The Ferryman and His Wife

The devastating English-language debut from Grytten concerns a Norwegian man who wakes up one rainy November morning in his house on a fjord knowing it will be the day he dies. Nils Vik’s knowledge of his fate is not explained, but he’s resigned to it as he prepares to take his ferry boat out to sea (“What do you take with you when you know you’re not coming back?” Grytten writes). His wife, Marta, died of a stroke some time earlier, and he’s lonely and melancholy. At sea, on what turns out to be a Dante-esque voyage, he’s joined by the deceased family dog, Luna, as well as the ghosts of passengers he once ferried to and from his village. In addition to these spectral visitations, Nils reflects on other passengers, including a bloodthirsty cop named Trygve, from whom he rescued Luna. Nils also recalls meeting Marta for the first time, and how he instantly fell in love with her for “the way she tucked her hair behind her ear.” As the journey progresses and more sad and happy memories arise, Grytten skillfully weaves his wistful protagonist’s life story without ever leaning on sentimentality. This will linger long in readers’ minds. (Nov.)