Laestadius, The Shining of the Reindeer

Novel from Swedish
By Ann-Helén Laestadius
Translated by Maike Barth and Dagmar Mißfeldt

416 pages. Hardcover

Sámi Elsa is nine years old when she catches her reindeer's murderer at the crime scene. Before he disappears, he gives her an unmistakable sign, and Elsa feels compelled to remain silent. This silence burdens her with a heavy burden of guilt, toward her family and everyone close to her, because once again, the local police have no evidence of deliberate reindeer sabotage and therefore no reason to take action. Like so many reindeer before them, Elsa's reindeer is simply considered " stolen."

As the threat to the reindeer herds, and thus to the Sámi, increases dramatically, and Elsa herself becomes the target of the main perpetrator, she finally finds the strength to face her long-suppressed guilt, fear, and anger. But will she be able to do anything against the indifference of the authorities, the brutality of the perpetrators, and, last but not least, the disapproval of the traditionally minded Sámi, for whom this is by no means a women's issue?

" No one interested in the Sámi culture and the wildlife in the far north of Scandinavia can ignore this magnificent book. " Andreas Wallentin WDR

Ann-Helén Laestadius (*1971) is a Swedish journalist and author, and a native Sámi. She was already well known in Sweden for her award-winning children's and young adult books before landing a number one bestseller with her first novel for an adult audience, "The Shining of the Reindeer." The novel was honored, among other things, as Book of the Year 2021. Ann-Helén Laestadius lives near Stockholm.

Author photo: © Thron Ullberg