Hanna PylväinenReseñas

A unique setting and time developed wonderfully by an author at the top of the game. The novel takes place in Scandinavia roughly two hundred years ago. It features the growing conflict between the newer Christian settlers and the indigenous Sami and their pagan beliefs..Pylvainen is a master of character development and that drives the plot and the struggles the people endure. I learned so much about Nordic culture of that time which was an added bonus. This is beautifully written sensitive portrayal of a way of life struggling to survive.

Hanna Pylväinen's one line description of her books is "Love versus the forces of religious colonialism."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6VXpucFtlA

A powerful evocation of an episode of Scandinavian history little known to Americans. Vivid characters and stunningly beautiful descriptions of the land above the Arctic Circle give the book a cinematic charge. Pylvänien’s fact-based depiction of a charismatic Lutheran pastor is an uncomfortable reminder of modern Evangelical excess.

I listed to this book on Audible.

This novel is a love story and small town drama set in 19th century Scandinavia as the Christian settlers/missionaries mingle and clash with the reindeer-herding Sami people. It did take a bit of effort and re-listening to untangle the characters names which were foreign (to my ear). But once that challenge was overcome, I enjoyed the book. The writing style is peculiar and well-suited to the measured pace of the plot and the characters lives. Give it time and see how, as the plot thickens, some characters can't keep pace with it. I found it very interesting. Overall it was a nice read, very atmospheric and set in a time and place that I knew little about. Recommended for the patient reader.

This is another book about settlers imposing their religion, values, and laws on Indigenous peoples. This one is set in the mid-19th century in northern Scandinavia.

Lars Levi Laestadius is a preacher in a small town near the Arctic Circle. His goal is to convert the Sámi reindeer herders and their families to Christianity and to break their dependence on alcohol. Biettar, a leader among the Sámi experiences a religious awakening and leaves his diminished herd to his son Ivvár. Abandoned and angry, Ivvár comes more frequently into town to purchase alcohol. He encounters Willa, one of the preacher’s daughters, and the two start a romantic relationship. She eventually breaks ties with her family to join Ivvár as the Sámi go on their annual spring migration from the tundra to the sea.

This book combines several genres. It is historical fiction, though Lars Levi Laestadius was a real person: a Swedish Sámi pastor, he founded the Laestadian pietist revival movement to help his largely Sámi congregations who were being ravaged by alcoholism. It includes a romance, a love affair which seems ill-fated because Ivvár and Willa come from different cultures. And there’s the social commentary highlighting the struggles of the Sámi in the face of colonization.

I felt a sense of foreboding throughout. A clash is inevitable. Revered by his followers, Laestadius’ spiritual awakenings make some people uncomfortable. Ivvár, for instance, cannot understand his father’s behaviour, especially because he was a noaidi and guvhllár, a shaman and a healer. Authorities in the south also become concerned about Laestadius’ radical Christian ethics and morals. And the arrival of the dean of the diocese creates more tension as he insists Laestadius cease his temperance teachings and attempts to collect debts from the Sámi, debts owed to the dean’s nephew who manages the general store.

Earlier this year, I read Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius which taught me a great deal about Sámi culture (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2023/02/review-of-stolen-by-ann-helen.html). The End of Drum-Time certainly added to my knowledge. I found myself thoroughly fascinated. Some characters view the Sámi as primitive, but the author shows how their way of life is perfectly suited to the extreme environment in which they make their home. Nomadic, they live in harmony with the world around them, their lives largely determined by the reindeer's natural migration and the reindeer owner's tasks during a year. Reindeer, for the Sámi, are “life itself,” as emphasized by the Sámi proverb which opens the book: “Let the reindeer decide.”

As with Canada’s First Nations, the Sámi and their way of life were constantly under threat. Settlers built farms so the Sámi could not let their reindeer graze freely as they had for generations and had to change their migration route. Settlers introduced alcohol and entire communities were wrecked by alcoholism: “the settlers of the region from every parentage and path drank at very similar rates to the Sámi; the great difference was that the Sámi were more likely to be punished for their drinking by the authorities, and, moreover, the consequences of drinking were greater for the Sámi because the demands of their life were greater.” The concept of buying on credit was also introduced. Then when Sámi could not pay, the setters imposed legal consequences.

