Kiran Millwood Hargrave

'Hot, smart and completely captivating - this is a truly luscious love story' - Daisy Buchanan, author of InsatiableA love story that will last a lifetimeErica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur in Paris, 1978. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying for her Ph.D. at the Sorbonne, drinking and smoking far too much, and sleeping with a married woman. The moment the two women meet the spark is but their encounter turns into far more than a summer of love. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make . . .Erica and Laure’s love story spans decades, marriage, children, secret trysts, and the agonizing changes – both personal and political – that might mean they can be together, after all. But when life brings them within touching distance again, will they be brave enough to seize a future together?Almost Life is a story of longing for the paths not taken, and the almost lives we live.

The spellbinding new novel from the bestselling author of The Girl of Ink & Stars, winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. In an Italian city ravaged by plague, Sofia's mother carves beautiful mementos from the bones of loved ones. But one day, she doesn't return home. Did her work lead her into danger? Sofia and her little brother Ermin are sent to the convent orphanage but soon escape, led by an enigmatic new friend and their pet crow, Corvith. Together they cross the city underground, following clues in bones up to the towers of Siena, where - circled by magpies - the children find the terrible truth ...

Op een ijskoud, donker eiland jagen mannen op heksen en vechten vrouwen terug. Op kerstavond 1617 raakt de zee rondom het Noorse eiland Vardø in de greep van een allesvernietigende storm. De twintigjarige Maren Magnusdatter moet toezien hoe veertig vissers, onder wie haar vader, haar broer en haar verloofde, worden verzwolgen door de golven - alle mannen van Vardø verdwijnen in luttele seconden van de aardbodem. Vardø is nu een vrouweneiland. Enkele jaren later landt een vreemdeling op hun kust. De streng gelovige Absalom Cornet komt de natuurlijke orde herstellen en de vrouwen van Vardø beteugelen. Zijn jonge bruid Ursa ziet op Vardø - en in Maren - iets wat zij nog nooit eerder heeft aanschouwd: onafhankelijke vrouwen. Maar Absalom ziet slechts een goddeloze plek, overspoeld door het almachtige kwaad. Terwijl Maren en Ursa vriendschap sluiten, pakken donkere wolken zich boven hen samen en dreigen Absaloms ijzeren regels de gemeenschap te vernietigen. Geïnspireerd op een waargebeurde storm en de daaropvolgende heksenverbrandingen in 1621, schreef Kiran Millwood Hargrave met De vrouwen van Vardø een indrukwekkend verhaal over hoe achterdocht zich kan nestelen in een hechte samenleving, en over een liefde die net zo gevaarlijk is als dat zij sterk is.

Od chvíle, kdy na ostrov dorazil guvernér Adori, nikdo nesmí překročit hranici mezi Gromerou a zbytkem ostrova. Isabella ale přesto sní o tom, že jednou prozkoumá každičký centimetr Zapomenutého území, které leží hned za hranicí jejího města. Když náhle zmizí její nejlepší kamarádka, Isabella se vetře do pátrací skupiny. Je přeci dcerou kartografa, a díky její znalosti hvězd a starodávné mapě po mamince, není nikdo, kdo by mohl skupinu provést Zapomenutým územím lépe než ona. Ostrov sám má ale temná tajemství, která právě vyplouvají na povrch. A pod vyschlými řekami a mrtvým lesem se probouzí mytická příšera. Isabella brzy zjistí, že nemusí zachraňovat jen ztracenou dívku, ale především samotný ostrov. Dívka z inkoustu a hvězd (The Girl of Ink and Stars, 2016) je autorčin první román. Kniha vyhrála ocenění Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2017 a je také vítězem prestižní British Book Award 2017 v kategorii Children's Book of the Year. Obálka: Helen Crawford-White. Obrázek na obálce: Miloje / Shutterstock.com. Ilustrace (kompasy): Vertyr / Shutterstock.com. Ilustrace (lodě, mapy, mořské příšery): pavila / Shutterstock.com.

