The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven

by Nathaniel Ian Miller

In this "briskly entertaining" (New York Times Book Review), "transporting and wholly original" (People Magazine) novel, one man banishes himself to a solitary life in the Arctic Circle, and is saved by good friends, a loyal dog, and a surprise visit that changes everything.

In 1916, Sven Ormson leaves a restless life in Stockholm to seek adventure in Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago where darkness reigns four months of the year and he might witness the splendor of the Northern Lights one night and be attacked by a polar bear the next. But his time as a miner ends when an avalanche nearly kills him, leaving him disfigured, and Sven flees even further, to an uninhabited fjord. There, with the company of a loyal dog, he builds a hut and lives alone, testing himself against the elements.

The teachings of a Finnish fur trapper, along with encouraging letters from his family and a Scottish geologist who befriended him in the mining camp, get him through his first winter. Years into his routine isolation, the arrival of an unlikely visitor salves his loneliness, sparking a chain of surprising events that will bring Sven into a family of fellow castoffs and determine the course of the rest of his life.

Written with wry humor and in prose as breathtaking as the stark landscape it evokes, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven is a testament to the strength of our human bonds, reminding us that even in the most inhospitable conditions on the planet, we are not beyond the reach of love.

#1 Indie Next Pick

Finalist for the Vermont Book Award

Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Historical, Adventure, Audiobook, Sweden

Audiobook

First published October 26, 2021

About the author

Nathaniel Ian Miller is the author of the critically acclaimed debut novel The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and has been translated into four languages. A former journalist for newspapers in New Mexico, Colorado, Wisconsin and Montana, he now lives with his family on a farm in Vermont.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sven is a man adrift, seeming to not fit in. He’s a reclusive loner, preferring the solitary life, and his disfigurement only serves to heighten his separateness from the world. Despite his solitary life, through his memoirs we learn much about friendship as well as acceptance of self and others.

This is a book about friendship and what it means at all levels. Nathaniel Ian Miller’s astute writing shows us that friendship is not just companionship and social interaction, but also allegiance and support, care and concern, and trust. It’s about acceptance, comfort, intimacy, understanding, and validation. Through friendship we gain confidence, learn about ourselves and others, overcome loneliness, and become more educated and informed about anything and everything through our conversations and interactions with others. Sven’s story also shows us what we do in the absence of human companionship, and how we sustain friendships and contact (or not).

An unexpectedly touching read that imparts great knowledge through the formal “intellectual” vocabulary and the universal need for friendship.

Friendship is a gift we all have the ability to give and receive.

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1916 aged 32, Sven Ormston a victim of a mining accident in Svarlbard that disfigures him, heads further north to Raudfjorden in the even farther north. He is a loner and a trapper and this is his ‘memoir’. He’s born in Stockholm (obviously!!), his father is a tanner but Sven is always restless, he is obsessed with the polar north and when his unenthusiastic attempts at working yields nothing but dismissals he decides to test his will against the cold. He recounts his experiences, the sometime companionship of Tapio, a Finn who teaches him to trap and the marvellously eccentric Scottish geologist Charles MacIntyre who certainly livens things up. He tells the story with humour, resolve and fortitude and there are plenty of surprises in store!

First of all, this is so well written in the style of the times with some beautiful descriptions especially of the far north so you can imagine yourself there with all its harshness, the glaciers wildlife and the Northern Lights and so on. The writing is lively and despite describing himself as ‘Sullen Sven’ and yes there are times when he is downright miserable, he remains an interesting narrator throughout. I love some of the phrases the author uses and the frequent use of humour to break up the grind of the life. It’s full of adventure, there is plenty of atmosphere, there are some fantastic larger-than-life colourful misfits in particular eccentric Charles and it demonstrates that you can find the most surprising things in remote out of the way places. It’s a harsh tale a lot of the time but it also succeeds in being touching and heartwarming which takes skill as a writer. The historical context is excellent with key events such as both world wars and the Russian Revolution impacting in various ways on Sven’s life.

Overall it’s a very different book which I like and if you are seeking something out of the ordinary and this may fit the bill.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to John Murray Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Diane Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Arctic does strange things to people. Or strange people come to the Arctic. It makes little difference."

