Play Book Tag discussion

The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting - 4.5* - My Review

Set in the remote Norwegian village of Butangen in 1880, The Bell in the Lake is the first book Lars Mytting's Sister Bells trilogy. The story begins with the arrival of Kai Schweigaard, an ambitious new pastor who wants to modernize the village. For example, he wants to change burial rites and build a new larger church but faces resistance from the villagers who value their traditional ways. He decides to sell their ancient stave church to be reconstructed in Dresden. A German architecture student, Gerhard Schönauer, arrives to make detailed drawings, and accompany the deconstructed components back to Germany. Both Gerhard and Kai are attracted to Astrid Hekne, a twenty-year-old descendant of the family whose conjoined twins gave the church’s bells their names.

The narrative combines elements of Norwegian myths and Christianity. The villagers attend Christian services but retain many of the old superstitions. Major themes include tradition versus modernity, superstition versus religion, the desire for freedom versus duty to community, and the harshness of rural life in 19th-century Norway. Mytting's writing is vivid. He incorporates Norwegian myths with just a touch of magical realism, but not so much as to distract from the human drama. He is particularly adept at portraying the “new guy” who wants to impose changes, not realizing some of the reasons for the existing habits. For example, wants the villagers to observe the Sabbath every Sunday, even during harvest time, but Sunday is the only day available to the tenant farmers to bring in their own crops after working the farms of their employers. He does not realize the level of poverty some of the villagers are experiencing, even having to borrow shoes and skirts to attend church.

It is a cinematic story that transports the reader to Norway’s land of frozen lakes and snow-covered hills. I read the English translation by Deborah Dawkin, which is simply wonderful. This is an exceptional historical fiction with a compelling narrative about a community on the cusp of change. Recommended to those who appreciate historical fiction with depth, atmospheric settings, and complex characters. I can't quite call it a favorite, but it's close.

4.5

How fun to see he has reached audience in the US, not often I see Norwegian authors being read here except for crime novels. I recommend ‘Svøm med dem som drukner’, with the English title ‘The Sixteen Trees of the Somme’, it’s wonderful. (A direct translation would be ‘Swim with those who drowns’).

Thank you for the recommendation! I will take a look. I enjoy reading authors from around the world.

Hilde, it does sound good! I've added it. Also added book 2 in the Sister Bells trilogy.

Hope you like it :)