Perfect atmospheric read for a cold autumn evening in front of the fire. Not my usual choice in genre but I really enjoyed it!

Strangely haunting, melancholic and yet tenderly hopeful : Backwater Norway, circa 1880

This is a beautiful read for the darkening season. Although there are certainly elements of the somewhat inexplicable, even macabre, this is firmly enough rooted in time and place to not be a classic ‘ghost story’

Set in a small rural backwater around 1880, this has the feel of a much much earlier time – and is explained, the hamlet, being decades behind the times compared to the region, which is substantially more behind the times than Norway as a whole, which lags hugely behind other parts of Europe – particularly Germany, from whence comes one of the three central characters, whose complex relationships with each other, and with the isolated community as a whole, are explored.

Carefully trying to avoid any spoilers, the three people deeply and transformatively connecting with each other, are a young woman, eldest daughter of the influential Hekne family, a charismatic pastor with a mission to comfort, advance, educate and develop his flock out of the somewhat uneasy compromise between Christianity and the earlier, more pagan religion it replaced, and an architect/artist from Dresden, representing the ‘modern’ world and the potential catalyst for the idealistic pastor to bring about the improvements he wishes to make to the comfort, health and wellbeing of his community.

Mytting beautifully creates his world. This is by all accounts book 1 of a trilogy. I had no sense of it being anything but a stand alone book as I was reading, and couldn’t imagine how the story might be continued – until the very end, when, suddenly and satisfyingly, the ‘of course’ stories to be told suggested themselves. I shall be eager to go on!

This was one of those wonderful books that absolutely sends the reader to want to delve more into understanding Norway’s earlier, spiritual and religious history, and the fascinating architecture of those wooden stave churches

A word to those with strong imaginations. There is quite a lot of detail about surgical procedures, which had me whimpering somewhat. The detail is understandably graphic, but absolutely not gratuitous

My only criticism lies with certain aspects of translation – and may in fact be something which is just a problem with the digital ARC – the translator leaves some words in the original Norwegian. Though this is understandable, in the main I assume these are somewhat archaic, local namings of things, and no doubt a Norwegian reader could easily look the words up in a dictionary, or might know them, an English reader would benefit from a glossary of terms at the beginning of the book.

The bell in the lake is instantly readable and accessible and it immediately drew me into a darkly atmospheric, other-worldly Nordic world so full of myth and magic that even now, days after I finished reading, it’s magical aura still remains with me like an elusive Scandinavian dream.

I usually avoid novels that are described as ‘lyrical’ because I feel that they will prove to be slightly pretentious, but The Bell in the Lake somehow manages to combine beautiful prose with down to earth simplicity and still remains a proper good read. I thoroughly appreciated the skill of the English translation - especially the slightly regional Yorkshire dialogue that the villagers use from time to time!

All in all, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something fresh to read and I was delighted to discover that it is the first of a trilogy - roll on volume two.

Many thanks to Quercus Books, to Lars Mytting and Deborah Dawkin and to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this lovely book.

A devastating and moving story of love, faith and loss. I'll admit it took me a while to get into the rhythm of this book but I'm glad I persevered. The ending was both satisfying and devastating at the same time.
I was really interested in the historical aspects of the tale with the stave churches and the culture surrounding them. It's definitely worth looking for images of them online!

Lars Mytting’s The Bell in the Lake, is the first instalment in a projected trilogy, now available in an English translation by Deborah Dawkin. The novel opens in 1880 in the Norwegian village of Butangen, where young and ambitious Kai Schweigaard has just been appointed pastor. Butangen is described as being “twenty years behind its neighbouring villages, which were thirty years behind Norway’s towns and cities, which were fifty years behind the rest of Europe”. Butangen’s richest possession is an 700-year old wooden stave church, decorated with motifs which harken back to pagan beliefs. Schweigaard knows that the church is uncomfortable and cold, and no longer meets the needs of his parishioners. He plans to build a new church replacing the old. It helps that there are Germans interested in medieval history who are keen on buying the old stave church and relocating it to Dresden.

