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Dálvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra
Part memoir, part travelogue, this is the story of one woman's six years living in a reindeer-herding village in the Arctic Tundra, forging a life on her own as the only American among one of the most unknowable cultures on earth. An ancestry test suggesting she shared some DNA with the SÁmi people, the indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic tundra, tapped into Laura Galloway's wanderlust; an affair with a SÁmi reindeer herder ultimately led her to leave New York for the tiny town of Kautokeino, Norway. When her new boyfriend left her unexpectedly after six months, it would have been easy, and perhaps prudent, to return home. But she stayed for six years. DÁlvi is the story of Laura's time in a reindeer-herding village in the Arctic, forging a solitary existence as she struggled to learn the language and make her way in a remote community for which there were no guidebooks or manuals for how to fit in. Her time in the North opened her to a new world. And it brought something else as reconciliation and peace with the traumatic events that had previously defined her - the sudden death of her mother when she was three, a difficult childhood and her lifelong search for connection and a sense of home. Both a heart-rending memoir and a love letter to the singular landscape of the region, DÁlvi explores with great warmth and humility what it means to truly belong.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
March 7, 2021
I’m always drawn to stories involving some form of adventure or journey -whether that’s physical, or mental. So when I first heard about Dálvi -six years in the Arctic Tundra, my interest was immediately piqued.
Dálvi is an almost fable-esque memoir of writer and communications strategist Laura Galloway. Journeying her early, and often turbulent childhood, difficult family dynamics, a marital breakdown and one wholly fascinating, and unique experience living amongst the sámi community, in the tiny town of Kautokeino, Norway.
A mash up of ‘Eat Pray Love’ meets ‘Wild’ (though perhaps with a more likeable, or at least readable protagonist) Dálvi is an account of a young women’s longing for connection and sense of belonging, ultimately a place (physically and figuratively) to call home. Exploring feelings of loneliness, loss and heartache, but also redemption, hope and love.
What I enjoy most about reading this type of memoir ‘journey’ style genre is the opportunities it allows us, as the reader to experience too.
We are right there alongside Laura as she takes her first steps off the plane into the freezing arctic chill, or when she stumbles across such a array of interesting and eclectic characters whilst living in Kautokeino.
In terms of writing it’s simple and engaging, though her choice in metaphors can come across slightly cliché at times and certain passages swayed into a few off-topic tangents that I personally didn’t think necessary.
Nevertheless, this was a very charming tale, full of warmth, humour and sensitivity. Oh and plenty of furry feline, and canine friends -what’s more to love!
3.5 stars
Also no spoilers, but I personally would love to read a children’s book all about Boo the cat’s great adventures in the Arctic Tundra!
Dálvi is an almost fable-esque memoir of writer and communications strategist Laura Galloway. Journeying her early, and often turbulent childhood, difficult family dynamics, a marital breakdown and one wholly fascinating, and unique experience living amongst the sámi community, in the tiny town of Kautokeino, Norway.
A mash up of ‘Eat Pray Love’ meets ‘Wild’ (though perhaps with a more likeable, or at least readable protagonist) Dálvi is an account of a young women’s longing for connection and sense of belonging, ultimately a place (physically and figuratively) to call home. Exploring feelings of loneliness, loss and heartache, but also redemption, hope and love.
What I enjoy most about reading this type of memoir ‘journey’ style genre is the opportunities it allows us, as the reader to experience too.
We are right there alongside Laura as she takes her first steps off the plane into the freezing arctic chill, or when she stumbles across such a array of interesting and eclectic characters whilst living in Kautokeino.
In terms of writing it’s simple and engaging, though her choice in metaphors can come across slightly cliché at times and certain passages swayed into a few off-topic tangents that I personally didn’t think necessary.
Nevertheless, this was a very charming tale, full of warmth, humour and sensitivity. Oh and plenty of furry feline, and canine friends -what’s more to love!
3.5 stars
Also no spoilers, but I personally would love to read a children’s book all about Boo the cat’s great adventures in the Arctic Tundra!
July 9, 2021
I really enjoyed this audiobook feelt a little cozy at times. Part memoir, part travel log this follows Laura Galloway move to the artic tundra. It had a very compelling witting style and the narratier did a very good jobb. Was very interesting and fascinating at parts
February 5, 2022
Winter
Very fascinating live story!
Makes me want to take a DNA test. Got me curious to know in what part of the world my history lies.
Very fascinating live story!
Makes me want to take a DNA test. Got me curious to know in what part of the world my history lies.
June 18, 2021
The title is the word for winter in the Northern Sámi language. Galloway, a journalist, traded in New York City for Arctic Norway after a) a DNA test told her that she had Sámi blood and b) she met and fell for Áilu, a reindeer herder, at a wedding. She enrolled in an intensive language learning course at university level and got used to some major cultural changes: animals were co-workers here rather than pets (like the two cats she brought with her); communal meals and drawn-out goodbyes were not the done thing; and shamans were still active (one helped them find a key she lost). Footwear neatly sums up the difference. The Prada heels she brought “just in case” ended up serving as hammers; instead, she helped Áilu’s mother make reindeer skins into boots. Two factors undermined my enjoyment: Alternating chapters about her unhappy upbringing in Indiana don’t add much of interest, and, after her relationship with Áilu ends, the book feels aimless. However, I appreciated her words about DNA not defining you, and family being what you make it.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
October 31, 2024
The title of this was quite misleading.
