Personal reactions "I am overwhelmed, and somewhat frightened. I see this as an award to the literature that first and foremost aims to be literature, without other considerations" was Fosse's first reaction. Fosse told
NRK that he was "surprised but also not" to have won the prize "I've been part of the discussion for 10 years and have more and less tentatively prepared myself that this could happen". Interviewed by Manisha Lalloo, a correspondent of the Nobel Prize's Outreach, Fosse expressed that he was greatly surprised when he won the prize even though he was used to being on the betting list speculations. Fosse was driving at the time on his way to
Frekhaug, a village on Norway's west coast near the city of
Bergen, when permanent secretary
Mats Malm called him to inform he was this year's Nobel laureate. Malm told him that if he did not believe it he could watch the television and watch the announcement. Asked as to how he spent his first day as a laureate, he responded: Fosse made mention of one particular reader, a
Greek woman, who wrote a very touching email to him saying that his play
Dødsvariasjonar (
Death Variations) was "the reason she was still alive otherwise she would have already parted." The choice was generally well received. "He is an exceptional writer, who has managed to find a totally unique way of writing fiction", publisher Jacques Testard said. "A rather introverted and tricky writer," Swedish literary critic Per Wirtén commented on
SVT, "...I think it's a great choice." While jeering Fosse as a writer of "domestic literature", Iraqi writer
Azher Jerjis also critiqued, saying King
Harald V of Norway sent a personal message heartily congratulating Fosse for being awarded the Nobel Prize. Prime Minister
Jonas Gahr Støre also wrote a message to Fosse on
X (formerly
Twitter): "A great recognition of outstanding authorship that makes an impression and touches people all over the world. All of Norway offers congratulations and is proud today!" On 18 October 2023,
Pope Francis sent a personal letter to Fosse, expressing salutations and his appreciation on his "ability to evoke Almighty God's gifts of grace, peace, and love in our often darkened world will surely enrich the lives of those who share the pilgrimage of faith."
Catholic Church in Norway Being a convert to
Catholicism, Catholics in Norway celebrated Fosse's Nobel Prize, hoping the honor could bring a recognition to the Catholic faith in an entirely Protestant country. Bishop
Bernt Ivar Eidsvig of
Oslo said in a statement that honoring Fosse was the best news for Norway's Catholics, adding that he was pleased the writer, while not "seeing himself as an apologist," was "bearing witness to his faith." ==Nobel lecture==