Actually registered in 2010, but was reassigned a BCID from a previous book which was withdrawn, hence the date.

From The New Yorker:
"In this quiet but compelling novel, Trond Sander, a widower nearing seventy, moves to a bare house in remote eastern Norway, seeking the life of quiet contemplation that he has always longed for. A chance encounter with a neighbor—the brother, as it happens, of his childhood friend Jon—causes him to ruminate on the summer of 1948, the last he spent with his adored father, who abandoned the family soon afterward. Petterson’s spare and deliberate prose has astonishing force, and the narrative gains further power from the artful interplay of Trond’s childhood and adult perspectives. Loss is conveyed with all the intensity of a boy’s perception, but acquires new resonance in the brooding consciousness of the older man."

A quiet but powerful novel: well constructed, atmospheric, and beautifully written. It is also very skilfully translated and so a joy to read. Petterson very gently exposes the loss, grief and regret that winds throughout the novel without making it over sentimental or morbid. There is sadness there, but also resilience.

It's one of those lovely surprises that you hear recommended and then the book sits on your shelf for too long before the gem is uncovered. My only criticism would be with the ending; rather weak compared to the rest of the story. I don't mind the loose ends - we as intelligent readers don't have to have everything explained, it was just that the ending was rather unsatisfying. Maybe I'd been happier for it to have ended as it began, with Trond senior.

Posted off to bemaia as the December recipient of the Southern Cross Book Exchange.
Saw this one on your wish list. Enjoy.

Received this book from crimson-tide for the BookObsessed Southern Cross exchange.
Thank you!