This turned out to be an unexpected novel in more ways than one. I picked it up at the library thinking it would be an adventure tale of man against the elements. It was an adventure all right, but of a man fighting against his own inner loneliness and feelings of being different. We meet Sven when he decides as an adult to leave Stockholm for a mining camp in Spitsbergen. There is a mining accident and he loses an eye and one side of his face is crushed. Feeling even more desolate and more of an outcast, he travels farther north to be alone and make his living as a trapper. But it seems there are others in the Arctic who have the same idea, and he makes friends in spite of himself.

The novel spans the years between 1916 and 1947, and Sven cobbles together a family of misfits. There are love and laughter and hardships, unexpected friendships with unlikely people, and dogs as well, and others who go away and are never heard from again. It was a wonderful adventure of the human spirit in a harsh landscape.

As Sven wraps up his tale at the age of 62, he tells us "I have seen enough to know that nothing is likely but everything is possible."

This is a first novel from an author to watch. Sven is based on a real man, a legend in the north, but about whom few facts are known. Miller gave us a fictional tale of a flesh and blood personality that makes him real. I enjoyed every word.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halfway through this book I couldn’t tell if I was in love or if I was bored. But every time I put it down I wanted to pick it right back up. I loved all the characters so much - it was funny and smart and touching and full of adventure. Reminded me of City of Thieves but make it arctic and 1912. I was in love! Not bored!

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This needs more stars. Hands down, the best book I have read this year!!!

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I imagined this would be an endearing tale of a man who sought out the arctic alone and found peace and meaning. But alas I couldn’t be more wrong. This was so much more. The writing is so good that I hesitate to try to tell how good it was with my inadequate words. Sven is troubled almost since birth and doesn’t seem to know what he wants. He finds himself in the arctic and struggles with…. Well everything. He will have doubts, challenges and close friendships.
I really enjoyed this and it was very different than my standard favorites. I chose to listen to this book on audio and loved Olafur Darri Olafsson as the narrator. This was 10 hours and 41 minutes of easy listening. I highly recommend this.
Thanks Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley.

[Olive Fellows (abookolive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Click here to hear my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive.


I was completely enamored with this book for the first half - elevated language and all - but the book slowly lost its magic as more characters were introduced.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight. Driftless people (who are anything but),ties that bond but not bind,and thus bind freer and tighter. And Nature (in capitals) and the dogs.A gem.

[Connie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven" is a fascinating book set mostly above the Arctic Circle on the island of Spitsbergen. This is part of the Svalbard archipelago located north of mainland Norway.

Stockholm Sven left his home in 1916 to find adventure in the north. He signed on as a miner, a soul-crushing job, but an avalanche broke through the mine and disfigured his face. During the winter he joined some trappers who provided furs to the merchants, and he found his place in life. A Scottish geologist with a love of books, a Finnish fur trapper, and a wonderful dog got him through some tough times dealing with the loss of an eye, his facial disfigurement, and the isolation of the north. A visit by a family member brought something special into his life.

The book is narrated by Sven who has a good sense of humor about the challenges that he faces. Each one of the quirky characters brought something special into Sven's life, and provided emotional warmth and acceptance.

This is the first time that I have read a book set in the isolated Svalvard archipelago. While the book is fiction, there really was a miner named Sven who was horribly disfigured in an avalanche while coal mining. According to the author's notes, the hut that he built in the 1920s for trapping still stands today in Raudfjorden on Spitsbergen. An excellent map helps the reader visualize the locations. I enjoyed a look into this remote location where Sven found beauty and adventure.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

“...of the shimmering aurora, with its barely audible hum. The booming crack as the glacier calves. And the ice! My God, the ice. Apparently boundless in its sounds, incarnations, and capacity to crunch, maim and kill good Christian sailors. Isn’t that what you’ve always dreamed of?” P20

Having recently read Gavin Francis’ “True North: Travels in Arctic Europe”, I’ve come to realise that the Arctic has always had a magnetic intrigue and attraction for some people. I’m one of those people and my reading choices seem to reflect this deep and unrelenting interest. Francis introduced me to the other worldly Svalbard archipelago in the Barents Sea, midway between the north coast of Norway and the North Pole, straddling 74th to 81st parallel north, one of the northern most inhabited lands in the world.