Astrid Hekne, daughter of a once-distinguished farming family, is resistant to the project. The two bells in the church tower were paid for and forged by Astrid’s ancestor three centuries before, in memory of conjoined twins Halfrid and Gunhild Hekne, and their mother who died in childbirth. The bells are reputed to be magical, ringing of their own accord whenever some calamity threatens the community. As Astrid tries to save the bells and keep them in Butangen, she is also drawn into a love-triangle between Pastor Schweigaard and Gerhard Schönauer, the young German artist and architect tasked with overseeing the relocation project.

The Bell in the Lake is quite old-fashioned in its narrative style. Which is no bad thing. Mytting tells a story about the trials and tribulations of a small farming village but manages to turn it into an epic tale, with larger-than life characters torn by violent emotions. There is also, throughout, a strong element of magic. The villagers are portrayed as still believing in superstitions of old, but it is suggested that there is certainly some truth to their beliefs. The novel remains rooted in realism, but the supernatural elements give it a mythical twist and suggest a more timeless metaphysical backdrop to the personal stories of the characters. There’s almost a hint of Thomas Hardy in the portrayal of the hardy villagers whose domestic joys or (more often than not) tragedies bear the weight of history and play out against the timeless cycle of seasons. The vernacular of the villagers is difficult to translate into English, but Deborah Dawkin does a good job of conveying this through the creation of an archaic-sounding dialect which is used when they speak.

In the concluding Author’s Note, Mytting refers to legends narrated in the areas around Vekkom, Tromsnes, Brekkom and Dovre, which served as the inspiration for the tale of the sisters and the church bells. The relocation of the stave church is also rooted in reality – in 1842, such a church was, in fact dismantled and rebuilt in a part of Poland which was then under Prussian rule. The novel has, in fact, an aura of authenticity which adds to its enjoyment.

Despite being the first instalment of a trilogy, The Bell in the Lake may be enjoyed as a standalone novel because it gives adequate closure, whilst leaving enough loose ends to justify a sequel. I understand that the second volume has already been published in Norwegian, with plans for an English translation to follow. It finds in yours truly, an eagerly awaiting reader.

I found the opening a little slow and confusing but I'm glad I stuck with it. As soon as the book got going, I found it intriguing and difficult to put down. The three main characters are well-drawn - Astrid, Kai and Gerhard - and I was drawn into the story of their relationships, caring for all of them and wanting them all to get want they wanted, even though this was impossible. Others have gone over the details of the story, so I won't repeat that.

The descriptions, of the stave church, the lake, the streams and the surrounding areas, are wonderful. The snow and ice in the winter felt so real, I shivered. The language used to convey the Butangen dialect is extremely well done, being both evocative of the differences between the local and national Norwegian, yet also easy to read and understand.

This is a wonderful book, sad much of the time, but glorious for all that.

In a remote rural village in 1880s’ Norway, Astrid Henke dreams of a better life. The new pastor, Kai Schweigaard, intends to sweep away old superstitions by selling the stave church, complete with its carved pagan deities. The church will be dismantled stone by stone, to be rebuilt in Germany. When architect, Gerhard Schönauer, is sent to oversee the work, Astrid is torn between the two men.

The Bell in the Lake, translated by Deborah Dawkin, is the first in a trilogy, and progresses at a stately pace. Mytting’s writing is closely observant, and lyrical.

My thanks to NetGalley and MacLehose Press for the ARC.

