"All of our ancestors have gotten their fair share of pain and suffering. We have all had good times and bad times. The part that is the hardest is the waiting. You have a feeling something bad has happened to a member of the family but it takes days or sometimes weeks before you know. The men have always worked somewhere in the mountains or been fishing in the fjord in all kinds of weather. Being home, keeping the house up and caring for the animals, you have more time to think and worry."
 |
The Unexpected Visitor by Bjorn S. Dimmen Trafford Publishing
book review by Wendy Strain
A seeming impossibility, it is a beautiful, untamed world that has been inhabited by humans for centuries that serves as the backdrop of this wonderful dedication to the culture and historic lifestyles of Norway's more remote regions.
The story focuses on Jenny, a young lady who has behaved a bit too liberally with a charming business acquaintance of her father's, much to her parents' disapproval. Her father knows things about the man in question that Jenny never suspected but will learn are likely true. As it is the early 19th century and her parents are among the upper class society of Kristiania, Jenny is sent to stay with a family on a highly remote farm balanced precariously on the rocky cliffs above the Sunnylvsfjord both until it is safe enough for her to return home and the nasty rumors about her involvement with Robert Blackstone have died down.
Dimmen paints a glorious image of his homeland, revealing a deep love for the place and the people that mimics the strong connection depicted between his characters and the land they inhabit. While the text has a few minor faults, the story is engaging, carefully balancing physical and emotional action, and introducing a love story unlike most. During her stay at the Holseth farm, Jenny will discover much more to herself than she ever thought existed, eventually finding a freedom few will ever know. Readers will discover greater depth to the tale than they may expect, but only if they take the time to savor the words.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review