Naturally when I picked up “The memoirs of Stockholm Sven” by Nathaniel Ian Miller, set in the first half of the twentieth century, almost entirely in Svalbard, I was immediately intrigued. Although entirely fictitious, the memoirs are inspired by a real person, a real Spitsbergian hunter referenced several times in Christiane Ritter’s memoir, “A woman in the Polar Night”.

Sven Ormson is from Sweden, introverted, unobtrusive, restless, and obsessed with Arctic history and exploration. A series of events in Stockholm sees him on the island of Spitsbergen, working in the coal mines, in the hopes of experiencing the wonders of the Arctic himself. After a being buried in an underground mine avalanche that almost claims his life, leaving him permanently disfigured, Sven is thrust on an incredible journey of survival, exploration, and self introspection, deep in the Arctic north, befriending some of the most unlikely individuals in ways that he would never have imagined and few ever find.

Miller has created an incredible character in Stockholm Sven. His resilience has to be read to be believed. He is weak yet strong, disfigured yet whole, scared stiff yet totally courageous, introverted yet other focused. I found myself reflecting the whole way through the book, loving Sven, his friend Charles, Tapio, Illya and of course Skuld. Sven Ormson had to travel to the northernmost reaches of the globe to find that which gave him purpose. I get it. I don’t know if I could do what he did but then, neither did he.

“Fate is empty. Any Arctic explorer or common sailor can tell you this. So you must make the best choices you can, knowing they may lead you astray, but proceeding boldly lest your life become one long monotonous drift between death and your last interesting choice”. P 170

[Skip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hit a great chord for me: hardscrabble arctic setting and wonderful, larger than life characters. Set in the early 20th century, Sven Ormson of Stockholm was bored by factory jobs, eventually settling to be nanny to his loving sister Olga and her husband's two children. Knowing of his desire to go north, Olga suggested work at a mine in Arctic Spitsbergen. Mining was not for him either, but he met the first of many interesting characters: a Scottish geologist named Charles McIntyre, who provides intellectual stimulation, introducing Sven to his books and, of all things, music. After a mining accident almost kills Sven and ruins his face, he moves to a remote area, first as a sous-chef, but staying after everyone heads south for the winter, to work with fur trappers. A Finnish trapper Tapio teaches him about trapping and surviving in the Arctic survival, and is politically minded. Sven also develops a bond with a canine companion. Eventually, Olga's daughter Helga, who Sven has not seen for many years, arrives with her newborn daughter. Like Sven, Helga could not find her place either, and somehow, they become a family despite the dark and frigid world around them. A very well-written narrative full of friendship, love and wonder, and a most unorthodox family during a period of political instability.

A memorable novel from a first time author from Vermont.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bias alert: This amazing book was written by my nephew. Nevertheless, it is engrossing from word one and fascinating. Sven is a compelling narrator of a story unlike any others I've read in a harsh and freezing cold landscape that is populated by characters that are interesting, complex and delightful. I loved this book and was sad when it was over. HIGHLY recommend.

[Nadine in California · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DNF’ed this book halfway in because it depressed me, sat down to write a review and everything that came out of my head was about how wonderful it was. Next day I picked up where I left off and, voila, a 5 star book. I’ll give myself the tiny excuse that the first half is a bit more melancholy than the last, but not a depressing read by any means. The newspaper and journal reviews that described it as "briskly entertaining", "beautifully stark and unimaginably rich", and "lit by sparks of Sven’s somber humor and descriptive elegance" were right after all. Sven is equally as charming as Hakan, the similarly isolated protagonist in one of my favorite books, In the Distance. Like Hernan Diaz, Miller dazzled me with his language and characterization. And both books are debuts! What exciting talents!