Pełna przygód i magii, wciągająca opowieść o odwadze i przyjaźni! Arinta była bardzo odważną dziewczyną. Mieszkała w samym środku wyspy Moya tysiąc lat temu, kiedy wyspa unosiła się na powierzchni oceanu niczym żywy statek. Nie było lasu, nie było granic, nie było Zapomnianych Ziem, a na każdym drzewie śpiewały ptaki. Pewnego dnia jednak ognisty demon, który zamieszkiwał niespokojne dno morza, zauważył przepiękną pływającą wyspę i zapragnął jej dla siebie. Demon nazywał się Yote… Isabella ma trzynaście lat. Jest równie odważna co Arinta. Uwielbia słuchać legend opowiadanych przez Ta i studiować jego mapy, na których na pergaminie wyczarowuje dalekie kraje. Isa nie marzy jednak o podróży do egzotycznego Afrik, chce zwiedzić wzdłuż i wszerz rodzimą wyspę i narysować mapę Moya. Płonne nadzieje. Przyszło jej bowiem żyć w czasach terroru Gubernatora Adori, który odgrodził Gromerę od reszty wyspy, wygnał część mieszkańców, a reszcie broni dostępu do pobliskiego lasu i rozciągających się za nim Zapomnianych Ziem. Wszystko zmienia się, kiedy w tajemniczych okolicznościach znika córka Gubernatora i szkolna przyjaciółka Isabelli, Lupe. Adori szuka śmiałków do wyprawy poszukiwawczej. Przebrana za chłopca, uzbrojona w tusz, pergamin, wiedzę przekazaną przez Ta i mapę gwiazd, Isa zgłasza się do tej niecodziennej drużyny jako kartograf i przewodnik. Kierując się mapą, sercem i starożytnym mitem, Isabella odkryje w końcu prawdziwy cel swej podróży – musi ocalić wyspę Moya. Dziewczynka z atramentu i gwiazd uwodzi czytelnika pełnym kartograficznych znaków wnętrzem, przygodą i magią. Prawa do tego błyskotliwego debiutu literackiego niespełna trzydziestoletniej, a już uznanej i nagradzanej Kiran Millwood Hargrave sprzedano dotychczas do 20 krajów!

From bestselling, award-winning author Kiran Millwood Hargrave comes an epic new fantasy about the magic of nature, the lure of power and the strength of love. In the lakes, the wolf queen sharpens her spear. In the mountains, an ancient girl opens an eye. In the forest, an orphan is summoned by the trees. Our story has begun ... Ysolda has lived her life in the shadow of the wolf queen's tyrannical rule but, safe in her forest haven, she has never truly felt its threat. Until one day when a mysterious earthquake shakes the land and her older sister Hari vanishes in its wake. Accompanied by her loyal sea hawk, Nara, Ysolda embarks on a desperate rescue mission. But when she is forced to strike a bargain with the wolf queen herself, she soon finds herself embroiled in a quest for a magic more powerful - and more dangerous - than she could ever have imagined ... This is the first in the Geomancer trilogy, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Julia and the Shark, The Mercies and The Girl of Ink and Stars.

The shark was beneath my bed, growing large as the room, large as the lighthouse, rising from unfathomable depths until it ripped the whole island from its roots. The bed was a boat, the shark a tide, and it pulled me so far out to sea I was only a speck, a spot, a mote, a dying star in an unending sky… Julia has followed her mum and dad to live on a remote island for the summer – her dad, for work; her mother, on a determined mission to find the elusive Greenland shark. But when her mother’s obsession threatens to submerge them all, Julia finds herself on an adventure with dark depths and a lighthouse full of hope… A beautiful, lyrical, uplifting story about a mother, a daughter, and love – with timely themes of the importance of science and the environment.

Julia przeprowadza się z rodzicami na odludną wyspę, gdzie mają spędzić całe lato. Tata ma tam pracować, a mama chce znaleźć legendarnego grenlandzkiego rekina. Obsesja matki szybko zaczyna zagrażać całej rodzinie i Julia postanawia wyruszyć w podróż w najczarniejszą otchłań, którą rozświetli jej jedynie morska latarnia. Piękna, liryczna, podnosząca na duchu opowieść o matce, córce i miłości, a także o znaczeniu nauki oraz troski o środowisko.

