The second volume of a projected trilogy, The Reindeer Hunters continues the story which started with The Bell in the Lake. Twenty years have passed and it is now 1903. I recommend reading the first book before this one as although it could just about stand alone, the reader really needs to be familiar with the back story. Astrid Hekne, the main protagonist of the first book, died in childbirth and here we follow the fortunes of her son Jehans, who takes centre stage. I’m not going to say anything about the storyline – far too many reviewers give far too much away here, for this is a tale that benefits from no foreknowledge – but as Norway enters into a new century and a new modern age of industrial progress, where superstition and the traditional ways have to confront science and progress, the small community in a remote Norwegian village are inevitably affected by the outside world, not least because WW1 and the subsequent flu pandemic reach even this far north. Daily life, the daily routine, the hardships of an agrarian and hunting existence in a harsh environment with severe weather conditions are brought vividly to life. Reading these two books is an immersive experience. The writing is slow and measured, well-paced and well-crafted, and demonstrates great empathy for and insight into some truly memorable characters. A great read.

This is the second book in Norwegian author Lars Mytting’s Sister Bells trilogy. I loved the first, The Bell in the Lake, so was looking forward to visiting the village of Butangen again and finding out how the story would continue.

The Reindeer Hunters begins in 1903, more than twenty years after the events of the first novel. Kai Schweigaard, once a newcomer to Butangen, has settled into his role as village pastor, but is still haunted by memories of Astrid Hekne, the woman he had hoped to marry. He also feels guilt over his involvement in the removal of the two bells which once hung in the bell tower of the local church, commemorating Gunhild and Halfrid Hekne, the conjoined twin sisters who were two of Astrid’s ancestors. When Kai hears about a legendary tapestry woven by the sisters – the Hekne Weave – he sets out to search for it, hoping in some way to make amends for what happened in the past.

In the hills just outside Butangen, Astrid’s son Jehans is leading a lonely life, supporting himself through fishing and hunting, having withdrawn from the rest of the community. One day he finds himself in dispute with another hunter when they both claim to have shot the same reindeer, but this marks a turning point in Jehans’ life as he gets to know the other hunter, an Englishman called Victor Harrison, and an uneasy friendship begins to develop.

This, like the first book, is beautifully written and translated. The setting – a remote Norwegian village steeped in superstition and tradition – is vividly described, making this the kind of historical novel where you can become truly immersed in another time and place. Towards the end of the book, though, we see that scientific progress and new technology are finding their way even to Butangen in the form of electricity, improved travel and advances in dairy farming. Events in the wider world also touch the lives of our characters, including the dissolution of the Norway-Sweden union, the First World War and, finally, the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.

I enjoyed reading about Kai Schweigaard’s daily life, his duties as pastor and his relationships with the other villagers and I was completely absorbed in his search for the Hekne Weave and what it might reveal. I was much less interested in the details of Jehans’ hunting and fishing expeditions and, later, Victor’s work as a pioneer of aviation, although other readers will probably find those things more fascinating than I did! For this reason, I didn’t like this book as much as the first and every time the perspective switched to Jehans or Victor, I found myself wanting to return to the village and continue with Kai’s storyline. I did, however, come to love one of the new characters, Kristine, a young woman who doesn’t have an easy life but displays an inner strength and determination that I really admired.

I’ll be looking out for the final book in this trilogy and will be interested to see where the story will go next.

This is the second in Lars Mytting's Norwegian historical Sister Bells trilogy, brilliantly translated by Deborah Dawkin. It's 1903 and over 2 decades since the death of Astrid Henke, the grave tended by the Butangen village Pastor Kai Schwengaard, who tries to look after her son, Jehans, expelled by his family, and residing with his foster parents, Adolph and Ingeborg. Kai is seeking redemption for his betrayal, the new church lacks the presence and atmosphere of the old stave church, now resurrected in Dresden, with its one bell, Halfrid, ringing with its tone of loneliness, missing Gunhild, its conjoined twin sister, the bell in the lake. Having lost his father too, Jehans proves to be a able learner with an interest in engineering but his education is derailed by the interference of his Uncle Osvald who informs him of Kai's betrayal, sowing the seeds of discord that has Jehans rejecting Kai, turning instead to the mountains, living in abject poverty.

He sees himself as a reindeer hunter, one day meeting another reindeer hunter over the body of a large shot reindeer, an Englishman from Northumberland, Victor Harrison, who sees himself as a reindeer hunter too. For reasons he can't explain, Jehans feels a deep connection to Victor, when he saves Victor's life, he turns to a shocked Kai, who sees in Victor a ghost from the past. With his greater understanding of the role of old beliefs and folklore, their importance to the local community, and learning to read the signs, Kai now determinedly seeks the lost Hekne Weave for what he believes is the wisdom it will impart. As the truth emerges, a rift emerges between Jehans, desperate to locate the bell in the lake, and Victor, who cannot come to terms with what he learns. As Jehans meets the dairymaid, Kristine Messelt, he is left to face the most challenging of circumstances, including his cruel Uncle Osvald and the power he holds over his life.

In a extraordinary narrative that covers the turbulent years between 1903 and 1919, including the arrival of electricity, the horrors of the Great War and the Spanish Flu, Butangen begins to change out of all recognition. Mytting drops the reader in early 20th century Norway, and we find ourselves immersed in the life, culture, social norms and attitudes in the remote community of Butangen. This is achieved primarily with Mytting's stellar skills in characterisation, with Jehans, Victor, Kristine and with Kai, a compassionate man who has changed radically from the young naive pastor he used to be. This is an outstanding historical read, so good that I really did not want the novel to end, some of the highlights for me were the incredible community spirit of solidarity in the face of injustice, and the strong willed spirit, resilience and strength of Kristine willing to break barriers and conventions. Highly recommended with sister bells on. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.