Whilst Galloway refers to her time in the Northern territories of the Sami people, this book is far more about her childhood/previous relationships/current relationships/her thoughts and feelings regarding her unpleasant stepmother and her ex-husband. Although this is mildly interesting up to a point, it doesn't make for an unusual or vastly different memoir to anyone else. The selling point is the "oh and then I moved to northern Norway/Sweden to live in a Sami community for a while because I met a guy at a wedding there and acted on impulse"! This however isn't nearly as scintillating as you'd think it would be. Here's a summary of what I learned:-
Reindeer herders are a solitary bunch and (unsurprisingly) are gone for months at a time with their herd, thereby leaving little room for relationships
House cats should not be hauled across oceans at the whim of their horny owner to live in a frozen, barren landscape! They can get lost and take a while to find their way home (go figure) if their aforementioned owner decides to leave a window open when cleaning!
Learning a new language is difficult
Some people are horribly impulsive which can lead to shit life decisions!
Northern Europeans are far less whimsical and impulsive and take their shit seriously.
End of story.
2 stars and I'm being generous!
Whilst Galloway refers to her time in the Northern territories of the Sami people, this book is far more about her childhood/previous relationships/current relationships/her thoughts and feelings regarding her unpleasant stepmother and her ex-husband. Although this is mildly interesting up to a point, it doesn't make for an unusual or vastly different memoir to anyone else. The selling point is the "oh and then I moved to northern Norway/Sweden to live in a Sami community for a while because I met a guy at a wedding there and acted on impulse"! This however isn't nearly as scintillating as you'd think it would be. Here's a summary of what I learned:-
Reindeer herders are a solitary bunch and (unsurprisingly) are gone for months at a time with their herd, thereby leaving little room for relationships
House cats should not be hauled across oceans at the whim of their horny owner to live in a frozen, barren landscape! They can get lost and take a while to find their way home (go figure) if their aforementioned owner decides to leave a window open when cleaning!
Learning a new language is difficult
Some people are horribly impulsive which can lead to shit life decisions!
Northern Europeans are far less whimsical and impulsive and take their shit seriously.
End of story.
2 stars and I'm being generous!
April 7, 2021
If you’re a fan of Eat, Pray Love and Wild this is the book for you. Who hasn’t thought of ditching it all and running away to a remote place to start over? Well this author actually did it following a reindeer herder she meets at a wedding to the Arctic. Surrounding that story is a memoir of a painful coming of age including the loss of a parent at a young age. I inhaled this book in two days. I’m sure it will be optioned for a movie. It is so good.
April 19, 2022
Laura Galloway describes her life in the Sami village, in the very north of Norway. She moves from New York to begin a relationship with a reindeer herder and, although the relationship falls apart, Laura remains in Kautokeino, making friends and attempting to learn the Sami language. This book is also a bit of a memoir about Laura's childhood and life with a controlling, emotionally punishing step-mother and a distant father. It was a good read, but I especially loved the descriptions of Laura's life in Kautokeino.
May 30, 2022
It stories like this that make me not only glad that I’m a reader — but glad that I’m alive.
What a powerful and authentic narrative. I quite literally hung on every word.
Thank you, Laura, for sharing this with the world.
Go the Galloways!
What a powerful and authentic narrative. I quite literally hung on every word.
Thank you, Laura, for sharing this with the world.
Go the Galloways!
April 29, 2021
I am constantly drawn to cold places and remote settings. When these elements combine in a book, it is invariably added to the top of my to-read pile. Laura Galloway's memoir, Dálvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra, was no exception. I was particularly interested in this volume, as I found out relatively recently that a great deal of my maternal heritage is Scandinavian. I liked the parallels to the author; Galloway embarked upon her Arctic adventure when she discovered from an ancestry test that she shared DNA with the Sámi people, an indigenous group who call the Arctic tundra their home.
Her discovery 'tapped into Laura Galloway's wanderlust', and a subsequent relationship with a Sámi reindeer herder led her to leave her home in New York City for a tiny Norwegian Arctic reindeer-herding town named Kautokeino, which sits upon the Finnmark Plateau. Its population is less than three thousand people. Even after her relationship dissolved soon afterwards, she decided to stay in Norway for six years, living with her animals, and coming to terms with life on a new continent. Dálvi reflects upon her time here, 'as she struggled to learn the language and make her way in a remote community for which there were no guidebooks or manuals for how to fit in.'
Galloway's time in this new place 'opened her to a new world... [and] brought something else as well: reconciliation and peace with the traumatic events that had previously defined her', including her mother's sudden death when she was just three years old, a difficult relationship with her unfeeling stepmother, and a 'lifelong search for connection and a sense of home'. In her author's note, Galloway makes clear that Dálvi is a very personal and particular piece of writing, 'singularly a product of my urban, outsider lens and experiences in this particular culture, rather than an insider's view or perspective.'
From the very beginning, this is a searingly honest recollection. In her first chapter, Galloway reminisces about how difficult her life in New York had become: 'I was breaking open and falling apart, and to reveal this weakness and vulnerability to anyone might have caused me to die of shame. But the universe seemed to have plans for me, ones that would take me outside of everything I knew... This is a place where you have to be with yourself because there are no distractions. Only work and nature and time.' From this point onward, Galloway gives a lot of detail about her background, and the contributing factors which led her to make such a big move.