24 Aralık 1617. Norveç’in en kuzeydoğusunda bir ada, Vardø. Denize açılmış kırk adam, duyanların büyüyle çağrıldığını düşündüğü bir fırtınada yaşamını yitirir, geride ise kadınların hâkimiyetinde bir topluluk kalır. Yirmi yaşında, genç bir kadın olan Maren de bu felakette babasını ve kardeşini kaybeder. Üç yıl sonra, tehlikeli bir figür gösterir kendini: Kuzey adalarında cadı olarak hüküm giyenleri yakarak idam eden Vekil Absalom Cornet. Yanında da, otoritesini hem zorlayan hem de ondan korkan genç eşi Ursa. Absalom burayı Tanrı’nın dokunmadığı ve korkunç bir şeytaniliğin hüküm sürdüğü topraklar olarak görür. Maren ile tanışan ve gitgide daha da yakınlaşan Ursa ise bu yabancı topraklarda, yeni arkadaşıyla beraber daha önce hiç görmediği bir şeyle karşılaşır: Bağımsız kadınlar. Kiran Millwood Hargrave’in, gerçekte de yaşanmış, Vardø fırtınası ve 1620 yılındaki cadı avlarından yola çıkarak kaleme aldığı Kadınlar Adası, medeniyetin uzak ucunda, aşka, kötülüğe, takıntıya, ataerkil şiddete ve kadınların kudretine dair tüyler ürpertici, feminist bir tarihi roman. “Hargrave’in kalemi derin ve yoğun. En önemli öngörüleri de insan yüreğine dair: önyargılar birdenbire nasıl cinayete yol açabilir ve bu önyargılara karşı koymak için sevgi ile cesarete ne kadar da muhtacız.” –Madeline Miller, Ben, Kirke’nin yazarı “Kadınlar Adası nefesimi kesti. Bir topluluğa, coğrafyaya ve ilişkiye dair incelikle çizilmiş bir portre. Eşit derecede umut ve korkuyla okudum romanı.” –Tracy Chevalier, İnci Küpeli Kız’ın yazarı “Kadınlar Adası’nın bize kadınların gücü ve aklı karşısında ataerkil korkuyu gösterme biçimine hayran kaldım.” –Sarah Moss, Hayalet Duvar’ın yazarı “Sadece günümüzün değil, insanların sevdiği, öfkelendiği ve başka bir ihtimali hayal ettiği her dönemin romanı. Hargrave bir kasırga, fırtınalı bir yetenek.” –Daisy Johnson, Derindeki Her Şey’in yazarı

Żeby przejąć władzę nad kobietami, wystarczyło oskarżyć je o czary. Zima, rok 1617. Morze zabiera ze sobą czterdziestu rybaków z Vardø – wszystkich mężczyzn z osady. Maren wie, że od tej chwili kobiety mogą liczyć tylko na siebie. Wraz z innymi mieszkankami wyspy bierze się do ciężkiej pracy, od której zależy ich przetrwanie. Kobiety rozplątują rybackie sieci swoich braci, wypływają na połów łodziami ojców, oprawiają ciężkie skóry reniferów, walczą z bezlitosną przyrodą. Wkrótce przyjdzie im walczyć z czymś jeszcze. Sława komisarza Absaloma Corneta, wytrawnego tropiciela zła i bezbożności, bezlitosnego łowcy czarownic, wyprzedza jego przybycie na wyspę. Niewiele trzeba, żeby zostać posądzoną o czary. Czy godzi się, by kobiety same dbały o swój byt? Czy mogą mieć inne zdanie niż mężczyźni? Kobiety z Vardø to oparta na prawdziwych wydarzeniach opowieść o mieszkankach maleńkiej wyspy na północy Norwegii, gdzie 91 osób zostało spalonych na stosie za czary i obcowanie z szatanem, gdzie mężczyźni urządzili polowanie na kobiety, a największym i najczęściej jedynym grzechem było posiadanie własnego zdania i silnego charakteru.

Alors qu'il est interdit de quitter l'île de Joya, Isabella rêve des contrées lointaines que son père a un jour visitées et cartographiées. Quand sa meilleure amie disparaît, Isabella est résolue à faire partie de l’équipe de recherches. Guidée par une carte ancienne appartenant à sa famille depuis des générations, et par sa connaissance des étoiles, Isabella prend part à l'expédition et navigue dans les dangereux Territoires Oubliés. Mais sous leurs pas, un mythe féroce s'agite dans son sommeil... Un voyage envoûtant. Un ennemi ancestral. Une amitié indestructible. Le roman phénomène anglais, élu meilleur livre jeunesse 2017 (Children's British Book Award) et vainqueur du grand prix du roman jeunesse des librairies anglaises 2017 ( Waterstones Children's Book Prize).

