Description

A young man known only as the Boy sets out through Iceland’s snow and storms with Jens, the local postman. It is April, but winter still holds on. Jens has just recovered from a storm that left him frozen in his saddle.

The Boy has faced such a journey before. Grief drove him across snowy mountains after his best friend died. He went to return a book linked to that death. His friend, a gentle fisherman, remains part of the story’s past. Now the Boy travels with a companion rather than alone. The dangers they face lead him to learn about himself. With death so close, he comes to value life more.

This novel by Jón Kalman Stefánsson is the second part of an Icelandic trilogy. It explores grief, companionship, and self-discovery through a harsh journey. Magda Răduţă translated this edition from French.