Her life begins to change when she visits northern Norway for a traditional wedding; here, she meets a Sámi reindeer herder named Áilu. She recalls: 'I was drawn to him, and he to me. Our conversations were simple and honest. We were both searching for something we hadn't found in the worlds we inhabited. Which couldn't be more different. Maybe this is what makes for a successful relationship, having nothing in common at the start, to be moved purely by feeling rather than intellect... We were both learning completely new worlds, and that seemed enough.' When she goes back to New York, the two correspond regularly on the Internet. She makes the snap decision to move to his hometown, and soon learns that there will be long periods of separation between the couple: '... this is what matters here. This is what it means to be with a reindeer herder; you are not just with the person, but the life and culture that come with it.'
The descriptions in the memoir are the highlight of Dálvi. Galloway writes, in quite gorgeous prose, of the endless, empty scenes around her: 'The land is vast, with sloping hills and great plains dotted with low papery silver birch and loamy tundra... It looks prehistoric, as if this was the way things might have been millions of years ago... In the summer, the landscape explodes with colour, made even more vibrant by the contrasts: brilliant blue skies, voluminous and low white clouds, and fields over fields of wildly growing stalks of purple horbma, the Sámi word for fireweed, and perky tansy flowers, their perfect yellow buttons saluting the sun. The land is resplendent and alive.' Of a trip to a local lake with Áilu, she writes: 'Other than the noises we have brought, the world is totally silent, vast and pristine. I feel the shell of city life slowly, slowly beginning to crack and loosen, giving way to the smallest glimmer of wonder and possibility, things that have been missing from my life longer than I had realized...'.
At first, I found the narrative of Dálvi engaging, but I did not enjoy the many chapters which were rooted in Galloway's childhood, or her early career. Some of the sections in which she writes about her early media career feel too long, and border on rambling. There is far less structure given to recollections of her past; they do not seem to follow a chronology for the mostpart, and sometimes feel muddled. Whilst it was, of course, important to learn where she came from, and what had caused her to make such a big change in her life, I felt that these sections were quite overdone. The writing, as well as the things which she recollects, is repetitive, and definitely detract from the whole. I do not feel as if Dálvihas been marketed quite as well as it could have been; I was expecting a memoir which focused almost solely upon life in the Arctic, and that is not what I feel I received.
I did find Dálvi interesting to read on the whole, particularly given Galloway's perspective on being in a very different community as an 'outsider'. The process of assimilation which she imparts, and which rarely goes smoothly, is fascinating. As one would expect, there is a lot of cultural information about the Sámi people throughout, as well as reflections about how they interact with one another, and with others. I also enjoyed the thoughtful commentary about the difficulties facing the Sámi people in the modern world - primarily climate change, but also the use of natural habitats to the likes of mines and wind farms, the threat of a new railway line bisecting the Arctic, and the involvement of the Norwegian government which is seen as rather strict, and 'dictates how many reindeer each owner can have in a herd'. There was not quite enough of this, though. Despite the positives, I do not feel as though this memoir is as successful as it could have been, and I did not enjoy it anywhere near as much as I expected I would.
Her discovery 'tapped into Laura Galloway's wanderlust', and a subsequent relationship with a Sámi reindeer herder led her to leave her home in New York City for a tiny Norwegian Arctic reindeer-herding town named Kautokeino, which sits upon the Finnmark Plateau. Its population is less than three thousand people. Even after her relationship dissolved soon afterwards, she decided to stay in Norway for six years, living with her animals, and coming to terms with life on a new continent. Dálvi reflects upon her time here, 'as she struggled to learn the language and make her way in a remote community for which there were no guidebooks or manuals for how to fit in.'
Galloway's time in this new place 'opened her to a new world... [and] brought something else as well: reconciliation and peace with the traumatic events that had previously defined her', including her mother's sudden death when she was just three years old, a difficult relationship with her unfeeling stepmother, and a 'lifelong search for connection and a sense of home'. In her author's note, Galloway makes clear that Dálvi is a very personal and particular piece of writing, 'singularly a product of my urban, outsider lens and experiences in this particular culture, rather than an insider's view or perspective.'
From the very beginning, this is a searingly honest recollection. In her first chapter, Galloway reminisces about how difficult her life in New York had become: 'I was breaking open and falling apart, and to reveal this weakness and vulnerability to anyone might have caused me to die of shame. But the universe seemed to have plans for me, ones that would take me outside of everything I knew... This is a place where you have to be with yourself because there are no distractions. Only work and nature and time.' From this point onward, Galloway gives a lot of detail about her background, and the contributing factors which led her to make such a big move.
Her life begins to change when she visits northern Norway for a traditional wedding; here, she meets a Sámi reindeer herder named Áilu. She recalls: 'I was drawn to him, and he to me. Our conversations were simple and honest. We were both searching for something we hadn't found in the worlds we inhabited. Which couldn't be more different. Maybe this is what makes for a successful relationship, having nothing in common at the start, to be moved purely by feeling rather than intellect... We were both learning completely new worlds, and that seemed enough.' When she goes back to New York, the two correspond regularly on the Internet. She makes the snap decision to move to his hometown, and soon learns that there will be long periods of separation between the couple: '... this is what matters here. This is what it means to be with a reindeer herder; you are not just with the person, but the life and culture that come with it.'