The style of the book may be off-putting for some readers. The pace, especially at the beginning, is very slow. Instead of being presented with an action-filled plot, the reader is immersed in Sámi culture and the minds of various characters - including Laestadius; Biettar; Ivvár; Willa; Risten, the daughter of a prosperous herder; Nora, Willa’s sister; and Henrik, the manager of the general store. (Of course, this immersion proves to be important if the reader is to fully understand characters’ motivations. Presenting the perspectives of various characters - settlers as well as Sámi, and people with different views of religion - adds breadth to the narrative.) In addition, sentences tend to be long and winding and there are frequent shifts in point of view, often in the middle of paragraphs.

I had problems with a couple of elements. Most of the characters are fully developed so we see their positive traits and their flaws that make them human. Unfortunately, a villain is introduced late in the story who appears almost cartoonishly evil. I also found Ivvár difficult to like. Women tend to fall for him, but I don’t see the appeal. He is very handsome, but his treatment of women suggests he is self-centered and selfish. Given Willa’s upbringing, her choices are definitely out of character, as she herself acknowledges.

Despite these weaknesses, this book is definitely worth reading.

Note: Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).

I loved the idea of the book set in 19th Century Norway, but it took me a while to really connect with the characters and there were many terms that I had to look up. Based on a real person, Rev. Lars Levi Laestadius goes to live among the Sami (indigenous peoples who are reindeer herders of Norway & Sweden) to preach the Gospel and to discourage the use of alcohol which was ruining many lives. At one service, a known drunk, Biettar, comes to give testimony to a new way of life abstaining from alcohol. He becomes such a follower of the preacher known as Mad Lasse that he becomes a preacher himself.

Meanwhile, his son Ivvar doesn't understand his father and is embarrassed by him. However, Ivvar is very good looking and is attracted by a young Sami woman. Laestadius has a large family including two daughters, Willa and Nora. Willa falls in love with Ivvar and after being found with him and disgraced by her family, she leaves and follows the reindeer hunters to new ground. Meanwhile a man names Henrik (known and Rikki) runs a sort of store and sells liquor, himself being a drunk. Henrick sells many supplies including liquor to the Sami peoples and when his uncle, also a pastor, comes to check on the books, he demand that payment be made.

The story is interesting and the setting reveals the harsh life in the upper lands of Scandinavia. The book actually got better as it went along and I liked the ending. It was just somewhat confusing with terms, etc. that were unknown. The title refers to the end of drumming which was a part of the Sami religion, ending as they converted to Lutheranism.

I really liked this story of the Sami people of Norway/Sweden/Finland. This saga tells the love story of a minister's daughter and a nomadic tribesman in the 1850s. It is well written and shows how permanent settlement by farmers, religious conversion, and various government regulations wiped out an ancient way of life.
(I rec'd two advanced copies of this: one through GoodReads and one through LibraryThing.)

The end of drum-time is a story of the relationships between the Swedes and the Sami in northern Scandinavia in 1851. Beautifully written but very slow-paced. Describes a romance between a reindeer herder and the daughter of a Lutheran minister who tries to follow him. And the complications that ensue partly due to this romance and other cultural disparities as well. Certainly a history that I was not at all familiar with.

3.5/4 out of 5 stars Beautifully written historical fiction set in the Scandinavian tundra of 1851, this is the story of old traditions meeting new religion, of family, love, and betrayal.  I appreciated the research that went into creating this tale, and overall enjoyed the story.  But even with the rich descriptions and narration, I just always felt like something was missing, especially with some of the characters.  I would give this a strong recommendation to fans of literary fiction.