The thing I love most about Sven is that he’s a walking bathos machine, a literary technique I love and not surprisingly the only one I remember from my undergrad lit classes in the previous century. To quote the tckpublishing.com website (looks legit to me) bathos is “... a literary device where a serious or important subject is suddenly turned into a ridiculous or ordinary one. It is an anticlimax that surprises the reader and disrupts their thoughts and emotions.” Sven’s bathos is what makes him so completely endearing to me, whether he's describing himself or his friends and dogs. Some examples:

Upon arriving at the pristine, lovely Arctic land he will occupy alone for several years:

"I feel as though I could see the North Pole from here,” I said at last. “There is no land at the Pole and nothing to see, as you know quite well,” Tapio said. “And you are facing south.”

Describing a scene between his dog Eberhard and his friend MacIntyre that takes place in MacIntyre’s tiny cabin:

Eberhard had abjured long eye contact, but the times were beyond count that I’d glanced from a book to find MacIntyre and the dog regarding each other in locked concentration as though a deeper cosmic meaning might be found in the smoke-befouled space between them. Or maybe MacIntyre fed Eberhard from the table.

And finally, Sven’s friend Illya talking about his dog over multiple glasses of vodka in a rough bar in a rougher mining town:

“Oh yes. My beloved Czolgosz. Faithful through all weathers. Except very bad weather. Or any kind of precipitation at all. A light mist and he would become traitorous and seek shelter with whomever. But my shadow. A better, kinder shadow.”

I am a dog person and boy, can Miller write dogs. One more and I'll stop:

Eberhard seemed depressed as well, though his views could be hard to interpret.

I can't wait for Miller's next book, even if there are no dogs in it - although I suspect he's the kind of person who will always write a dog into a story.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Arctic had a way of reminding you that your life was unimportant, expendable, and easily extinguished. from The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian Miller

Sven Ormson of Stockholm was sure he was destined for greatness, inspired by books about polar exploration. The bookish boy was instead relegated to a life in the mills performing repetitious and mechanical jobs, returning home lose himself in his books. He was a loving brother to Olga, and then a loving uncle to her children, even becoming their nanny. When they no longer needed him, Olga suggested he find work with a mine in Arctic Spitsbergen. Perhaps he would find the life he was seeking.

In 1916, Sven leaves his homeland for the frozen north. He discovers that mining is horrendous, lonely work, with little of the romance and adventure he had hoped for. Then, a geologist seeks him out, having heard that Sven was that rare creature–a bookish man. Charles McIntyre becomes his first friend–“more like a patron than a friend”–introducing him to books and music.

A mining accident left Sven’s face brutally rearranged, horrifying people, and he resolved to live alone. He moves to an even more isolated location, eventually becoming a fur trapper in a lonely cabin, enduring the long isolated, dark winters with only a dog for a companion. The Finnish trapper Tapio tutors him in trapping and Arctic survival–and in politics. His friends teach him how to survive bodily and spiritually.

Sven struggles with isolation and depression, survives, and makes a life.

Olga’s daughter turns up unexpectedly with a two-month-old infant in her arms. Helga is another who can’t fit into ‘society.’ It is her turn to struggle through the dark long Arctic night. Eventually, they discover like-minded misfits who bring love into their lives.

Sven narrates his story through WWII, the shifting politics of the outside world impacting even the frozen climes he has made his home.

I loved Sven’s story. I am a sucker for a good narrative voice and an invitation into a character’s internal life. Sven’s language quite sophisticated and he has the ability to consider his own life with detached amusement. I came to love his friends–human and canine–and family. The Arctic setting, the long nights and endless days, the Arctic bear and fox and seal are vividly rendered, as are the frontier settlements filled with Swedes, Finns, and Norwegians.

“A life is substantially more curious, and mundane, than the reports would have it,” Sven notes. The novel was inspired by a real Stockholm Sven who became a hermit after his face was mutilated in an accident. Miller takes a few sentences from life and gives us a richly imagined being. Sven’s story is at once idiosyncratic and alien, but his humanity and struggles to fit in and find a meaningful life is universally relatable.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I love the setting and the descriptions of it were vivid and real, I wasn't a big fan of this book. I found the character as cold and disconnected as place, and that didn't work for me.

[T. Rosado · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 Stars!

