Disa and her son, Sindri, are escaping for their lives from their family home in Norway. Disa has committed a bloody act of revenge: stabbing her brother’s murderer. If caught, Disa will be killed. As she desperately seeks out safe passage to another brother’s home in Iceland, we begin to learn the childhood story of Disa and her brothers, and we discover what eventually leads to the brutal family betrayal and killing.
Disa’s love for her brothers, husband and son provides the taut thread that makes this story so gripping and heartbreaking. Disa is, at different points in the novel, a heroine and a monster but she is a strong, fearless woman whose compass is love. Her 12-year-old son, Sindri, provides the soft and innocent balm the story needs to keep it readable. The introduction of Christianity to Norway in the 10th century adds an interesting dimension and allows a counterpoint to the brutal and often senseless killings.
This saga of revenge, love and destiny set in the haunting landscapes of Norway and Iceland held me captivated. The novel is based on a woman from Viking times and it added to my enjoyment knowing this is based on a real character.
If you enjoy historical fiction you will enjoy The Sorrow Stone. If you enjoyed Burial Rites by Hannah Kent then this is the book for you. The writing style is very different to Burial Rites but the short, sharp sentences add to the atmosphere and the constant tension of this highly recommended novel.
Reviewed by Nicola Skinstad
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kári Gíslason is a writer and an academic who lectures in Creative Writing at QUT. Kári was awarded a doctorate in 2003 for his thesis on medieval Icelandic literature.
His first book, The Promise of Iceland, told the story of return journeys he’s made to his birthplace. His second book was the novel The Ash Burner. He is also the co-author, with Richard Fidler, of Saga Land: The island of stories at the edge of the world, which won the Indie Book Award for Non-Fiction in 2018.
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