In The Tempest, Steve Sem-Sandberg crafts a tense, slow-burning literary mystery set on a remote Norwegian island. The novel follows Andreas Lehman, a troubled man who returns to the island where he grew up after decades away. There, he reconnects with his sister Minna and is forced to confront painful childhood memories and the mysterious death of his foster father. The island, steeped in its own quiet history and secrets, becomes a psychological battleground where past and present collide. Unfolding through fragmented narratives and haunting recollections, the novel reveals the scars of war, abandonment, and violence—both personal and political. Sem-Sandberg’s prose is spare and poetic, amplified by Anna Paterson’s evocative translation, making this a rich, layered exploration of loss, guilt, and the weight of memory. Reviews “Hypnotic and deeply intelligent … a powerful meditation on grief, trauma, and the ruins of childhood.”— The Guardian “Evokes the bleak beauty of the Norwegian coast with lyrical restraint … a masterclass in understated tension.”— The Irish Times “Sem-Sandberg’s writing lingers like mist on the fjords—chilling, elegant, unforgettable.”— Financial Times “A strange, taut, and deeply absorbing novel … a reminder of how fiction can hold a mirror to the shadows we bury.”— Literary Review
Book Title: The Tempest Book Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction ISBN: 9780571334513 Pages: 243 Publishing Date: January 2019 Publisher: Faber & Faber
