Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
From Whiting Award-winner Hanna Pylv inen, The End of Drum-Time is a richly atmospheric saga that charts the repercussions of a scandalous nineteenth century love affair between a young S mi reindeer herder in the Arctic Circle and the daughter of the renegade Lutheran minister whose teachings are upending the S mi way of life.
It's 1851 at the edge of the Arctic Circle, and things are changing quickly. The church outpost that Lars Levi, a fervent Lutheran minister, mans, is a rugged, sparsely populated one. But as the zeal of his teachings mounts, so does the attendance at the weekly services he holds. The S mi reindeer herders he's been sent to minister to are skeptical of the Christian values--and strict rules--he preaches, but when Biettar, one of the Sami's most respected herders, has a dramatic awakening on the shortest day of the year, more and more of the S mi people become ready to let their long-held traditions and beliefs give way to new ones. Biettar's new commitment to Lars and his teachings means that Biettar's son Ivv r is left to tend the family's reindeer herd alone, an increasingly impossible task.
Meanwhile, Lars Levi's daughter Willa has always been the picture of obedience, until a chance encounter with Ivv r leads to an infatuation that gradually becomes something more. When a catastrophic illness threatens the life of her young brother, everything she's ever believed is called into question, making her feel reckless--and free--in a way she's never been before.
Gorgeously written and stunning in scope, The End of Drum-Time is both a powerful immersion into a forgotten culture and a celebration of a beautiful, ancient way of life. It masterfully weaves together the complex geopolitics and rich tradition of nineteenth century Scandinavia and brings to life a people caught between an old way of life and the new, and asks how what we believe shapes the course of our lives.
Synopsis
A richly atmospheric saga that charts the repercussions of a scandalous nineteenth-century love affair between a young S mi reindeer herder in the arctic circle and the daughter of the renegade Lutheran minister whose teachings are upending the S mi way of life
It's 1851 at the edge of the arctic circle, and things are changing quickly. The church outpost that Lars Levi, a fervent Lutheran minister, mans is a rugged, sparsely populated one. But as the zeal of his teachings mounts, so does the attendance at the weekly services he holds. The S mi reindeer herders he's been sent to minister to are skeptical of the Christian values--and strict rules--he preaches, but when Biettar, one of the Sami's most respected herders, has a dramatic religious awakening on the shortest day of the year, more and more of the S mi people become ready to let their long-held traditions and beliefs give way to new ones. Biettar's new commitment to Lars and his teachings means that Biettar's son, Ivv r, is left to tend the family's reindeer herd alone, an increasingly impossible task.
Meanwhile, Lars's daughter, Willa, has always been the picture of obedience, until a chance encounter with Ivv r leads to an infatuation that gradually becomes something more. When a catastrophic illness threatens the life of her young brother, everything she's ever believed is called into question, making her feel reckless--and free--in a way she's never been before.
Gorgeously written and stunning in scope, The End of Drum-Time is both a powerful immersion into a rich and sometimes forgotten culture and a celebration of a beautiful, ancient way of life. It masterfully weaves together the complex geopolitics and rich tradition of nineteenth-century Scandinavia; brings to life a people caught between an old way of life and the new; and asks how what we believe shapes the course of our lives.
Synopsis
An epic love story in the vein of Cold Mountain and The Great Circle, about a young reindeer herder and a minister's daughter in the 19th century Arctic Circle
In 1851, at a remote village in the Scandinavian tundra, a Lutheran minister known as Mad Lasse tries in vain to convert the native S mi reindeer herders to his faith. But when one of the most respected herders has a dramatic awakening and dedicates his life to the church, his impetuous son, Ivv r, is left to guard their diminishing herd alone. By chance, he meets Mad Lasse's daughter Willa, and their blossoming infatuation grows into something that ultimately crosses borders--of cultures, of beliefs, and of political divides--as Willa follows the herders on their arduous annual migration north to the sea.
Gorgeously written and sweeping in scope, The End of Drum-Time immerses readers in a world lit by the northern lights, steeped in age-old rituals, and guided by passions that transcend place and time.
Synopsis
Longlisted for the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction
An epic love story in the vein of Cold Mountain and The Great Circle, about a young reindeer herder and a minister's daughter in the nineteenth century Arctic Circle
In 1851, at a remote village in the Scandinavian tundra, a Lutheran minister known as Mad Lasse tries in vain to convert the native S mi reindeer herders to his faith. But when one of the most respected herders has a dramatic awakening and dedicates his life to the church, his impetuous son, Ivv r, is left to guard their diminishing herd alone. By chance, he meets Mad Lasse's daughter Willa, and their blossoming infatuation grows into something that ultimately crosses borders--of cultures, of beliefs, and of political divides--as Willa follows the herders on their arduous annual migration north to the sea.
Gorgeously written and sweeping in scope, Hanna Pylv inen's The End of Drum-Time immerses readers in a world lit by the northern lights, steeped in age-old rituals, and guided by passions that transcend place and time.
Synopsis
FINALIST FOR THE 2023 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD
An epic love story in the vein of Cold Mountain and The Great Circle, about a young reindeer herder and a minister's daughter in the nineteenth century Arctic Circle
In 1851, at a remote village in the Scandinavian tundra, a Lutheran minister known as Mad Lasse tries in vain to convert the native S mi reindeer herders to his faith. But when one of the most respected herders has a dramatic awakening and dedicates his life to the church, his impetuous son, Ivv r, is left to guard their diminishing herd alone. By chance, he meets Mad Lasse's daughter Willa, and their blossoming infatuation grows into something that ultimately crosses borders--of cultures, of beliefs, and of political divides--as Willa follows the herders on their arduous annual migration north to the sea.
Gorgeously written and sweeping in scope, Hanna Pylv inen's The End of Drum-Time immerses readers in a world lit by the northern lights, steeped in age-old rituals, and guided by passions that transcend place and time.