This is simply Sven's story from his younger years until his 60's, long after he'd acquired his nickname, "Stockholm" Sven. As the metaphorical credits rolled, I found myself choking up while thinking about this fictional man's life and the people he encountered and befriended, as well as those he helped shape into adulthood. The author mentioned in the endnotes that a real person inspired Sven, yet almost nothing was known about him besides a few notable facts. With those facts, the author created a person I was fully invested in and a story that had me completely absorbed from the first page. It was all told in Sven's mature and balanced voice, but it relayed his wayward and hesitant steps as a young man from Sweden to Svalbard, Norway to an isolated fjord even farther north. I loved Sven and his unbiased view of others, even while often worried about being judged himself after a disfiguring mine accident. He'll be an unforgettable protagonist, as well as his story. It's only January, but I'm positive this poignant and impactful debut novel will remain one of my top reads.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an impressive debut novel. Miller's prose is flawless. He can explain all sorts of Arctic landscape and lore in the clearest way. (There's also a map that I found enhanced my understanding). And the characters are all believable and interesting. The story takes place on what is now the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. That's way north in the Artic Circle. Sven arrives in 1916 and the story takes you all the way through to just after WW2. Miller injects into the story a lot of fascinating historical detail about the Arctic between the wars and the relationships between the various Nordic groups and Russians and Germans. That was all very stimulating to learn about, but what I liked the most was the relationships between the characters. As complicated and flawed as they were, they cared about each other a great deal. I did find that the first half of the book moved a tad too slow, but the story really picks up in the second half. Miller has very sure control as a novelist. I hope that more people will be introduced to this book.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books of the year, absolutely incredible. Such a quiet, seemingly simply story that says so much. Themes of solitude, meaning and belonging resonated to my core. At times it read like if Rilke wrote a novel. A book I want to own and return to over and over. These unforgettable characters will live on. What an accomplishment. Bravo!

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

**audiobook version**

Narrator 5 stars

Story 5 stars

WOW!!! This is one of those perfect examples of don't judge a book by its cover because this cover does not do this story justice!

This was so beautifully written. I was on a roller-coaster of emotions while listening to this. Really moving.

[Sue Habib · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harsh and gray, but also unique and beautiful.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I didn’t know better, I would think The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven was written in the mid-20th century, very close to the timing of the plot line itself. It has a sophisticated style that reminds one of formal works of fiction from European writers. The American, Nathaniel Ian Miller, is clearly a deft hand at transporting his readers through both time and space.
The book is detailed and paced exquisitely through the first four parts. The events build, and even when they are expected, they are told with a sensitivity and skill that keep the pages turning.
I found myself genuinely liking Sven, MacIntyre, and Tapio. I can’t say the female characters are quite as successful; unfortunately, that is not unusual in a man’s adventure-type story written by a man. Also, the story seems to drag just a bit in the final part.
The positives far outweigh the negatives in this, Miller’s first novel. I look forward to seeing where his next one takes us.
Thank you to Nathaniel Ian Miller; Little, Brown, & Co.; and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it took me a bit of time to become invested in this story, it drew me in and I became captivated by it. The details of Stockholm Sven’s life as he related it were interesting and thought-provoking, especially the descriptions of the harsh life in the Arctic environment. The writing is beautiful and haunting in places, so vivid and lush. The characters and their situations were complex, their interactions and dialogs fully developed and easily visualized. Sweeping themes—disfigurement, fear of nature’s wrath, the long dark solitude, the struggle to survive—were interwoven with the mundane difficulties of day-to-day life in that harsh environment. I loved this book and recommend it. I had not read Nathaniel Miller but will look for more of his work. He is an amazing author. I admire his beautiful prose and well-researched descriptions of life during this time, early to mid 1900s, in this hostile yet beautiful Nordic-Arctic environment.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was so good! I will admit that I made it to chapter 32 with the audiobook and while I enjoyed it, I would get lost sometimes and forget who a character was. But I was enjoying the character of Sven enough that I decided to grab a copy of the kindle book and start back from the beginning and read along with the narration. And I'm so glad I did!

I did not want to give up on the audio narration because Olafur Darri Olafsson did an incredible job and there's no way I could have pronounced the non-English words correctly in my head, and I loved hearing those words roll off his tongue. Also, his voice just fit so well with who I pictured in my head when I thought of Sven. So if you're on the fence between listening and reading, I would recommend that you do both if possible!

