The End of Drum-Time

FINALIST FOR THE 2023 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

Named a Best Book of 2023 by NPR, Time, Vox 

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An epic love story in the vein of Cold Mountain & The Great Circle, about a young reindeer herder & a minister's daughter in the 19th century Arctic Circle

In 1851, at a remote village in the Scandinavian tundra, a Lutheran minister known as Mad Lasse tries in vain to convert the native Sámi reindeer herders to his faith. But when one of the most respected herders has a dramatic awakening & dedicates his life to the church, his impetuous son, Ivvár, is left to guard their diminishing herd alone. By chance, he meets Mad Lasse’s daughter Willa, & their blossoming infatuation grows into something that ultimately crosses borders—of cultures, of beliefs, & of political divides—as Willa follows the herders on their arduous annual migration north to the sea.

Gorgeously written & sweeping in scope, Hanna Pylväinen's The End of Drum-Time immerses readers in a world lit by the northern lights, steeped in age-old rituals, & guided by passions that transcend place & time.

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“Pylväinen creates a picture of a time & a place with an appealing diversity of characterization—the 'outlander' Swedes, the native Sámi—each character crafted with a depth & complexity that brings them to life, from their religious beliefs to the cultural ties that knot them together & tear them apart. All is told through expressive prose that makes for an engaging immersion in a unique world.”—Booklist

“One of the most unique voices in American literature, Hanna Pylväinen occupies a space shared by the Scandinavian writers Kerstin Ekman, Tove Jansson, &, beyond that, 19th century masters. The End of Drum-Time brings the readers to a recent past, a distant land, & proves that the complexity of human nature is as relevant & timeless as the ancient landscape. A triumph from the first page to the last!”—Yiyun Li, author of Where Reasons End