Cosa c'è oltre la foresta? Chi abita i Territori Dimenticati? Isabella, figlia del cartografo che ha mappato la misteriosa isola di Joya fin dove lo spietato governatore Adori permette di esplorarla, sogna di poter disegnare su una cartina la risposta a queste domande.Così quando Lupe, la sua migliore amica nonché figlia del governatore, sparisce proprio in quei territori, è Isabella a guidare la spedizione di ricerca. Le mappe di famiglia la guidano attraverso villaggi deserti, nere foreste e fiumi prosciugati, e le stelle che suo padre le ha insegnato a osservare la accompagnano dall'alto. Ma il vero pericolo del suo viaggio appare presto chiaro: nelle viscere bollenti della terra Yote, un demone di fuoco, si sta risvegliando…

She was very tired. She lay down, her soft head on her soft paws. The sunset licked her face. The snow covered her like a blanket. Fox wakes, and begins to walk. She crosses ice and snow, over mountains and across frozen oceans, encountering bears and birds beneath the endless daylight of an Arctic summer, navigating a world that is vast, wild and wondrous. Meanwhile, Leila embarks on a journey of her own – finding her way to the mother who left her. On a breathtaking journey across the sea, Leila rediscovers herself and the mother she thought she’d lost, with help from a determined little fox. Based on the true story of an Arctic fox who walked from Norway to Canada in seventy-six days, a distance of two thousand miles, this compelling, emotional and beautifully illustrated story is the perfect gift for 9+ readers.

Le gemelle Lil e Kizzy stanno per compiere diciassette anni, ed entro poche ore arriverà per loro il giorno della divinazione: l'Anziana Charani svelerà alle ragazze quale destino le aspetta. Ma non faranno in tempo a partecipare alla cerimonia perché il crudele Boier Valcar le fa rapire per farne le sue schiave. Costretta a lavorare nelle cucine del castello, un luogo tutt'altro che accogliente, Lil trova conforto nell'incontro con Mira, una compagna di sventura verso cui si sente attratta in un modo mai provato prima. E lì sente parlare del Drago, che ricorda la terribile figura mitologica di cui raccontano le antiche leggende, un mostro a cui si portano in offerta giovani ragazze. Forse Lil e Kizzy non avranno la loro cerimonia di divinazione, ma le gemelle stanno per scoprire comunque il loro destino...

1617, Vardø, au nord du cercle polaire, en Norvège. Maren Magnusdatter, vingt ans, regarde depuis le village la violente tempête qui s’abat sur la mer. Quarante pêcheurs, dont son frère et son père, gisent sur les rochers en contrebas, noyés. Ce sont les hommes de Vardø qui ont été ainsi décimés, et les femmes vont désormais devoir assurer seules leur survie. Trois ans plus tard, Absalom Cornet débarque d’Écosse. Cet homme sinistre y brûlait des sorcières. Il est accompagné de sa jeune épouse norvégienne, Ursa. Enivrée et terrifiée par l’autorité de son mari, elle se lie d’amitié avec Maren et découvre que les femmes peuvent être indépendantes. Absalom, lui, ne voit en Vardø qu’un endroit où Dieu n’a pas sa place, un endroit hanté par un puissant démon. Inspiré de faits réels, Les Graciées captive par sa prose, viscérale et immersive. Sous la plume de Kiran Millwood Hargrave, ce village de pêcheurs froid et boueux prend vie.

«Fue un invierno del que se contarían cuentos» Mila vive en una cabaña con sus dos hermanas, Pípa y Sanna, y su hermano, Oskar, en el bosque de Eldbjørn, donde, desde hace mucho tiempo, reina un invierno eterno. Una fría noche, reciben la visita de un misterioso desconocido con el que su hermano se marcha al día siguiente sin decir nada. Convencida de que Oskar corre un terrible peligro, Mila decide ir en su busca y se embarca en una gran aventura junto a un joven mago a través de montañas y bosques donde habitan criaturas desconocidas. Entre la nieve, Mila descubrirá los secretos que esconde el invierno y se enfrentará a un antiguo poder para salvar a su familia antes de que sea demasiado tarde.

W wigilię dnia przepowiedni siedemnastoletnia Lil i jej siostra bliźniaczka Kizzy zostają schwytane przez okrutnego bojara Valcara, pozbawione wolności i nadziei. Kiedy Lil za sprawą innej branki, Miry, odzyskuje wiarę w to, że warto żyć i kochać, rozpaczliwa egzystencja sióstr zostaje zagrożona po raz kolejny. Na ich drodze staje bowiem legendarny Dracul, bardziej potwór niż człowiek, dla którego dziewczęta to niewiele warte zabawki. W brutalnym świecie, którym rządzą mroczne pożądanie i przeznaczenie, dziewczęta muszą ratować siebie i swoją krew – nawet jeśli oznacza to zgodę na życie po śmierci. Zapierająca dech w piersiach opowieść o losach oblubienic Drakuli, spod pióra nagradzanej autorki bestsellerów.

Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse dreams of the faraway lands her father once mapped. When her closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart. But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself. From this young debut author comes a beautifully written and lyrical story of friendship, discovery, myths and magic – perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Frances Hardinge or Katherine Rundell.

In this gripping historical novel, the internationally bestselling author of The Mercies weaves a spellbinding tale of fear, transformation, courage, and love in sixteenth-century France. Strasbourg, 1518. In the midst of a blisteringly hot summer, a lone woman begins to dance in the city square. She dances for days without pause or rest, and when hundreds of other women join her, the men running the city declare a state of emergency and hire musicians to play the Devil out of the mob. Outside the city, pregnant Lisbet lives with her husband and mother-in-law, tending the bees that are the family's livelihood. Though Lisbet is removed from the frenzy of the dancing plague afflicting the city's women, her own quiet life is upended by the arrival of her sister-in-law. Nethe has been away for seven years, serving a penance in the mountains for a crime no one will name. It is a secret Lisbet is determined to uncover. As the city buckles under the beat of a thousand feet, Lisbet becomes caught in a dangerous web of deceit and clandestine passion. Like the women of Strasbourg, she too, is dancing to a dangerous tune. . . . Set in an era of superstition, hysteria, and extraordinary change, and inspired by true events, The Dance Tree is an impassioned story of family secrets, forbidden love, and women pushed to the edge.

They say the thirst of blood is like a madness - they must sate it. Even with their own kin. On the eve of her divining, the day she'll discover her fate, seventeen-year-old Lil and her twin sister Kizzy are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar, taken far away from their beloved traveller community. Forced to work in the harsh and unwelcoming castle kitchens, Lil is comforted when she meets Mira, a fellow slave who she feels drawn to in a way she doesn't understand. But she also learns about the Dragon, a mysterious and terrifying figure of myth and legend who takes girls as gifts. They may not have had their divining day, but the girls will still discover their fate...

Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2017, and the British Book Awards' Children's Book of Year 2017 Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse dreams of the faraway lands her father once mapped. When her closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart. But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself.

A beautifully written story of friendship, discovery, myths, and magic that the London Times called "reminiscent of fantasy greats such as Philip Pullman and Neil Gaiman." Legends say that the island of Joya was once a place where songbirds sang in every tree and the islanders were free to come and go as they pleased. That was before the harsh-ruling Governor arrived, and ravens drove out the native birds. Now there are no songbirds, and the people are forbidden to travel beyond the forest that separates them from the rest of the island. But for Isabella, the legends of her island home have always seemed like more than just stories. And when a series of mysterious events shakes the community, it's Isabella--daughter to the island's only mapmaker--who will lead a party of explorers into the forest in search of answers. As the group ventures deeper and deeper into the island, dark secrets begin to surface, and the legends Isabella has listened to all these years show signs of coming to life. Debut novelist Kiran Millwood Hargrave draws on the cultural folklore of the Canary Islands in this richly told story of a girl's quest to map her own place in a world that legends alone have shaped. Advance Praise: "[R]eminiscent of fantasy greats such as Philip Pullman and Neil Gaiman." --The London Times From the Hardcover edition.

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781910002766 Shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards and the Blue Peter Book Awards 2017 From the author of the bestselling tale The Girl of Ink & Stars comes a beautiful new adventure about finding your way home. There are some places you would not want to go. Even if I told you that we have oceans filled with sea turtles and dolphins, or forests lush with parrots that call through air thick with warmth... Nobody comes here because they want to. The island of no return. Ami lives with her mother on an island where the sea is as blue as the sky. It’s all she knows and loves, but the arrival of malicious government official Mr Zamora changes her world forever: her island is to be made into a colony for lepers. Taken from her mother and banished across the sea, Ami faces an uncertain future in an orphanage. There she meets a honey-eyed girl named for butterflies, and together they discover a secret that will lead her on an adventure home. Ami must go back to the island of no return, but will she make it in time?

