do? A special thanks to Library Thing Early Reviewers for a copy of this book in lieu of an honest review.
    • 4/5
      You know, there was just something about this one that really propelled me to keep reading. Even though you never get a full, clear explanation of exactly what's going on, it's easy to figure things out from context. I wanted to know what would happen with that exorbitant invoice and I found the conclusion very satisfactory. Definitely enjoyed this one.I received an advance reader's copy as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.
    • 3/5
      The protagonist in this off beat story starts off sounding like a lovable loser. But as the story goes along and the bill he receives for all the happiness in his life starts to add up, you begin to wonder. This man that does not seem to have much going on is told that he has been happier than anyone else in all of Sweden. And the more he tries to prove that his life wasn't worth the price the more the price just keeps going up. How can that be? What is it that makes his life so good? That is what the story makes you think about. About the value of lost love, about finding joy in the small things, about being happy with what you have. You do have to grant the unbelievable premise that such a tally is possible, but it was delivered in a way that made you want to believe it and you find yourself going along with it without much thought. The seemingly simple, short story that is both funny and sad has a surprisingly life affirming message. It was a fun and thought provoking story.
    • 4/5
      What would you do if you were invoiced for all the happiness you've enjoyed in your life? It's tempered by all the negative things that have happened, of course, but what if, like this novel's protagonist, you find good in bad circumstances? The price is rather steep, no? There's no way this simple, sensitive man who works at a video store can pay this exorbitant amount. No matter how hard he tries to reduce his balance, it only seems to increase. Karlsson brings this petite novel to a satisfactory conclusion with a sound moral to the story. I rec'd this book through Librarything Early Reviewers
    • 2/5
      I had read and loved the author’s The Room, so when The Invoice showed up on the LTER list I was very much looking forward to it. Unfortunately, The Invoice was a struggle to get through. The narrator's voice was flat and uninteresting and the pages got harder and harder to turn. Too bad, as the premise – receiving a bill for your happiness in life – could have made for an excellent read.
    • 3/5
      Our unnamed hero of this story is an average Joe underachiever. He works part time in a film store, has a small apartment in Stockholm with secondhand furniture, a bike and a few close friends. Then he receives an astronomical bill for 5,700,000 kronor from a unknown bureaucratic agency. At first, believing it is some sort of wild mistake, he ignores the bill. But when further attempts are made to collect it, he takes it more seriously and contacts the company, and his personal representative there, Maud. Maud explains that this is a bill for all the enjoyment he has gotten from his life – music, sunsets, once being in love, or rewatching your favorite film.As our hero tries to explain his life and reduce his bill, the amounts he owes continues to go significantly upward until he owes the largest amount of anyone in Sweden. The story is sweetly uplifting and does make one think about things like the value of things that come to all us everyday.However, there's a bit of logic gap. The amount of money one possesses has no impact one one's ability to enjoy life. However, if you have enjoyed your life, you are required to pay money for it – which will then be redistributed to people who have not had such an enjoyable life. Ah but given the original premise, how can money make their life more enjoyable? Head spinning.Overall – sort of sweet, but no meat.I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      What if you were taxed based on the events in your life? Good times would increase the debt you owed, while bad events would lessen your burden of taxes. The subject of this story has had a relatively good life. No major catastrophes or illnesses. Although he has a modest job with not much hope for advancement, he enjoys his life as it is. He has only a small circle of friends and family, but is content. Until he finds he owes an astronomical amount of taxes based on his life style. He calls the office governing the tax on his life. His attempts to clear up this seemingly unjust surcharge only seem to inflate the outrageous sum. The one bright light in this dark storm, is a glimmer of sympathy in the anonymous voice on the other end of the line. Of course, when the taxing officials find that he has made a personal connection with someone else, it only increases the tax bill. This is an amusing story that also leads us to think about how we value our lives.
    • 3/5
      I can’t say that I cared for The Invoice. The book sagged in the middle; there was far too much inner exposition. The main character didn’t seem all that happy - more laid-back and lazy – as if he were stoned. Lastly, and most importantly, I couldn’t get past the suspension of disbelief of the basic premise. Someone so aware of their environment, like Jonas, wouldn’t have missed all the signs. And when he was questioning if the entire thing was a scam, he would have gone to the police or other government agency, not the agency on the invoice. The writing style itself was smooth enough that I’m able to add a half star.