This is an historical novel of Lapland and the Sami reindeer herders who lived there. Set in 1852, the Sami people lived in small villages made up of families with whom they worked, each family with its own small herd. The author writes with great detail and eloquence of the natural world and how they survived.
A new pastor arrives at the only Lutheran church in the area. The pastor is not only a spiritual leader but also the government’s ruler of political and criminal punishment. The resulting clash of cultures and customs cause a tragedy among the Sami.
I was unfamiliar with the history and people of this part of the world and found it fascinating to read.

The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylvainen is a beautifully written story about the culture clash between the nomadic Sami reindeer herders and the Lutheran church in northern Scandanavian tundra in the mid-1800s. Heartbreaking and original.

An amazing read. Historical fiction at its best. Mid 1850s. A Scandinavian village. Reindeer herders. Well-meaning(?) Christian missionaries. Love. Duty.

It took some time for me to get into the story, but once I did, I was hooked. I love learning new things and viewing history through different lenses.

I look forward to Pylvainen's next novel.½

I was drawn to this book because author Hanna Pylväinen is clearly Finnish, and the father of my children is half Finnish and half Norwegian. Set in Scandinavia in 1851, this is the first novel I've read with that setting.

The book focuses on four families - that of the real Swedish Lutheran pastor Lars Levi Laestadius (although the names and actions of his children are fictional), a Swedish storekeeper named Henrik Lindstrom in the same village of Karesuando (and his uncle Frans, a Lutheran bishop), and two Sámi (Lapp) siida, the Rasti and the Tomma. Lars is trying to Christianize the Sámi, and is helped when Biettar, the patriarch of the Rasti, is converted in a dramatic episode. That leaves Biettar's son Ivvar to manage their small herd of reindeer on his own. Ivvar has dallied with the wealthy Risten Tomma (engaged to Mikkol Piltto), but begins to flirt with Willa, daughter of Lars, who thinks she is falling in love with him.

The blurb on the back of the advance reader's edition calls this "an epic love story," but it's not a romance. The Sámi are comparable to the Native Americans in the United States, being pushed out of their traditional grazing lands by settlers from Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Russia, and having no political power of their own. The book is a fascinating introduction to a landscape and a way of life unfamiliar to many.½

This is a novel that will demand a reader with patience and time to slowly sift through the history, setting and atmosphere of this book. Full of beautiful language in a narrative that encompasses multiple ideas and characters, this book will take the reader to an area and time not often written about. But the age old problems are the same as those faced by Native peoples all over the world.. The Sami people, reindeer herders and those who move onto their land in northern Scandinavia in 1851. Religion, alcohol, rituals and traditions. The clash of cultures and the resulting damage to everyone involved.
Read as an ARC from LibraryThing.

I received an advance copy of this book, Thank you
This book is beautifully written, I could picture the scenery and the setting: Northern Norway/Finland above the Artic Circle, the Northern Lights, the dark winters, the endless days of summer, the Nomadic lives of the Sami and their herds of Reindeer, the enclaves that are considered villages, the bleakness of the long winters and the cold. I learned a lot. I didn't know anything about that part of the world, and the culture the Sami had. I learned about their lives and hardships. They were very attuned to nature and took time to appreciate the beauty around them.
All this made the book very worthwhile reading, But...it is a slow read. I never once wanted to quit, but I was happy when I neared the end and pushed to finish it.
The story takes place in the 1850's in a remote village in Northern Norway/Finland. Back then the borders were fluid, and due to the remoteness, it didn't really matter the Sami, nomadic reindeer herders, followed their herd over routes previous generations of Sami had followed.
Several themes and stories go on in this book.
There is the minister in town, who's main ambition is to convert the Sami to Christianity. He wasn't having much luck until one of the more respected members, Bietter, is "awakened". Unfortunately, how the Sami approached religion didn't sit well with those in the church hierarchy. This puts this section of the country on their radar. There is the nephew of a Bishop who was basically exiled there, and he ran the village store; his chief/most popular good was alcohol, which was illegal. Many of the Sami would buy the liquor on credit and amassed huge debts. The minister, Mad Lasse, has a family in this remote area, with two daughters. One daughter Willa falls in love with the son of Bietter, Ivvar. Neither the Village people, nor the Sami accept the idea of the two of them having a relationship. Although they do have a relationship, they do little talking to each other. Trouble brews all over the place.
Like I said, beautifully written, but slow.

