Book details

The Tricking of Freya

A Novel

Author: Christina Sunley

The Tricking of Freya

The Tricking of Freya

$23.00

Trade Paperback

About This Book

In this moving novel, a family secret leads a disenchanted young woman back into her family's immigrant past—in Canada and Iceland—to recall her own childhood and discover the truth about her origins.

Page Count
368
On Sale
03/30/2010

Book Details

A young woman obsessed with uncovering a family secret is drawn into the strange and magical landscape, language, and history of Iceland.

Freya Morris is living in New York, far removed from her family and her past, when she is summoned back to the formative place of her youth, a remote Canadian village called Gimli, where her Icelandic ancestors settled long ago. Her ancient grandmother, a woman who knows all the family stories, now clings to life. In Gimli, Freya picks up the thread of a secret--one that leads her through her history and ultimately back to Iceland. Along the way, we learn the story of her early visits to Gimli, the truth about her exuberant, mercurial aunt, and the full scope of a tragedy that shattered her childhood in an instant.

A vivid, moving story of an immigrant family and the culture of a little-known nation, The Tricking of Freya is "astonishingly accomplished . . . a bewitching tale of volcanic emotions, cultural inheritance, family sorrows, mental illness, and life-altering discoveries" (Donna Seaman, Booklist).

Imprint Publisher

Picador

ISBN

9780312429386

Reading Guide

In The News

“Packed with delectable relationships and family secrets . . . We come away charmed, moved, and larger within, having toured a hidden world with a passionate guide.” —Joan Frank, San Francisco Chronicle

“An intricate family travelogue...This grand coming-of-age-novel boasts a dynamic set of characters and a rich bank of cultural and personal lore, making this dark, cold family tale a surprisingly lush experience.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Sparkles with the author's love of language and of her own Icelandic culture. The book's masterfully told final mysteries reveal themselves as magically as darkroom images appearing under the light.” —More magazine

“An impressive debut . . . This novel works on several levels: as a drama of family dynamics; as an immigrant story; and as a showcase for the author's broad and deep knowledge of Iceland.” —Mary Ann Gwinn, The Seattle Times

“An excellent debut . . . If all you know about Iceland is failed banks and Bjork, this is a highly readable introduction.” —Yvonne Zipp, The Christian Science Monitor

“[An] amazing debut...Like the famed poet within, Sunley's writing is truly poetic. She brings here settings alive in a way that will make you believe that you have been there and experienced it all yourself.” —BookBitch.com

“Epic... Sunley's research shines through in a story in which the landscape of Iceland is as much a character as Freya, making this an exceptional and unique coming-of-age novel. ” —Washington State Journal

“Irresistible...smoldering emotions in a cold climate.” —Telegraph Herald

About the Creators

The Tricking of Freya

The Tricking of Freya

$23.00

Trade Paperback