The Sixteen Trees of the Somme

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The Sixteen Trees of the Somme

2017 | Fiction & Poetry | History & Politics

Edvard grows up on a remote mountain farmstead in Norway with his taciturn grandfather, Sverre. The death of his parents, when he was three years old, has always been shrouded in mystery - he has never been told how or where it took place and has only a distant memory of his mother.

But he knows that the fate of his grandfather's brother, Einar, is somehow bound up with this mystery. One day a coffin is delivered for his grandfather long before his death - a meticulous, beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Perhaps Einar is not dead after all.

Edvard's desperate quest to unlock the family's tragic secrets takes him on a long journey - from Norway to the Shetlands, and to the battlefields of France - to the discovery of a very unusual inheritance. The Sixteen Trees of the Somme is about the love of wood and finding your own self, a beautifully intricate and moving tale that spans an entire century.



Published by Hachette

Edition Unknown
ISBN 9780857056030
Language English

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Images And Data Courtesy Of: Hachette.
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The Sixteen Trees of the Somme Reviews & Ratings (2)
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ClareR (5906 KP) rated

Mar 2, 2019  
The Sixteen Trees of the Somme
The Sixteen Trees of the Somme
Lars Mytting | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Such a beautifully written and translated novel - I struggled to put this one down. It's another of those 'cooking one-handed' books (warning: this may result in burns of both person and food!).
Edvard has grown up with his grandfather on a remote farm in the Norwegian mountains after the mysterious death of his parents when he was a small child.
After his grandfather dies, Edvard decides to leave his solitary life on the farm and investigate what happened. His journey takes him to the northernmost Scottish Shetland Islands where his Great Uncle lived the last years of his life, and to a small woodland in the Somme, where his parents died.
The descriptions of the bleak Scottish islands, the lush woodland in the Somme, and Edvard potato farm in Norway are stunning. The Wars are described in heartbreaking terms: the loss and the grim reality of war, families torn apart and suspicions aimed at friends and family members. And at its heart, a boy without parents, orphaned with he death of his grandfather, trying to make sense of his familys past.
A truly gorgeous book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher (MacLehose Press) for my copy of this book.
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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated

Mar 15, 2018  
The Sixteen Trees of the Somme
The Sixteen Trees of the Somme
Lars Mytting | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’m going to start this review off with an apology at the quality of it. I’ve tried and tried to think of some things to say about this book but my mind is drawing a blank. I read this novel during a bit of a slump and I feel as though I just drifted through it.

I know I enjoyed it, not as much as I’d hoped, but enough to not dislike it. And I know that it got very emotional and I had a bit of a cry fest at the end. But from there, I’m a bit stuck… How do I do this review thing again?

Characters in this one are different. You feel like you really get to know them throughout the story, but when you’ve finished the book you realise you didn’t really know them at all. They were well developed and were talked about enough, but it was as though they were behind a screen. The characters themselves talked about how another character was hiding behind a mask, but you come to realise that all the characters were wearing masks, not just from each other, but from the reader too.

The story is a bit of a strange one and I felt it losing me in some points. It was a story about love, loss, grief and mystery. But very different to the kinds of mystery you’re used to seeing on my page. This one is certainly unique, but is definitely a slow mover, so anyone looking for something fast-paced, pass this one up.

I can’t work out what more to say. If you like emotional, slow moving novels in moody settings with distant characters, this book is definitely something for you. I’m glad I stepped a little out of my comfort zone with this one because I did enjoy it, but it’s not the type of book I could read a lot.