    • 4/5
      Imagine getting a bill of three-quarters of a million dollars for the enjoyment you have experienced during your life. That's what happens to the unnamed character in this book. Ironically he lives a very simple life and only works part-time at a video store, so has no means to pay such an absurd amount. I can relate to his attempts to find out who sent the invoice and why, waiting on hold to talk to someone, and trying to convince the bureaucracy that he doesn't deserve such a high bill given his low status and level of consumption. Very humorous, with some bite.
    • 3/5
      In all actuality I found this to be profoundly boring book. Thank goodness it was a relatively short novel to eat. Not one to of my favorites for this year.
    • 3/5
      Having read several emotionally draining books recently I went on a search through my to-be-read books and decided it was time to read something lighter and fluffier. I picked up the tiny book, The Invoice, and read the book synopsis I had printed out when I received it from the publisher. The blurb described the book as hilarious, profound, and achingly true-to-life- Jonas Karlsson’s new novel explores the true nature of happiness through the eyes of hero you won’t soon forget.Sounded perfect to me! So let me get it off my chest right away. I didn't find it hilarious and profound. In some respects it felt achingly true-to-life. My overall impression was that it should have been left as a short story.Now with all that negative bluster let me tell you what I did like about the book.DescriptionThe unnamed Swedish protagonist lives a very simple life. By day he works part-time at Jugges Flicks spending most of his time staring out the window or re-watching classic films. By night he dines on take-outs from the same restaurants, favors the same ice cream parlor and reminisces over good times with a lost love and old friends that have married and moved on. He loves his low-rent apartment with the crushed cushion couch.A strange letter appears in his mail one day that, at first, seemed a joke. The letter was an invoice from some outfit called WRD and claimed he owed 5.7 million kronor for EH. The figure was so outrageous and the abstract nature of the invoice had to be a joke or at best a mistake so he tossed it aside. But soon a second invoice arrived with added interest for late payment from a debt collection agency and he was rattled to his core.Calling the help line for WRD resulted in an experience familiar to anyone calling a major customer service number...your expected wait time is....... "What can I do for you?" Must have been a mistake. "No mistake." I didn't order anything. "Don't you read the papers, watch television or keep up the news?" I had to admit I didn't. "Well", she said. "It's time to pay up."...What am I supposed to be paying for? "Everything." What do you mean...everything? "Look around you.." I see clouds, people, children playing, trees... "What do you feel?" Happy. "What do you smell?" Something cooking, garbage, flowers... "Do you imagine all that is free? I thought so. "Being alive costs."The remainder of the book describes his thoughts, telephone conversations with the customer service clerk named Maud, and his interactions with the honchos at WRD.Just so you won't go crazy trying to find the meaning of WRD and EH I will tell you. WRD is World Resources Distribution and EH is Experienced Happiness. Every human has been sliced and diced through some complicated system that evaluates their life from birth to present resulting in the cost of acquiring their EH.My thoughts and feelingsAs I said earlier, I didn't find the satire hysterically funny. But then, I don't usually read satire. I did find the time he spent as a young man with his girlfriend, Sunita, lovely but immature. His siphoning friend, Roger, needs to get a job and his own life. Our Swede misses his mother and has buried his grief. And the story has a happy ending. No need for a tissue or regret.So in the end I did have to admit that I had some deep personal thoughts about happiness and what is "true" happiness. As I live a life somewhat remote and hermit-like myself, I did question whether I was happy (I think so) or am I keeping conflict away and outside.So here's what I concluded. If you are taking a flight, riding shotgun on a long trip, or basking in the sun and want an easy read this book is for you. It took about 4 hours to read. I read slowly. It won't offend you and it might cause you to reevaluate your place in the world.P.S. I hate anonymous characters so I decided to call him Olaf in my mind.
    • 3/5
      MINOR SPOILERS. To call this work a “book” is a little bit of a stretch. Both in its dimensions and its length, it is more in the nature of a pamphlet, easily read in 2-3 hours. The premise is a little unusual (some would say “cute”). Apparently, the “happiness quotient” of each person is measured and a redistribution of wealth is effectuated based upon the results; something in the nature of a happiness tax. Well, our carefree and very modestly financially endowed protagonist receives an enormous invoice. Blissfully unaware of the redistribution scheme (he is so carefree that he doesn’t watch television or read newspapers), he assumes it is a joke or a scam. As the seriousness of the situation dawns on him, he seeks to have his happiness quotient lowered by pointing out all the negative things in his life. SURPRISE! All of these things have only made him stronger and ultimately happier, hence his invoices keeps increasing.Of course, many magnificently rich citizens actually have negative happiness quotients (after all, money can’t buy happiness, right?) and are in line to collect under the scheme. Our friend establishes an emotional connection with a representative of the government agency charged with administering the plan, and much philosophy and angst is expended in their frequent telephone conversations.I guess you could do worse with two hours of time on your hands than spend it on this short story. Perhaps good fodder for a three hour flight or an airport layover.
