Literature, Gothic - 4 stars
In this Gothic novel set in Iceland in the 1680s, Rosa finds herself living far from her family, married to a man she doesn't really know, and living in a croft with a locked attic for which only her husband holds the key. She is ordered to stay away from the rest of the villagers, but as her loneliness becomes unbearable, she finds the courage to break that rule. Stories and hints of a first wife feed her imagination and her fear of her isolated croft. As the harsh winter sets in, her husband suffers a life threatening injury, and the truth moves closer to the surface. ----- Fascinating and atmospheric, this is a story populated by a simple people possessed of complicated histories. The expected romantic ending usually found in Gothic literature is there, but it's turned on its head a bit though no less satisfying for that. Make sure you have a warm blanket close by; Ms. Lea's descriptions of the land breathe ice in your face.
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