The Berlin Poplar

A detailed and sarcastic Norwegian novel about a family’s tightly guarded secrets and a polar night. After the death of a tyrannical mother of the household, her relatives have to meet at the family farm to settle the issues of the funeral and inheritance. As often happens, an unexpected family reunion leads to the fact that the skeletons kept silent in wardrobes begin to climb out uncontrollably. This is an absurd yet touching family saga in which you endlessly sympathize with all the characters—ridiculous, imperfect, and very alive. Anne Ragde created an incredibly engaging, dark, and at the same time uplifting story about the idea that it is never too late to discover something new in others—and in yourself.