This story may not be a true memoir, but it was inspired by the life of a real Spitsbergian hunter about whom we know almost nothing. I loved this life that Miller imagined and throughout the story, I kept wishing Sven was a real person I could visit in his hut and sit down by the fire to listen to his stories. This was a story that slowly sunk itself into my bones. It's a love story about all the ways people can love each other, especially between true friends, and between chosen family members. But it's also a travel and history book.

Spanning approximately 30 years (1916-1946), this book incorporates many of the world events that occurred during that time period but in a way that pokes its head in every so often, even as he lives on the edges of humanity in the arctic north. As you can imagine, living in almost complete isolation for most of the year can either help you find peace or make you go crazy, and Sven experienced both. There were times when things got so dark for him, and then something would happen that would make you laugh out loud. The author did a great job of painting the harshness AND beauty of living in such isolation and darkness. After restarting the book, I ended up finishing it pretty quickly because I had to find out what was going to happen to him. There were moments when I had a longing to visit the places he talked about, and instead of thinking that he and the few people around him were missing out on everything that was happening in the world, I was thinking they were in a better place to be isolated from everything that was happening in the world.

I highly recommend this book, especially for those who love literary fiction, but I believe that even if you're not a fan of literary fiction, you might like this. I was fascinated by the idea of someone choosing to live in such an isolated and harsh climate and it was interesting to learn about how he made it work. The ending is somewhat open-ended, but somehow I didn't mind. I was smiling when I finished the book and loved reading the author's note about his inspiration for the book. This was his debut novel, but I hope he will continue writing.

[Edwin Priest · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an audible daily deal in June 2022 that I bought on a whim primarily because of its setting in Svalbard, an isolated Arctic island that my wife and I visited many years ago.

Svalbard, known at the time this story takes place as Spitzbergen, is beautiful, stark and unforgiving. And so too in some ways is this book. Sven is a misfit, a curmudgeon and loner from early on. As a young man he becomes disillusioned with his bleak and mundane life in Stockholm, and at the urging of his beloved sister Olga, travels to Spitzbergen to work there as an indentured miner. And then, following a disfiguring mining accident, he strikes off to live alone in the wilds of the island as a hunter-trapper.

But, along the way Sven slowly climbs out of his melancholy, finding unexpected friends: a Scottish geologist at the mining camp; a lover in the nearby Russian settlement, Pyramiden; a reclusive and self-reliant Finnish hunter; an equally temperamental and cranky dog; and finally his niece, another lost depressive misfit struggling with life on the fringes, who shows up unexpectedly with her infant daughter, his great niece who he is tasked with raising by himself . Sven gradually, despite all of his iconoclasm, grows strong bonds with each of them.

Ultimately however, despite the reclusiveness of Sven, his niece, and their lonely and desolate home, this book finds its' center in the friendships and connections that make us human. It is about the meaning of family and bonds and human ties.

So, pitted against the stark beauty of Svalbard and the loneliness of the soul, this book is a surprising story of humanity, family and friendships.

4 strong stars.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh, this was a good novel. Sven’s story is mesmerizing in its humanity- full of imperfections and mistakes, and so much love, beauty, and wondrous musings on life and purpose. I wish I could spend time with him to ask a million questions, or at least read an epilogue of the epilogue! The Arctic and Spitsbergen/Svalbard have always seemed to me like a mysterious, magical land of ice and sky. It was a joy to read about it. I loved the cast of characters, from Sven to good old MacIntyre (a Scotsman!) to Tapio to Helge, Svuld (the Norns!), and many other interesting people. I enjoyed Nathaniel Ian Miller’s writing, which was wonderfully effective at transporting me to all the lands Sven travels to & lives in, and I’m hoping he has or will write more novels! As different as Sven’s life was from mine, I found I was able to connect to many of his feelings and lived experiences.

