A review by marywahlmeierbracciano
The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen

challenging medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Hanna Pylväinen’s stunning sophomore novel will transport you to the breathtaking, unforgiving subarctic tundra of the Sámi, Indigenous Peoples of the Nordic region whose land and lifestyle defies borders.  In an isolated village, a provocative Lutheran minister—based upon the real-life founder of the Laestadian movement—aims to turn the Sámi toward Jesus and away from their traditional culture.  When he converts a prominent reindeer herdsman in a dramatic awakening, the community is (literally) shaken.  Meanwhile two young people from opposite sides are falling in love.  As the seasons change, from polar night to midnight sun, the Sámi embark on their regular migration—of Biblical proportions—across the frozen landscape with the reindeer.  This transformative, atmospheric epic explores the meaning of family, loyalty, and the pain of colonization.
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