    • 3/5
      This book didn't really work for me. It's a fun concept - an easy-going main character who lives a fairly average existence but is very content, suddenly receives a gigantic bill he has no chance of paying back. Sometimes the story is funny and it is a bit poignant, but I couldn't get over the fact that the main character doesn't have a name. It feels too modern, too "devicey", too like the author is trying too hard. There's just no reason for it, except to be coy, which a quality writer should never have to do.
    • 5/5
      This was a great little book. It was well-written and thoroughly engaging. Part Kafka, part Vonnegut. Loved the concept the author wrestled with - how much is your life worth. And should those who enjoy it more and/or have more positive experiences "pay" for it. It was a page-turner for me...I couldn't wait to get to the end! Definitely recommend this to other readers....
    • 2/5
      Maybe I'm too cynical for this (and I'm definitely in the minority here) but I thought it was a dud. The Invoice is sweet and has an uplifting message, but it's ultimately forgettable. Although I liked the semi-absurdist premise, taking on cliches like "the best things in life are free" and "you can't buy happiness" is a dangerous move unless you can cut through the sappiness and provide something unexpected. Karlsson never quite got there. At some point I thought to myself, "Kafka for middle schoolers," and then I couldn't shake that comparison.The thing is, I totally agree with the message! Life is all about perspective. Pain and adversity provide opportunities for growth and help us define our own happiness. You'll never be content in life if you only look for worth in material things. Did you feel anything reading those past 3 sentences? Probably not, because they're also cliches and as such are pretty flat when taken at face value. These sentiments don't become interesting unless we come at them from a new direction or introduce some sense of conflict. That's missing in these 200 pages. For me, each chapter read like a rewording of these basic concepts without any new spin. On top of that, there is no sense of urgency from our protagonist. He's unflappably affable. And yes, that's kind of the whole point, but what a bore when you can predict exactly how a character is going to react (or not react, as it were) to every new development. To be fair, I read this right after reading Delicious Foods which is one of the most depressing books I've read in a long while, so I wasn't exactly primed for a feel-good, easy breezy, pick-me-up.I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      A world organization, W.R.D., has just sent out invoices charging people for their life experiences. The hero of The Invoice receives his and quickly spins through a plethora of emotions and reactions because it is so very much, so much more than his friend, Roger.How is this possible? He calls the support line for W.R.D. and waits a very long time to talk to someone, a pleasant woman named Maud.Our hero begins to review his life. He’s seemingly done so little, has so little, that the amount of the invoice doesn’t seem justified at all.The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson is a quick reading, optimistic novel about a man who, even if he’s unaware of it, finds joy in small things and extends that joy to those he encounters. It’s about being mindful and delighted, even in the rain, or especially in the rain. It’s thought-provoking and insightful and a pleasure to read. How nice to not be inundated with cynicism! The Invoice is philosophical, but easy philosophy, with a sugary coating.I doubt The Invoice is everyone’s cup of tea, but if you fancy a novel in which a hero explores his experiences, which will then have you exploring your own and wondering if you achieve the same kind of satisfaction, I think you will find pleasure in devoting a few hours to this book.I received a copy of The Invoice from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      We've all been told the best things in life are free, but what if they came with a price tag? That's what happens to the protagonist, a part-time video store worker who is presented with a bill for the happiness he's enjoyed for 39 years. This charming Swedish novella is a quick, engaging story you'll want to pass along to a friend. This would be good for book groups as the central dilemma provides fodder for a lively discussion.