Foreign names trouble this reader as I have a tendency to confuse the characters, but I must learn to focus more on the story. The End of Drum-Time forced me to concentrate on the saga of the frigid Scandinavian landscape in 1851. The tale involves many families and relates the problems of daily living in this chilly tundra. Families travel hours via reindeer pulled wagons to reach the one local church. The beliefs and customs of the Sami, Lapps, and other Scandinavians enter the story as people attempt to survive the hardships of this location. An amazing story of love, hate, and friendship.

Disclaimer: ARC via a LibraryThing giveaway.

The End of Drum-Time is a historical novel that details the Christianization and colonization of the Sami.

The book focuses on the interaction between Ivar and Willa. Ivar is the son of a herdsman, and Willa is the daughter of priest who is trying to serve the community and Christianize the Sami. While the back of the book highlights the idea of an romantic relationship between the two, it should be noted that to call the book a romance would be very incorrect. It is a picture of a time, of a piece, and of a struggle to keep and stay in a way of life. Not a romance.

Pylváinen writes beautifully about the nature and about the rhythm and relationships to the reindeer herds. The thing is that the central focus of Ivar and Willa isn’t very interesting. There is a hint at a complex romantic entanglement, to call it a love triangle or love square wouldn’t be quit right, for Ivar had (has) a relationship with Risten, a daughter of a prosperous Sami family who is engaged to someone else. The problem is that why Ivar – he is not very interesting or very nice. And okay, he can tell a good sometimes, but quite frankly, he seems like a jerk.

It’s not that Willa is much better than Ivar. She is basically uninteresting, in part because she does seem to be the special daughter of a family, the different daughter. But when she does break with the family, it comes across as too easy – if you were brought in a strictly religious family and even transcribed your father’s sermon, there at should be a more internal struggle. At times too, Willa seems too modern, even usually at least once, a more modern terminology that feels out of place considering the time of the novel. The supposedly close relationship between Willa and her sister Nora is developed enough.

The best character is actually Risten who slowly takes over large parts of the novel. Of all the characters, she is the most well rounded and developed, and even her feelings for Ivar seem, almost contradictory, to make her more real – despite the fact that you actually some more detail about why she fell for him to begin with.

It isn’t a bad book, not a great book, but an entertaining read for the time and place. If Risten had been given more, perhaps the book would have been better, though the focus of it might have been different.

This is a fascinating, unique look at native Sami reindeer herders in a remote Scandinavian village in 1851 and the conflict of cultures, beliefs and politics that come about when Christianity is introduced into their society. The story is a memorable one. I did have a great deal of difficulty reading the details of reindeer slaughter so a warning to others who may also have a hard time with this.

Recommended.

Fascinating account of life of Sweden/Norway and the Sami, i.e., Laplanders, of the 19th century, as told through the stories of several characters: an eccentric pastor and his family, a storekeeper, several Sami, one of whom becomes a religious zealot and lay preacher, and his son, who is infatuated with a Swedish girl--a pastor's daughter, and she with him, so much so, she runs off from her family to be with him. I got a good feeling for the landscape and weather from the author's vivid descriptions. Cultures of both groups were presented. I learned a lot about this time, place, and peoples. I do wish there had been a glossary of foreign terms, only some of which were explained.
To be a bit facetious: maybe this would have been a more enjoyable read in the summer. :)

In the mid-nineteenth century settlers were pushing into the traditional territory of the Sami reindeer herders. The nomadic Sami had no country or political power, the lands they traveled across ruled by the Swedes or the Russians. The Sami were at the bottom in a mix of cultures and languages and states. Christian settlers with their farms and trading posts and churches pressed to dominate and destroy the Sami culture. With them came alcohol, bringing ruin to the Sami who sacrificed more reindeer than they could afford to buy it.