The descriptions in the memoir are the highlight of Dálvi. Galloway writes, in quite gorgeous prose, of the endless, empty scenes around her: 'The land is vast, with sloping hills and great plains dotted with low papery silver birch and loamy tundra... It looks prehistoric, as if this was the way things might have been millions of years ago... In the summer, the landscape explodes with colour, made even more vibrant by the contrasts: brilliant blue skies, voluminous and low white clouds, and fields over fields of wildly growing stalks of purple horbma, the Sámi word for fireweed, and perky tansy flowers, their perfect yellow buttons saluting the sun. The land is resplendent and alive.' Of a trip to a local lake with Áilu, she writes: 'Other than the noises we have brought, the world is totally silent, vast and pristine. I feel the shell of city life slowly, slowly beginning to crack and loosen, giving way to the smallest glimmer of wonder and possibility, things that have been missing from my life longer than I had realized...'.
At first, I found the narrative of Dálvi engaging, but I did not enjoy the many chapters which were rooted in Galloway's childhood, or her early career. Some of the sections in which she writes about her early media career feel too long, and border on rambling. There is far less structure given to recollections of her past; they do not seem to follow a chronology for the mostpart, and sometimes feel muddled. Whilst it was, of course, important to learn where she came from, and what had caused her to make such a big change in her life, I felt that these sections were quite overdone. The writing, as well as the things which she recollects, is repetitive, and definitely detract from the whole. I do not feel as if Dálvihas been marketed quite as well as it could have been; I was expecting a memoir which focused almost solely upon life in the Arctic, and that is not what I feel I received.
I did find Dálvi interesting to read on the whole, particularly given Galloway's perspective on being in a very different community as an 'outsider'. The process of assimilation which she imparts, and which rarely goes smoothly, is fascinating. As one would expect, there is a lot of cultural information about the Sámi people throughout, as well as reflections about how they interact with one another, and with others. I also enjoyed the thoughtful commentary about the difficulties facing the Sámi people in the modern world - primarily climate change, but also the use of natural habitats to the likes of mines and wind farms, the threat of a new railway line bisecting the Arctic, and the involvement of the Norwegian government which is seen as rather strict, and 'dictates how many reindeer each owner can have in a herd'. There was not quite enough of this, though. Despite the positives, I do not feel as though this memoir is as successful as it could have been, and I did not enjoy it anywhere near as much as I expected I would.
August 18, 2021
I was the first person to read this new release at my library, so I was excited by the new book feeling! I was intrigued by the premise as I am interested in Scandinavia and the Sami people, so thought this would be a good read. It was well written and easy to read, very conversational and engaging. The author lived in the Arctic for several years and the book is a memoir of her experiences as an outsider in an isolated land. It was really easy to picture the places and events, so the skill of the writer is clear. I liked the stories of her tundra experience best, as reading the details of her life pre-Arctic winters verged into 'Eat, Pray, Love' territory! It also at times reminded me of 'Wild', but I liked Laura and her story much more than either of those! It's a very specific genre, this self-help, meditation on life, running away to avoid things kind of writing, which doesn't really appeal to me, but this book was at least engaging enough to keep me reading despite that. I didn't find myself wanting to yell at Laura, or roll my eyes at her "journey" of "self-discovery". I do think it's a very specific style of writing, a very specific type of author, and a very targeted audience - and very American centric. (I have many thoughts on this theory!) However, the setting of Kautokeino, Norway, and the people Laura encounters, as well as her quality writing was more than adequate to keep me reading and I enjoyed the book a lot. I'd look for others of hers to read in the future.
September 21, 2021
I really enjoyed this, I felt like I learned a lot about life in the tundra and a lesser known indigenous community. Very readable and look at that cover.
January 22, 2022
Interesting
January 22, 2022
Prachtig verhaal over hoe Laura haar leven in New York inruilt voor een leven in het koude Noorwegen. Het boek is vlot geschreven en geeft een gedetailleerde weergave van haar leven in Noorwegen.
December 29, 2021
LOVELY read! I read this in 3 days, I love Laura her way of telling her story (connecting the past to the present). The story is immense, in a figurative and literal way. I will read again! Such a meaningful book full of life lessons and realisations!
March 24, 2021
Let it be clear this is a 4.5. I would give it 5 stars if it was well edited - which it isn't.
Wow, I loved this book.
I'm innately interested in the Arctic and rejoice in reading books set there, written by people who experienced it first-hand. And Laura had such fascinating experiences there I consider her one of the luckiest people alive (even though she really isn't).
Dálvi is an honest, authentic account of someone who leaves everything behind - except her cats - to move to one of the most solitary places in the world. It is as fascinating as it is heartbreaking. In this memoir, Laura shares the most raw, visceral memories with her readers. She is so incredibly brave for sharing certain aspects of her upbringing I can only hope it brought her some closure. And although this book reads like a memoir, you can't help but feel like you're reading a series of diary entries or letters - it feels as if the author is a friend confiding in you. Laura is not just telling you about her life in the Arctic - what it's like to live with reindeer herders and study the Sámi language; she's telling you about what brought her there and why, and about who she meets along the way, the people who shape her and bring meaning to her life. It's extremely upsetting to read about how abused she was a child by the people who were meant to care for her. And it's equally heartwarming to see her flourish into an independent woman and find support and friendship in so many people.
I found the balance between past memories and 'present' memories perfect. It was never jarring and even though her past contrasts so much with her present, there is a line of continuity that makes sense throughout the book. When I say it wasn't well edited, I mean there should have been some formatting between paragraphs that are about completely different things. I also found typos and at times there were unnecessary scenes that didn't add to the story in any way which should have been left out. Other than that, the writing is enjoyable albeit journalistic (which makes sense given the author's background).