I'm not going to lie, I found this book difficult in places due to the translation from Norwegian into English. Possibly because this is the start of the first trilogy translated into English by a Norwegian author. Despite this, the writing and the characters make it more than worth it to plough through some of the language.
It's a tale of survival, folk lore, family and love. About keeping history alive by acknowledging the importance of the Stave churches, but moving to the future with a female protagonist who questions the old beliefs. Astrid Hekne is headstrong, and willing to question to the norm. She doesn't have it easy, but there isn't a moment in the novel when you feel sorry her; she doesn't need or welcome sympathy.
Astrid is joined by two other main characters; Pastor Kai Schweigaard and Gerhard Schoenauer. At first they seem like very different men. By the end of the book, both the reader and Astrid realise they are more similar than they ever could have know. Fuelled by love, the will to try and make a difference and the appreciation of beauty and truth.
Mytting's writing is descriptive enough for you to feel the coolness of the wind and feel the carvings of the wooden church, with enough dialogue to build strong character relationships. I am so glad I didn't let the lapses in translation put me off finishing this book. It's one I'll be thinking about, and waiting for the rest of the trilogy to be released.

I was sent a copy of The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting to read and review by NetGalley. This is quite an extraordinary book! I was totally transported to the small, isolated village of Butangen in Norway in 1880, with an atmosphere and a way of life so different to my own. The characters come alive and the Stave churches and old customs conjure up vivid images throughout the book. It is a novel that is part love story, part obsession and one that is based on local Norwegian legend. The only reason that I didn’t give it the maximum 5 stars is that at times there were somewhat ‘dry’ moments, which could of course be down to translation. I will certainly be looking out for the next book in the trilogy.

Intriguing and atmospheric, this novel had me gripped from the very start. I loved the exploration of local folklores and history and I found myself completely wrapped up in the story.

A strange book, not really my type but I persevered to the end. Interesting in parts as I am sure that there were parts of Sweden/Finland that matched the descriptions well. A community that is cut off from the rest of the country for six months of the year inevitably leads to strange habits and customs. The church sounds wonderful from the description and one I would like to have seen. The bells must have been magnificent and clearly had a life of their own.

The Hekne family have lived in Butangen, an isolated village in the northernmost part of Norway, for centuries. Local legend tells the tale of a pair of conjoined twin sisters, daughters of Eirik, who died and were commemorated by the creation of a pair of bells. These bells have hung in the church at Butangen for many years.
Astrid Hekne lives in Butangen in the late 19th century. Life is hard. She worked for the new pastor, Kai Schweigaard, until his housekeeper suspected they were becoming too friendly and had her dismissed.
The author evokes the hardships of life in this frozen part of Norway; food is scarce for the subsistence farmers, and in the opening chapters of the book and old lady freezes to death in the church. Kai is determined to build a new church and finds someone who will buy the old stave church so he can afford to do so. A young German architect, Gerhard Schonauer, is sent to catalogue the church as it is dismantled for transport back to Dresden.
The relationships between Schweigaard, Astrid and Gerhard develop as the story unfolds.
A beautiful story that will stay with you for some time.

I really enjoyed this, the atmosphere, the folklore, the simpler times and Astrid is such a great character. I thought it was a bit slow around the middle but it's worth persevering with as a lot happens in the last third or so! I look forward to reading the sequel.

When I started reading this I wondered why I had decided this was for me - I don't normally enjoy historical fiction. There was something about this book though that drew me in. It starts centuries ago with the conjoined Hekne sisters - it was fascinating to read of a family so long ago. This is the start of the myth of the Sister Bells, which echo in the present - the 1800s in a smaill, inaccessible part of Norway. We have three stories going on - that of Astrid Hekne, the priest Kai Schweigaard, and incomer, artist and architect Gerhard Schönauer. All linked to the church in the village. How these three come together and are linked to the centuries old myth make for a fascinating story. I'm not sure I found the ending wholly satisfying, but I kept on thinking about it after I'd put the book down. The author has an engaging style and now I've realised this is Volume 1, I'll be waiting eagerly for Volume 2! #netgalley #thebellinthelake

This is an atmospheric novel, set in the cold, dark days of a Norwegian winter where the old Norse gods hover close over the community and the new pastor struggles to modernise his flock. Shot through with old legends and folk stories, we learn much about old Norwegian stave churches, the traditions of the rural community and the hard lives of everyday living. Well written and well translated, the story pulls you into the hopes, fears and loves of Astrid, Kai and Gerhard and those who come after. I look forward to reading the next part of this trilogy.

