Dentist Karl Meyer's worst nightmare comes true when his son, Ole-Jakob, takes his own life. This tragedy is the springboard for a complex novel posing essential questions about human experience: What does sorrow do to a person? How can one live with the pain of unbearable loss? How far can a man be driven by the grief and despair surrounding the death of his child? A dark and harrowing story, drawing on elements from dreams, fairy tales, and horror stories, the better to explore the mysterious depths of sorrow and love, Through the Night is Stig Saeterbakken at his best.

Drawing on fantasy and nightmare, Through the Night is a philosophical horror story charting the madness of a father whose son has committed suicide.

About the Author

Stig Saeterbakken (1966-2012) was one of Norway's most acclaimed contemporary writers. His novels include Don't Leave Me and Siamese (also published by Dalkey Archive).

Sean Kinsella was born in Ireland and holds an MPhil in literary translation from Trinity College, Dublin. He has previously translated work by Frode Grytten and Bjarte Breiteig into English, and currently resides in Norway with his wife and two daughters.

Reviews

"Readers may lose the plot's thread in a surreal sequence towards the end, but it is not wholly disorienting. Though hardly uplifting, Saeterbakken last is notable for the beauty and heartbreak of its narration."

"Saeterbakken entices the reader along some dark paths from which, in the end, there is no easy escape."

-- Alison McCulloch * New York Times Book Review *



Book Information
ISBN 9781564788740
Author Stig Saeterbakken
Format Paperback
Page Count 259
Imprint Dalkey Archive Press
Publisher Dalkey Archive Press