Hapless veterans of World War II, Archie and Samad and their families become agents of England’s irrevocable transformation. from Īt the center of this invigorating novel are two unlikely friends, Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal. Petterson coaxes out of Trond's reticent, deliberate narration a story as vast as the Norwegian tundra. The past also looms in the present: Trond realizes that his neighbor, Lars, is Jon's younger brother, who "pulls aside the fifty years with a lightness that seems almost indecent." Trond becomes immersed in his memory, recalling that summer that shaped the course of his life while, in the present, Trond and Lars prepare for the winter, allowing Petterson to dabble in parallels both bold and subtle. That distant summer is transformative for Trond as he reflects on the fragility of life while discovering secrets about his father's wartime activities. The meeting pries loose a memory from a summer day in 1948 when Trond's friend Jon suggests they go out and steal horses. Trond's peaceful existence is interrupted by a meeting with his only neighbor, who seems familiar. Award-winning Norwegian novelist Petterson renders the meditations of Trond Sander, a man nearing 70, dwelling in self-imposed exile at the eastern edge of Norway in a primitive cabin.
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