This book is stunning - full of beautiful description it holds a lot of promise for the trilogy that is hopefully due to come. This is the first book in the series and you won't be disappointed by the beautiful scenery, history, ancient secrets and characterisation.

Well-paced, well-written and well-crafted, this lyrical and atmospheric tale of life in a small farming community in rural Norway in the 1880s is a real delight. The new pastor, Kai Schweigaard, wants a new church for his community and to raise the necessary money he decides to sell the old stave church to Germany for re-erection in Dresden. Architect Gerhard Schonauer is despatched to make drawings and take measurements of the old church before its dismantling. But destroying a church that has been in the village for so long and which is inextricably linked with the inhabitants’ beliefs is fraught with difficulty. Caught up in the controversy is Astrid Hekne, whose family is more than most connected with the church and who finds herself caught between the two men. It’s an unpredictable and compelling tale of the traditional versus the new, of superstitions and folklore, local legends, Christian belief and paganism, all brought into conflict with encroaching modernity. The impact of the outside world on this isolated community is portrayed with empathy and insight not least when describing Astrid’s trajectory as she gets glimpses of a new life that just might be possible for her. I loved this book and look forward to the next two volumes of the trilogy.

This story is about the legend of the sister bells in a small town in Butagen, Norway. It follows our three main characters - Astrid Hekne, Gerhard Schonauer and Kai Schiweigaard on their journay of faith, belief, love, tragedy and betrayal. The main conflict of the story is the bitterness of all the characters - main and side - and the overarching legend of the town.

I thought this book was extremely well written and thought-out. It had a beautiful melody to it which is something I am not used to in some of books which I read usually. This was something that was way out of my comfort zone, therefore took me longer to read, but it was an extremely enjoyable read.

I enjoyed the dialect swap between German and Norwegian and believe it gave the story further character and depth which some authors usually lack. I did have to translate a couple of the phrases to understand what was being said however the majority of the language was translated after the word had been read which was fascinating. I loved the vivid picture the author painted of Butagen and the cold, harsh historical background it also had. The development of the characters was also enjoyable despite pulling on my heart strings for the majority of the second half of the book; they really were intricately designed to reflect both the story and the setting.

I did find that at times the story was quite slow and therefore slowed down my reading so much so it took me a lot longer than I wanted it to however the pace quickens towards the end which made up for the beginning of the book. The development of the setting and characters however made up for this so it wasn't so negative in hindsight.

Overall, I would eagerly recommend this book to those who like stories set in the past and for those who enjoy their myths and legends. It is more designed for an audience with a higher level of reading due to some of the words and phrases used within the book but there is little to no sexual encounters which would deem it inappropriate for younger audiences. I would probably recommend 16 or older simply based on the complex language and different dialects used.

Set in a cold Norway, this story starts off a bit slowly in my opinion, but bear with it, it gets really good.

The new pastor, Kai Schweigaard looks set to make his mark on the village by supervising the dismantling of the existing church and constructing a larger, more modern edifice in its place. Yet he is set to dismantle the Sister Bells, the symbols of the village.

Architecture student Gerhard Schonauer is sent to the village to draw the old church; soon both his life and that of Kai Schweigaard are concentrated on Astrid Hekne, a headstrong local. But who will she choose, and what will the consequences be?

Until about halfway in, I'll admit to struggling with this book, but once the characters really engaged with each other, so they drew me in, and from the on the story grew more gripping, and very very clever.

I read this chilly book by the fireside. I enjoyed the superstition and atmosphere but it was quite a long story. I would recommend setting aside chunks of time to read it as that was how I felt it read better. I didn’t dip in and out as I needed to keep the momentum flowing and the chilly weather/superstition feeling going. I would definitely read another if the authors books when I could set aside the time to immerse myself. Which actually is a sign of a good book if you feel you are devoted to the story and the need wish for their to be a happy ending.