The End of Drum Time captures the story of people caught up in the clash of cultures. The Laps, a derogatory name for the Sami, and the Swedes settling in the North. The Christians condemning the Sami shamanistic religion as devilish magic. The capitalists bent on profit at any cost. Willa, the daughter of the evangelistic and pious preacher Lars Levi, rebels against his teaching; in love with a handsome Sami herder, Ivvar, she pursues him. Ivvar’s father Biettar, once a prominent herder and shaman, hears Lars preach and repents his sins, becoming Lars’ disciple. Unable to care for the herd on his own, knowing that his father’s debt to the store will decimate the herd, Ivvar knows he cannot marry Willa, a girl without reindeer wealth.

I was drawn to this book by the author’s last name, which I immediately thought was Finnish. In 1969, during my senior year in high school, my family hosted an exchange student from Rovaniemi, Finland, called The Capital of Lapland. Elina taught us much about her country over our year as sisters. In 1998, her daughter became my exchange student daughter. Learning that the novel was set in Lapland clinched my interest.

“The church was functionally the Crown, and the pastors not only the arm of God but the arm of the law,” the author explains. Lars Levi attracted people who traveled miles by sled to experience his sermons, the conversions, the talking in tongues. He was particularly against drinking, which was ruining many a Sami. As it was ruining Henrik, who ran the store, and the reindeer herder Biettar.

Biettar was drawn into the church and renounced his sins, staying on to learn, neglecting his herd. His son Ivvar is left to care for the deer himself, which were diminished in numbers to near poverty-level, for Biettar had sold deer to pay for alcohol, It was a round the clock job, overwhelming for one man.

Henrik was in love with Lar’s daughter Nora. He was in debt to his uncle who funded the store. But he was drinking the stock and losing money.

The church authorities considered Lars a problem and reassigned him. Henrik’s uncle Frans, a bishop, decides that he will replace Lars and undo the ‘damage’. He intends to suppress all the emotional demonstrations of Lar’s faith, and he would remove the stigma of drinking. After all, the store had a lot to gain by selling booze to the Sami. Franz is also the law, and he uses his power in a draconian way, spurring a crisis among the Sami.

The end of a culture and way of life is at the center of the novel. The descriptions of the Sami way of life, their migration and the slaughter of the deer, the grass that lined their boots, the way the cold reddened their cheeks, the long, arduous treks herding the deer to feeding grounds, was so interesting. The characters yoik, the songs particular to a person or place or thing, wordless, the singer embodying the subject of the yoik.

The story builds to a shattering climax.

Lars Levi Læstadius was a real person, and the religious movement he inspired did threaten the Sami way of life while his prohibition of alcohol had a positive impact.

The End of Drum Time is a fantastic read about a people few Americans know about, an epic story of a culture in crisis.

A subtly rendered and powerfully empathetic portrait of a contemporary fundamentalist Christian family

I liked these linked stories very much although I wish there had been more background on the religion itself. A glossary also would have been helpful.

I especially liked the last two stories - where Pylvainin ventured outside the family.

Large family belonging to obscure religious sect. Very sensitive writing; multiple perspectives and no easy answers.

It's a simple-beauty, this book - there's nothing all that earth shattering about it, nor is there anything radically exciting. Instead, it's a unique twist on a family story - adding the strict religious background adds a level of inherent tension to an already fraught life experience. You can't pick your family but you can pick your religion - and when the two get too wound into one another, it gets complex. That alone makes it worth the price of admission. But I felt denied at the end and as a result, I can't help but feel hollow; the contract I entered into with the book being invalidated because of a technicality or something.

More at RB: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-LM

This is a series of interlinked short stories, which is just not my personal thing. So, don't let the low rating fool you if you're a fan of such things. The writing is nice and the characters are okay, but just as I was getting interested, it would switch. I was hoping for a more Poisonwood Bible type book, but this isn't it.