This book transfixed me from when I first read its title and premise to when I finished it and put it down, after reading it in two or three sittings.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read, memorable characters with a writing style that at times brought tears to my eyes and at other times made me laugh out loud. So glad I got my hands on this one a bit early

[Gretos knygos · Rating 5 out of 5]

1916 metais Svenas susikrauna daiktus ir išvyksta iš Stokholmo. Vyras palieka miestą ir iškeliauja į tokią Svalbardo salą Arkties vandenyne, kur įsidarbina anglių kasykloje. Tačiau ne viskas ten klostosi gerai - jauną vyrą nesugrįžtamai sužaloja tragedijos kasykloje metu. Šventas jaučiasi atstumtas ir lieka gyventi atsiskyręs Arktyje.

Knygos, alsuojančios skandinaviška ramybę visada pasiekia mano radarą. Ir dažnu atveju įsuka ir pakeri. Šis kartas buvo ne išimtis. Net nežinau, ko tikėjausi iš šios knygos, tačiau kartais nerti į istorijas be didesnių lūkesčių gali būti didžiulė dovana.

Žinau, kaip blogai galima jaustis, kai kiti žmonės tavęs gaili, tačiau ir pati Sveno gailėjau. Puikiai suvokiau jo pasirinkimus, sprendimus, bet dėl to gailestis tikrai neqpmažėjo. Juk tik labai stipriai sužeistas žmogus gali rinktis tokią stingdančią vienatvę. Galėtume jį vadinti stipriu, tik kaži ar visada toji stiprybė yra privalumas?

Būti atstumtam jų yra sunku. Bet ne ką lengviau ir pačiam atsitraukti nuo visuomenės, kad ir kaip save įtikinėtum, jog ir tau, ir kitiems dėl to geriau.

Humoras! Kiek čia jo daug! Kartais juokas pro ašaras. Kitais kartais - smagūs nutikimai. Šioje knygoje viskas vietoje ir laiku. Kiekvienas juokelis tvirtai įsipina į autoriaus audžiamą raštą ir tik pagyvina šią istoriją.

O kur dar Sveno dukterėčia Helga, verta atskirų pagyrų. Užsispyrusi, nusiteikusi viską padaryti taip, kaip jai norisi. Buvo gera Sveną matyti nebe vieną. Visą laiką skaitant to jam ir linkėjau: norėjau kad jo ramybė būtų pasirinkta, o ne aplinkybių nulemta.

Nuostabus romanas. Apie gamtą, jos galią, apie atšiaurų kraštą ir beribį žmogiškumą. Ir apie vienatvę, kuri gali būti pražūtinga, bet gali ir išgelbėti.

Leidyklos dovana.

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[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Round up to 1.5 stars for the dog storyline. The first 100 pages I was ready to bail, but The Book Passage recommended this book for the holidays and I wanted to stick it out. However, the endless rambling of a nonsensical nomad drove me nuts. I kept thinking that the story was going somewhere and I'd eventually get into the characters. The only ones I really cared about were the two dogs. The author's use of over-the-top vocabulary in the first three parts was really distracting. For example: "We laughed again together, and my face hurt. The scarified ridges of my postglacial visage were inflexible and did not like to be rerouted." This was basically saying he tried to smile. I think the author wore himself out by part four and the vocabulary had calmed down & wasn't as annoying. I read the author did a residency at the arctic circle & came upon a story of a nomad. I think he tried way too hard to invent a story of this guy's life & must have had a lot of time on his hands. The vocabulary of a man who lived a solitary life & did menial work just didn't add up for me.

[Livio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly pleasant read! Sven’s journey in the Arctic kept me hooked all the time. He comes across some unique and likable characters, and amazing places. Miller gives enough background on them so you understand their motives, why one chooses a life of isolation and manages to remain sane in such a harsh place. All this without sounding boring. I also enjoyed the different rivalries between Swedes, Norwegians, Finns, Russians and how they find a way live in harmony in the archipelago.

[Eve C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Unlike anything I’ve read before (although I don’t read too many “adventure” novels). The tone in which it was written was serious, yet calm, sometimes self-deprecating; wholly enjoyable. I was surprised by the unfolding of events - especially because I went into this thinking “where will we find the excitement in the Arctic, aside from hunting?” Very pleased to have read this book - I only wish it were longer!