Set in the mid 1800s in Scandinavia, The End of Drum-Time is an engaging, unusual read, about Sami culture in Sweden’s northern-most settlement. It's a beautiful book, and one that stayed with me, long after reading

Full disclosure I didn't manage to finish the book but did achieve around two-thirds which gives me a good enough idea of the whole story so am happy to give my review.
This is the kind of book I love in that the prose is detailed, ponderous and character driven. It starts off a little slow but I think a reason for this is getting used to the character names and their relationships. Overcoming this takes very little time however, once the story kicks in, it rattles along.
It is easy to become invested in the various characters as they are so well drawn. The cultural and societal difficulties experienced by the reindeer herders is almost visceral and I really felt for them. The loneliness, isolation and need to move constantly is so well written I would be hard pushed to find anything to critique. A truly beautiful book and I will finish it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of The end of Drum Time.

The End of Drum-Time is a captivating novel set in the Northern parts of Finland, Sweden and Norway in the 1850's. As a Finnish person who has been to Lapland many times ever since I was a little girl, who has seen herds of reindeer and heard the old stories, and who also is familiar with the legacy of Lars Levi Laestadius and his revivalist movement here in Finland, my reading experience was probably different from the majority of the people who have read this book so far. I also truly hope that a Finnish translation is happening sometime soon!

Even though the synopsis of this book hints at an epic love story I found it a bit misleading - there are love stories and many kinds of relationships in the mix, sure, but more than that this is a book about the collision of the old Sami way of life and the way the often very religious people from the southern parts of the country want people to live. As the story evolves and the pressure begins to build the reader is introduced to a great cast of characters who are all trying to cope with the way life is treating them and how everything is changing around them.

This amazingly haunting and beautiful book made me feel like I was right there in Karesuvanto, Kilpisjärvi or the mighty Saana with it's characters. And also broke my heart.

I have really enjoyed this historical novel, which focuses on a small community - in the Arctic circle, between Finland and Russia, where a Lutheran preacher is trying to convert the Sami population, a liquor merchant is trying to sell them alcohol, and the Sami herders are trying to cling to their identity while Russia and Finland decide to close the borders, making it impossible for them to move their reindeer herds. We follow a few characters closely - Ivvár, a young Sami reindeer herder, whose alcoholic father has a divine revelation and becomes religious; Willa, the daughter of the Lutheran pastor, who falls in love with Ivvár; Risten, who was previously in love with Ivvár, but has accepted to marry a better match, and Henrik, the liquor merchant who worries about the debts the Sami owe him.
It was well-written and dramatic, and covered a topic I know very little about but found really interesting. The characters felt really well-written and had enough depth, and the novel kept going further in terms of drama, until the end and the fate of the characters, which felt inevitable.

I’ve been really drawn to Nordic stories recently, and this one was particularly fantastic because of how much Sami culture is resonant in its pages.

The writing was JUST gorgeous - it felt epic in scope but also intimate. There’s these bit, beautiful, impressive landscapes juxtaposed with the minutiae of daily life and intimate relationships.

This is a character driven story, rich in detail. The tension created between those who believe in the old way of life and those wanting something more was executed well, and before I knew it I was turning the pages fast because you could see something coming. But the melancholy comes just as much from knowing that a traditional way of life is changing, and culture will inevitably be lost.

I didn’t realise this was based on a real person until later, but that made me reflect on the story even more. It’s told with a lot of heart, and I was immersed. Thank you for this review copy, really beautiful work.

The End of Drum-Time

XIX century, Lapland, the edge of the Arctic Circle. A charismatic Lutheran minister, Lars Levi, tries to convert indigenous Sami people to his religion. The Sami live a nomadic life following their reindeer herds through the northern Scandinavia. When Biettar, one of the most respected herders, decides to dedicate his life to the church, his son Ivvar is left alone with their herd. At the same time, Willa, Lars' daughter falls for Ivvar and runs away from her family home.

This was such an epic story. The writing style was exquisite. I was taken by description of dramatic landscapes and learning about Sami living simple life in almost inhabitable conditions. The author captured perfectly their daily struggles with forces of nature and cultural clashes with new settlers.

The core of the plot is Biettar awaking and Ivvars romantic relationship with Risten and Willa. It fascinating to see that although their lifestyle was so different from modern culture, human nature is just the same.

Small negatives - the book was a bit slow to start with, but once I got through the first part, I couldn't put it down. The story has an open end, which I didn't like. I really want to know what happens to them all.