    • 4/5
      What if you would receive an invoice from an unknown organization charging you an insane amount of money? Would you throw it away, contact the customer service desk or start paying without questions? In The Invoice, a novel by Jonas Karlsson, a young Swede with a normal, down-to-earth life, is faced with such an invoice.The mysterious organization seems to know everything about the employee of a local video shop. Reaching out to the agency is a pain in the ass, but has several payoffs in the end. Will it be true love found with the call center girl, a personal default, or a blank sheet? How carefree can you life be? How far should transparency reach? I will not spoil here.Karlsson has a true-to-life writing style. You really relate to the main character, and constantly think of what you should do. Entertaining, and a hilarious view on the fragility of happiness
    • 3/5
      This book had an interesting concept, but it just wasn't for me. It was about a man who received a mysterious invoice for millions of kroner. Upon investigation, he discovered that he was getting billed because "life isn't free." It was an unusual idea to write about, but the rest of the book just felt flat to me.
    • 3/5
      The Invoice is a short and fluffy read. Attempting to resolve the titular invoice functions as a MacGuffin to explore philosophical questions. With none of the eerie plausibility of 1984, and with a happy resolution, this story fell flat for me. It could have been a trenchant examination of white male privilege, of chance as a factor of happiness, of government invasion of citizen privacy, but by staying rooted in the main character's POV, it ended up exactly as meaningful as his life was unremarkable. If you're looking for a book with little conflict, high optimism, and cheery platitudes, this is a quick and pleasant read.
    • 3/5
      Although it took me a bit to get into this book, it turned out to be a pleasant read. The protagonist is a slacker who has no ambition and , from all accounts, not much of a life. Then, he gets a bill for 5.7 million kroner to pay for the wealth of his experiences. At first, of course, he ignores the bill. However, when it comes time to pay the piper, he calls the number on the bill to dispute the amount, only to have it increase every time he complains. All the while, he develops a friendly relationship with the woman who answers his calls, eventually coming to terms with the fact that his life has actually been better than he's given it credit for.
    • 4/5
      What price happiness? What is the most valuable kind of happiness? Our hero is a simple man who lives in the moment. He works part-time in a video store, because he loves movies. He lives in a small, shabby apartment, which he nevertheless loves as his home. He has a very small circle of friends, including the very frugal Roger. One day, he receives a ridiculous invoice. At first he ignores it, then, faced with collection notices, he begins to research it. It turns out that everyone receives an invoice for their life and experiences, and his is the highest in the land. Success, material things, marriage and children: he has none of these, but his ability to live in the moment, keep his expectations low, and appreciate his life seem to come with a high price. Along the way, the reader has questions. What is this mysterious global company that defines the value of his (our) life? Is everyone's happiness valued differently? Do low expectations and achievement lead to great happiness? Will our narrator find love with Maud, the company's perceptive customer service rep? I read this in two sittings, but will find myself thinking about it for a while. Thanks, Librarything, for the ARC
    • 4/5
      This little book takes an interesting look at the value of life and living. It is a modern day fable in which people receive invoices charging them since "being alive costs". The main character in the story is left unnamed, but is a youngish single man living in Sweden, who works part-time in a video store and leads a most unassuming life. He receives a bill for over 5 million kronor as a one-time fee for his enjoyment of his life thus far. He pretty much ignores the initial invoice as some kind of mix-up, but eventually discovers that it is very much real. He has no money or anything of value with which to pay it, and can't figure out why he has been charged so much for his mundane and simple life. His efforts to correct the "error" lead to comical results. There, of course, is a moral to this fable. Since it is such a short and quick read, I would recommend that you read it yourself to discover it.I am glad that the writer didn't try to make more of this story. It is a unique and fresh look at the value of the lives we live, but would have certainly devolved if he had tried to do anything more. In the words of another fable character,baby bear, "It is just right".
    • 4/5
      tiny spoiler alert below:As is my usual, if I read a book in one sitting, it automatically gets 4 looks. This book was such a treat! An extraordinary premise, to be invoiced for the experiences you've had in life ("You didn't think it was all for free, did you?"), this was unlike any other book I've read. Much like Karlsson's previous novel, The Room, this story is unique, eccentric, sweet, and totally believable ... as long as you suspend belief. And that is the way of the story. The protagonist, what is his name... how can I not have realized that we never learn his name?? I know his childhood, his great love, moments that he treasures, his favorite scene in his favorite movie ... but never his name. The genius of Karlsson's writing is so subtle and subversive, it could knock a sphere on edge. This is, I think, a book that you will either love or hate. I wanted a little more, and I wanted to better explore the path that this was all a hoax. Those are the reasons for my review of 4 instead of a 5. All the same, I very definitely fall in the former category of feeling. Highly recommended.