I was hooked from page one and never wanted to put it down. I relate to this woman - to her overwhelming love for animals and nature, to her unconditional respect for the Arctic and its people and their culture, to her search for belonging. I would love to read more books by this author and hope she writes more about her adventures.
If you love reading memoirs, please add this one to your list. If you don't, don't read it. I think this is doomed to be an underappreciated book but I'm here to love it as I'm sure some will too.
Wow, I loved this book.
I'm innately interested in the Arctic and rejoice in reading books set there, written by people who experienced it first-hand. And Laura had such fascinating experiences there I consider her one of the luckiest people alive (even though she really isn't).
Dálvi is an honest, authentic account of someone who leaves everything behind - except her cats - to move to one of the most solitary places in the world. It is as fascinating as it is heartbreaking. In this memoir, Laura shares the most raw, visceral memories with her readers. She is so incredibly brave for sharing certain aspects of her upbringing I can only hope it brought her some closure. And although this book reads like a memoir, you can't help but feel like you're reading a series of diary entries or letters - it feels as if the author is a friend confiding in you. Laura is not just telling you about her life in the Arctic - what it's like to live with reindeer herders and study the Sámi language; she's telling you about what brought her there and why, and about who she meets along the way, the people who shape her and bring meaning to her life. It's extremely upsetting to read about how abused she was a child by the people who were meant to care for her. And it's equally heartwarming to see her flourish into an independent woman and find support and friendship in so many people.
I found the balance between past memories and 'present' memories perfect. It was never jarring and even though her past contrasts so much with her present, there is a line of continuity that makes sense throughout the book. When I say it wasn't well edited, I mean there should have been some formatting between paragraphs that are about completely different things. I also found typos and at times there were unnecessary scenes that didn't add to the story in any way which should have been left out. Other than that, the writing is enjoyable albeit journalistic (which makes sense given the author's background).
I was hooked from page one and never wanted to put it down. I relate to this woman - to her overwhelming love for animals and nature, to her unconditional respect for the Arctic and its people and their culture, to her search for belonging. I would love to read more books by this author and hope she writes more about her adventures.
If you love reading memoirs, please add this one to your list. If you don't, don't read it. I think this is doomed to be an underappreciated book but I'm here to love it as I'm sure some will too.
December 27, 2021
Samenvatting:
In "Winter" verteld Laura Galloway over haar tijd en reis in Noorwegen. Ze is geboren in Amerika en laat New York achter om te vertrekken naar een koud en klein stadje, dat doe je niet zomaar.
Laura deed een DNA test en hieruit kwam dat ze genen deelde met de Sámi-bevolking in Noorwegen. Ze vertrekt naar een rendierdorp en leert hier de gebruiken van de bevolking kennen.
Het boek bestaat uit verhalen over haar jeugd, haar volwassen leven in New York en haar tijd in Noorwegen. Het is namelijk zo dat Laura een zware jeugd heeft gehad, die invloed heeft op haar volwassen bestaan.
De moeder van Laura overleed toen zij nog maar een jong meisje was. Haar vader heeft uiteindelijk een nieuwe vrouw gevonden, haar stiefmoeder. Echter had ze geen goede connectie met haar stiefmoeder en wordt deze vrouw als lichtelijk gestoord neergezet in het boek. Iedereen in het gezin moest haar accepteren, maar andersom was er geen acceptatie. Het is zelfs zo dat Laura iedereen, behalve haar vader, kwijtgeraakt is door haar stiefmoeder. Iedereen moest letterlijk het huis uit.
Naast dat Laura iedereen is kwijtgeraakt waar ze veel van hield, lag ze vaak in conflict met haar stiefmoeder. Geld hadden haar vader en stiefmoeder genoeg, echter kreeg Laura vrijwel nooit iets en werd er niet betaald voor de opleiding die zij had uitgekozen. Op jonge leeftijd is ze op zoek gegaan naar een baantje om zelf dingen te kunnen kopen en probeerde ze haar stiefmoeder zoveel mogelijk te ontwijken. Dit is slechts een klein inzicht van hoe Laura haar jeugd is geweest en toont wel aan dat dit niet ideaal was.
Door wat ze in haar jeugd heeft meegemaakt is Laura altijd wel voorzichtiger naar anderen toe. Ze heeft wat meer moeite met anderen te vertrouwen. Ze heeft altijd het gevoel van thuis en familie gemist en besluit daarom, na het DNA onderzoek, het stadje Kautokeino te gaan bezoeken. Ze weet niet wat ze gaat aantreffen, maar ze staat er voor open.
In Noorwegen vind ze haar partner. Ze trekken bij elkaar in en via hem leert ze veel van de gebruiken van de Sámi-bevolking kennen. Ze maakt nieuwe vriendschappen en begint het familiegevoel te ontvangen. Echter, na 6 maanden, wordt de relatie verbroken. Ondanks dat haar relatie is verbroken en ze daardoor de meeste vrienden is kwijtgeraakt, besluit Laura om te blijven. Ze is er nog niet klaar voor om terug naar 'huis' te gaan. Ze wil meer weten over het mooie Noorwegen en haar gebruiken. Wederom staat ze er in Noorwegen alleen voor, moet ze weer nieuwe vrienden maken en beleefd ze wonderbaarlijke momenten.
