A riveting exploration of Nordic hygge with a hint of something darker. Stories and gossip infiltrate daily life in Guđmundur Andri Thorsson’s Icelandic fishing village. The hopes, secrets and betrayals of various characters are revealed as they watch newcomer Kata sail by on her bicycle, dressed in a polka-dot dress, on her way to conduct the local choir.
Recommended by Lucy Popescu
AND THE WIND SEES ALL
Written by Guđmundur Andri Thorsson
Translated from the Icelandic by Bjørg Arnadottir and Andrew Cauthery
Published by Peirene Press (2018)
Lucy Popescu reviews books for various publications including the Financial Times, TLS and New Humanist. Her anthology, A Country to Call Home, focusing on the experiences of young refugees was published in June 2018. Her other publications include A Country of Refuge, The Good Tourist and Another Sky. She is chair of the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award. www.LucyPopescu.com / Twitter: @Lucyjpop