" The Tricking of Freya" by Christina Sunley

This Icelandic saga is full of myth and legend, family drama and accentuated with a vivid description of a beautiful landscape. It tells the story of Freya Morris, a North American woman of Icelandic descent who is obsessed with uncovering a family secret.

Freya grew up in Connecticut but each summer she visited her relatives in Gimli Manitoba, a tinny village in Canada settled by Icelandic immigrants. There she falls under the spell of her aunt Girdie and the story of a secret child ...more This Icelandic saga is full of myth and legend, family drama and accentuated with a vivid description of a beautiful landscape. It tells the story of Freya Morris, a North American woman of Icelandic descent who is obsessed with uncovering a family secret.

Freya grew up in Connecticut but each summer she visited her relatives in Gimli Manitoba, a tinny village in Canada settled by Icelandic immigrants. There she falls under the spell of her aunt Girdie and the story of a secret child she once gave birth to. Freya hopes to meet her cousin and in memoirs recounts her search for this unknown relative.

This is a strange novel, one I found extremely hard to get into. It is written in a form of letters from Freya to her cousin, from the age of 7 to her adult life. It showcases the culture of Iceland and its complicated language. Ms Sunley has masterfully described the landscape, painting in ones mind a country of mesmerizing scenery giving her novel a rich tone. The cast of loveable characters are multi-dimensional and realistic. As for the plot, it was a wonderful journey into Iceland.

I found the story to be a little on the slow side and its climax was evident early on.