--
Té geromantiseerd
"Winter" is een biografie van Laura Galloway. Ze schrijft over haar jeugd en over haar tijd in Noorwegen. De cover en achterflap doen echter aanvoelen alsof dit een roman is en dat het een heel mooi en hartverwarmend verhaal is. Dit is echter absoluut niet het geval!
Het jeugdverhaal van Laura is enorm triest. Hierdoor krijg je wel gemakkelijk medelijden met haar en snap je waarom ze bepaalde keuzes in haar leven maakt. Hier begint echter al waarom het geen heerlijk verhaal is. Ik hoopte, na het lezen over Laura's jeugd, dat ze een heerlijke tijd tegemoet zou gaan in Noorwegen en daar geweldige dingen zou meemaken. Maar helaas, daarin werd ik teleurgesteld.
Haar tijd in Noorwegen gaat met name over Laura die zichzelf beter leert kennen. Het is een hele interessante reis en ze beschrijft de omgeving op een fantastische manier, maar het "Zes jaar tussen de rendieren" zoals de subtitel doet benoemen, klopt absoluut niet. Het grootste gedeelte van haar periode in Noorwegen gaat over hoe moeilijk ze het daar heeft. Hoe eenzaam ze er is en hoe ze haar best moet doen om haar hoofd boven water te houden.
Op de cover staat ook "Een liefdesbrief aan een uniek en prachtig landschap", daar pakt Laura zeker wel punten mee. De manier van hoe zij Noorwegen beschrijft maakt het dat ik - als absoluut geen sneeuw en kou liefhebber - graag Noorwegen eens zou willen bezoeken. De natuuromschrijvingen klinken prachtig en de informatie die je krijgt over de Sámi-bevolking is erg interessant. Echter komen deze beschrijvingen minimaal voor.
Het grootste gedeelte gaat dus over Laura en haar innerlijke dialogen. Het is interessant om te lezen waar Laura tegenaan loopt, waar ze over nadenkt en welke keuzes ze maakt, met name doordat je weet hoe lastig haar jeugd is geweest. Dit is echter absoluut niet wat ik had verwacht van het verhaal en dat maakt het dat ik teleurgesteld ben. Ondanks dat de informatie die Laura deelt indrukwekkend is, heeft haar verhaal mij niet enorm weten te raken.
In "Winter" verteld Laura Galloway over haar tijd en reis in Noorwegen. Ze is geboren in Amerika en laat New York achter om te vertrekken naar een koud en klein stadje, dat doe je niet zomaar.
Laura deed een DNA test en hieruit kwam dat ze genen deelde met de Sámi-bevolking in Noorwegen. Ze vertrekt naar een rendierdorp en leert hier de gebruiken van de bevolking kennen.
Het boek bestaat uit verhalen over haar jeugd, haar volwassen leven in New York en haar tijd in Noorwegen. Het is namelijk zo dat Laura een zware jeugd heeft gehad, die invloed heeft op haar volwassen bestaan.
De moeder van Laura overleed toen zij nog maar een jong meisje was. Haar vader heeft uiteindelijk een nieuwe vrouw gevonden, haar stiefmoeder. Echter had ze geen goede connectie met haar stiefmoeder en wordt deze vrouw als lichtelijk gestoord neergezet in het boek. Iedereen in het gezin moest haar accepteren, maar andersom was er geen acceptatie. Het is zelfs zo dat Laura iedereen, behalve haar vader, kwijtgeraakt is door haar stiefmoeder. Iedereen moest letterlijk het huis uit.
Naast dat Laura iedereen is kwijtgeraakt waar ze veel van hield, lag ze vaak in conflict met haar stiefmoeder. Geld hadden haar vader en stiefmoeder genoeg, echter kreeg Laura vrijwel nooit iets en werd er niet betaald voor de opleiding die zij had uitgekozen. Op jonge leeftijd is ze op zoek gegaan naar een baantje om zelf dingen te kunnen kopen en probeerde ze haar stiefmoeder zoveel mogelijk te ontwijken. Dit is slechts een klein inzicht van hoe Laura haar jeugd is geweest en toont wel aan dat dit niet ideaal was.
Door wat ze in haar jeugd heeft meegemaakt is Laura altijd wel voorzichtiger naar anderen toe. Ze heeft wat meer moeite met anderen te vertrouwen. Ze heeft altijd het gevoel van thuis en familie gemist en besluit daarom, na het DNA onderzoek, het stadje Kautokeino te gaan bezoeken. Ze weet niet wat ze gaat aantreffen, maar ze staat er voor open.
In Noorwegen vind ze haar partner. Ze trekken bij elkaar in en via hem leert ze veel van de gebruiken van de Sámi-bevolking kennen. Ze maakt nieuwe vriendschappen en begint het familiegevoel te ontvangen. Echter, na 6 maanden, wordt de relatie verbroken. Ondanks dat haar relatie is verbroken en ze daardoor de meeste vrienden is kwijtgeraakt, besluit Laura om te blijven. Ze is er nog niet klaar voor om terug naar 'huis' te gaan. Ze wil meer weten over het mooie Noorwegen en haar gebruiken. Wederom staat ze er in Noorwegen alleen voor, moet ze weer nieuwe vrienden maken en beleefd ze wonderbaarlijke momenten.
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Té geromantiseerd
"Winter" is een biografie van Laura Galloway. Ze schrijft over haar jeugd en over haar tijd in Noorwegen. De cover en achterflap doen echter aanvoelen alsof dit een roman is en dat het een heel mooi en hartverwarmend verhaal is. Dit is echter absoluut niet het geval!
