The Sixteen Trees of the Somme

An engrossing literary novel about a family mystery, revenge, and forgiveness by the bestselling author of Norwegian Wood and The Bell in the Lake

The Sixteen Trees of the Somme is an intricately plotted and enthralling novel by the award-winning author of Norwegian Wood and The Bell in the Lake. An international bestseller and longlisted for the Dublin Literary Prize, it tells the story of Edvard and starts at his family's tree farm in Norway, where he was raised by his grandfather.
The death of Edvard's parents when he was three has always been a mystery but he knows that the fate of his grandfather's brother, Einar, is somehow connected. One day a coffin is delivered to the farm for his grandfather, long before the grandfather's death--a meticulous, beautiful, and unique piece of craftsmanship with the hallmarks of a certain master craftsman--raising the thought that Einar isn't dead after all. Edvard is now driven to unravel the mystery of his parents' death. Following a trail of clues from Norway to the Shetland Islands to the battlefields of France and sixteen ancient walnut trees colored by poison gas in World War I, Edvard ultimately discovers a very unusual inheritance.

Spanning a century and masterfully navigating themes of revenge and forgiveness, love and loneliness, The Sixteen Trees of the Somme displays the rich talents of Lars Mytting--whose novels have sold over a million copies worldwide--in a story that is utterly compelling and unforgettable.

Author: Lars Mytting
Publisher: Overlook Press
Published: 04/05/2022
Pages: 416
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.45lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.30w x 1.50d
ISBN: 9781419762277

Review Citation(s):
Foreword 02/27/2022