Synopsis
'A page-turning mystery. Spellbinding' Anya Bergman
'Captivating. A deeply satisfying, deftly woven novel of female power and resistance' Anna Hope
'Addictive and twisty' Liza Klaussman
Two sisters. A shipwreck. A story demanding to be told . . .
Iceland, 1910. In the middle of a severe storm two sisters - Freyja and Gudrún - rescue a mysterious, charismatic man from a shipwreck near their remote farm.
Sixty-five years later, a young woman - Sigga - is spending time with her grandmother when they learn a body has been discovered on a mountainside near Reykjavik, perfectly preserved in ice.
Moving between the turn of the 20th century and the 1970s as a dark mystery is unravelled, The Swell is a spellbinding, beautifully atmospheric read, rich in Icelandic myth.
'Captivating. A deeply satisfying, deftly woven novel of female power and resistance' Anna Hope
'Addictive and twisty' Liza Klaussman
Two sisters. A shipwreck. A story demanding to be told . . .
Iceland, 1910. In the middle of a severe storm two sisters - Freyja and Gudrún - rescue a mysterious, charismatic man from a shipwreck near their remote farm.
Sixty-five years later, a young woman - Sigga - is spending time with her grandmother when they learn a body has been discovered on a mountainside near Reykjavik, perfectly preserved in ice.
Moving between the turn of the 20th century and the 1970s as a dark mystery is unravelled, The Swell is a spellbinding, beautifully atmospheric read, rich in Icelandic myth.
Details
27 February 2025
336 pages
9781786584366
Imprint: Manilla Press
Reviews
“Spellbinding. Entranced by dark, icy, mythical Iceland and captivated by two generations of women and their struggle for agency, I could not put The Swell down. Evocative and heartbreaking, this is a story of sisterhood, with a page-turning mystery at the heart of the novel.”Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo, Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo
“A deeply satisfying, deftly woven novel of female power and resistance, and of feminisms both implicit and explicit. Early and late 20th century Iceland are both beautifully evoked in Kat Gordon's rich, captivating prose. Highly recommended.”Anna Hope, author of Expectation, Anna Hope, author of Expectation
“Thoroughly bewitching. Kat Gordon's spare prose is as beautiful as it is haunting.”Freya Berry, author of The Birdcage Library, Freya Berry, author of The Birdcage Library
“A skilful, measured, atmospheric mystery set in Iceland and weaving across two timelines. Kat Gordon is a master storyteller. ”Cathryn Kemp, author of A Poisoner's Tale, Cathryn Kemp, author of A Poisoner's Tale