Het jeugdverhaal van Laura is enorm triest. Hierdoor krijg je wel gemakkelijk medelijden met haar en snap je waarom ze bepaalde keuzes in haar leven maakt. Hier begint echter al waarom het geen heerlijk verhaal is. Ik hoopte, na het lezen over Laura's jeugd, dat ze een heerlijke tijd tegemoet zou gaan in Noorwegen en daar geweldige dingen zou meemaken. Maar helaas, daarin werd ik teleurgesteld.
Haar tijd in Noorwegen gaat met name over Laura die zichzelf beter leert kennen. Het is een hele interessante reis en ze beschrijft de omgeving op een fantastische manier, maar het "Zes jaar tussen de rendieren" zoals de subtitel doet benoemen, klopt absoluut niet. Het grootste gedeelte van haar periode in Noorwegen gaat over hoe moeilijk ze het daar heeft. Hoe eenzaam ze er is en hoe ze haar best moet doen om haar hoofd boven water te houden.
Op de cover staat ook "Een liefdesbrief aan een uniek en prachtig landschap", daar pakt Laura zeker wel punten mee. De manier van hoe zij Noorwegen beschrijft maakt het dat ik - als absoluut geen sneeuw en kou liefhebber - graag Noorwegen eens zou willen bezoeken. De natuuromschrijvingen klinken prachtig en de informatie die je krijgt over de Sámi-bevolking is erg interessant. Echter komen deze beschrijvingen minimaal voor.
Het grootste gedeelte gaat dus over Laura en haar innerlijke dialogen. Het is interessant om te lezen waar Laura tegenaan loopt, waar ze over nadenkt en welke keuzes ze maakt, met name doordat je weet hoe lastig haar jeugd is geweest. Dit is echter absoluut niet wat ik had verwacht van het verhaal en dat maakt het dat ik teleurgesteld ben. Ondanks dat de informatie die Laura deelt indrukwekkend is, heeft haar verhaal mij niet enorm weten te raken.
July 11, 2022
Dálvi is a reflective memoir and travelogue about finding happiness and a sense of belonging. Laura Galloway's detailed and vivid writing allows readers to feel engaged and go along the journey with her.
Laura was living a normal life in New York and then an ancestry test changed everything. After receiving the results, she learns that she shares DNA with Sámi people and is determined to learn more about their culture. She packs her bags and heads to the Arctic to follow a reindeer herder, Áilu, and feel a connection to her ancestors.
Kautokeino, Norway is nothing like New York. It's a simple and peaceful place that is about love, loyalty, respect, animals, and hard work. Laura learns to find beauty in the simplicity of everything. No more worrying about the next post or latest drama.
I have to applaud Laura for her bravery and boldness. Picking up everything to live in a foreign land is scary but she dove right in. And it isn't just a place to find adventure. After she describes her childhood, you see how much she has always felt like the oddball out. Maybe this journey will help her find the one thing she has always wanted; to feel like she belonged.
I give Dálvi 4 stars. The author takes us on a journey and emphasizes the importance of self-discovery. Sometimes, our lives can be hectic and it feels like we are just going through the motions. Laura felt that and could have lived a life that was easy and complacent but she chose to get out of her comfort zone hoping the end game would give her the answers. And in her case it did. She learned that you don't just have to share a name or be from the same background to belong. Her acceptance was the ultimate goal and she achieved it. The book left me feeling hopeful and inspired.
Laura was living a normal life in New York and then an ancestry test changed everything. After receiving the results, she learns that she shares DNA with Sámi people and is determined to learn more about their culture. She packs her bags and heads to the Arctic to follow a reindeer herder, Áilu, and feel a connection to her ancestors.
Kautokeino, Norway is nothing like New York. It's a simple and peaceful place that is about love, loyalty, respect, animals, and hard work. Laura learns to find beauty in the simplicity of everything. No more worrying about the next post or latest drama.
I have to applaud Laura for her bravery and boldness. Picking up everything to live in a foreign land is scary but she dove right in. And it isn't just a place to find adventure. After she describes her childhood, you see how much she has always felt like the oddball out. Maybe this journey will help her find the one thing she has always wanted; to feel like she belonged.
I give Dálvi 4 stars. The author takes us on a journey and emphasizes the importance of self-discovery. Sometimes, our lives can be hectic and it feels like we are just going through the motions. Laura felt that and could have lived a life that was easy and complacent but she chose to get out of her comfort zone hoping the end game would give her the answers. And in her case it did. She learned that you don't just have to share a name or be from the same background to belong. Her acceptance was the ultimate goal and she achieved it. The book left me feeling hopeful and inspired.
January 27, 2022
Laura Galloway is an American who due to a DNA test believes that she has Sami roots. This leads her to travel to Norway to investigate. While she is there she meets a reindeer herder and eventually ends up leaving her life in New York to live with him in the Arctic.
But it isn't an easy existence and Galloway has had adversity in her upbringing as her mother died when she was 3 years old and her step-mother wasn't very supportive. Unfortunately her elder sister also passes away when she is in her 20s.
I thought that Galloway showed incredible resilience in her life choices and determination although she does suffer setbacks, including when her boyfriend breaks up with her.
It was certainly a crash course in Sami culture.
Galloway is a real softie when it comes to animals. In part, because she takes her two cats with her when she moves from America to Norway. Plus she also acquires two dogs as well. As well as an additional dog that favours her when he isn't involved in reindeer herding.
An utterly moving read that I feel most grateful to have been fortunate enough to receive a review copy.
But it isn't an easy existence and Galloway has had adversity in her upbringing as her mother died when she was 3 years old and her step-mother wasn't very supportive. Unfortunately her elder sister also passes away when she is in her 20s.
I thought that Galloway showed incredible resilience in her life choices and determination although she does suffer setbacks, including when her boyfriend breaks up with her.
It was certainly a crash course in Sami culture.
Galloway is a real softie when it comes to animals. In part, because she takes her two cats with her when she moves from America to Norway. Plus she also acquires two dogs as well. As well as an additional dog that favours her when he isn't involved in reindeer herding.
An utterly moving read that I feel most grateful to have been fortunate enough to receive a review copy.
December 7, 2023
I wanted to like this much more than I did. I loved the concept - following the author's extended stay in the Arctic Tundra. I was interested to learn about her childhood and some of her experiences leading up to her time here. But ultimately the balance of this book was off for me - she devoted a lot of time talking about things that didn't particularly interest me (a lot of career talk), and not near enough talking about the things that might have done. The Arctic Tundra didn't get enough attention by far for my liking. Sometimes I wonder how much she actually experienced of it, and how much she just sat inside on her laptop writing about being there! And by the end I'd started to not particularly like Galloway that much - which can happen sometimes when reading non-fiction, and it's a shame when it does.
October 15, 2021
This book is part memoir, travelogue and self-help!
Such an inspiring story about a woman making a life in a place that is totally different to her normal life! The toils and tribulations that lead her to making this life changing alteration are at times quite sad, but also real. A heartbreaking childhood has lead to a rewarding and intriguing adulthood. This book is part memoir, travelogue and self-help!
Such an inspiring story about a woman making a life in a place that is totally different to her normal life! The toils and tribulations that lead her to making this life changing alteration are at times quite sad, but also real. A heartbreaking childhood has lead to a rewarding and intriguing adulthood. This book is part memoir, travelogue and self-help!
August 1, 2022
A book that on first glance is so outside of my experience; but that speaks to the core of forging your own way and your own home. My metric for how much I love a book is who I am desperate to share it with after and I have sent pictures of lines in the book to a really varied group of friends. Am desperate to talk about it and so curious as to how long I might have lasted. And any chapter that begins with “the first rule of dating a reindeer herder” is a winner.
August 10, 2022
3.5/5
A cute and readable journey into the Arctic landscapes of northern Norway. I love a book about different cultures meeting, and in this one the American narrator ends up living with the Sami people in Norway, and misunderstandings, friendships and chaos are sure to ensue.
The author’s initial reason for moving is a little far-fetched, which she also acknowledges in the book, but overall this was a fun one to listen and immerse myself into (especially during the warm summer!).
A cute and readable journey into the Arctic landscapes of northern Norway. I love a book about different cultures meeting, and in this one the American narrator ends up living with the Sami people in Norway, and misunderstandings, friendships and chaos are sure to ensue.
The author’s initial reason for moving is a little far-fetched, which she also acknowledges in the book, but overall this was a fun one to listen and immerse myself into (especially during the warm summer!).
October 17, 2023
In the beginning of the book I was very annoyed with the author, but as soon as the focus was less on her previous life, it got better. I wish we learned a little more about the Sami and a little less about her obsession with her pets, but it was a nice, quick read. I understand an explanation of the past is needed to understand her why, but it was too much & unfocused. I think the book would have overall been more enjoyable if it was just about her Arctic adventures.
December 26, 2021
Fun book to read, it's interesting and definitely moving at times, but this would have benefited SO much from better (copy)editing. There are names spelt differently on the same page, unfinished sentences, and sentences that don't make sense. It made for a bit of a messy reading experience. Hopefully, it gets a second print run so that some bits can be corrected.
July 3, 2023
Slecht vertaald en de innerlijke roerselen
en de jeugdervaringen van de schrijfster namen teveel pagina's in beslag ten koste van het verhaal over de Sami
en de jeugdervaringen van de schrijfster namen teveel pagina's in beslag ten koste van het verhaal over de Sami
June 30, 2025
A New York woman goes to Norwegian land of Sami people & what happens next. Relationship that has evolved online does not work out, the cultures of America and Sami people are so far from each other that there is hardly anything in common. When the reindeerherder leaves Laura stays and slowly slowly discovers what this place is about. Her life is very hard and it made me very happy when she found friends. And even happier when she found a manfriend in London. Hurray!
July 15, 2023
Dalvi is the story of Laura’s six years in a reindeer herding village in the Arctic. An affair with a Sami reindeer herder leads her to leave New York for the tiny town of Kautokeino, Norway. When her reindeer herding boyfriend leaves her unexpectedly after six months, she decides to stay. Through the book she shares the pain and struggle of life growing up in a family that was less than ideal, but she comes to peace with it all. Her love to for people, animals, and nature is evident. The writing is superb, clearly her time with the LA Times served her well. This is a really good book.
January 22, 2024
While the material on life in a Sami town is interesting- I found the chapters reflecting on her childhood and how it impacted her as an adult the most interesting. Would have been four stars but I found most of the last third of the book got tedious with way too much focus on her cats and dogs.
April 16, 2021
Engaging, well written, thoughtful, and enthralling; I found myself reading this book nearly nonstop! Laura’s life experiences and self development are arresting and thought provoking- highly recommend!
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