After a storm has killed off all the island's men, two women in a 1600s Norwegian coastal village struggle to survive against both natural forces and the men who have been sent to rid the community of alleged witchcraft. Finnmark, Norway, 1617. Twenty-year-old Maren Bergensdatter stands on the craggy coast, watching the sea break into a sudden and reckless storm. Forty fishermen, including her brother and father, are drowned and left broken on the rocks below. With the menfolk wiped out, the women of the tiny Northern town of Vardø must fend for themselves. Three years later, a sinister figure arrives. Absalom Cornet comes from Scotland, where he burned witches in the northern isles. He brings with him his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, who is both heady with her husband's authority and terrified by it. In Vardø, and in Maren, Ursa sees something she has never seen before: independent women. But Absalom sees only a place untouched by God and flooded with a mighty evil. As Maren and Ursa are pushed together and are drawn to one another in ways that surprise them both, the island begins to close in on them with Absalom's iron rule threatening Vardø's very existence. Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1620 witch trials, The Mercies is a feminist story of love, evil, and obsession, set at the edge of civilization.

The thrilling second Geomancer book in the epic fantasy trilogy from the bestselling, award-winning Kiran Millwood Hargrave, for readers of Philip Pullman and Katherine Rundell. 'Destined to be a classic' - Garth Nix 'This tale of adventure and magic is as brave as it is exciting' - Independent 'A stunning adventure' - Cressida Cowell 'Fierce, lyrical ... an earth-shattering fantasy' Piers Torday Unlock a magic that could change the world ... or destroy it. Ysolda is on the run, travelling with a rebellious princess to the wilds of the Drakken Peak - on the back of a huge sea wolf. With her faithful sea hawk Nara by her side, her quest to find the fabled magic of the Geomancer is just beginning ... From the author of The Girl of Ink and Stars, Julia and the Shark and The Mercies, the Geomancer trilogy is a new modern classic for readers young and old.

Mila and her sisters live with their brother Oskar in a small forest cabin in the snow. One night, a fur-clad stranger arrives seeking shelter for himself and his men. But by the next morning, they've gone - taking Oskar with them. Fearful for his safety, Mila and her sisters set out to bring Oskar back - even it means going north, crossing frozen wild-lands to find a way past an eternal winter.

1617, Norvegia nordorientale. In una funesta vigilia di Natale, il mare a Vardø si è improvvisamente sollevato e una folgore livida ha sferzato il cielo. Quando la tempesta si è acquietata in uno schiocco di dita, così com'era arrivata, le donne si sono raccolte a riva per scrutare l'orizzonte. Degli uomini usciti in barca non vi era, però, nessun segno. Quaranta pescatori, dispersi nelle gelide acque del Mare di Barents. Alla ventenne Maren Magnusdatter, che ha perso il padre e il fratello nella burrasca, e a tutte le donne di Vardø non resta dunque che un solo compito: mettere a tacere il dolore e cercare di sopravvivere. Quando l'inverno allenta la presa e le provviste di cibo sono quasi esaurite nelle dispense, le donne non si perdono d'animo: rimettono le barche in mare, riprendono la pesca, tagliano la legna, coltivano i campi, conciano le pelli. Spinte dalla necessità, scoprono che la loro unità può generare ciò che serve per continuare a vivere. L'equilibrio faticosamente conquistato è destinato, però, a dissolversi il giorno in cui a Vardø mette piede il sovrintendente Absalom Cornet, un fosco e ambiguo personaggio distintosi, in passato, per aver mandato al rogo diverse donne accusate di stregoneria. Absalom è accompagnato dalla giovane moglie norvegese, Ursa, inesperta della vita e terrorizzata dai modi sbrigativi e autoritari del marito. A Vardø, però, Ursa scorge qualcosa che non ha mai visto prima: donne indipendenti. Absalom, al contrario, vede solo una terra sventurata, abitata dal Maligno. Un luogo ai margini della civiltà, dove la popolazione barbara dei lapponi si mescola liberamente con i bianchi e dove una comunità di sole donne pretende di vivere secondo regole proprie.

After a storm has killed off all the island's men, two women in a 1600s Norwegian coastal village struggle to survive against both natural forces and the men who have been sent to rid the community of alleged witchcraft. Finnmark, Norway, 1617. Twenty-year-old Maren Bergensdatter stands on the craggy coast, watching the sea break into a sudden and reckless storm. Forty fishermen, including her brother and father, are drowned and left broken on the rocks below. With the menfolk wiped out, the women of the tiny Northern town of Vardø must fend for themselves. Three years later, a sinister figure arrives. Absalom Cornet comes from Scotland, where he burned witches in the northern isles. He brings with him his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, who is both heady with her husband's authority and terrified by it. In Vardø, and in Maren, Ursa sees something she has never seen before: independent women. But Absalom sees only a place untouched by God and flooded with a mighty evil. As Maren and Ursa are pushed together and are drawn to one another in ways that surprise them both, the island begins to close in on them with Absalom's iron rule threatening Vardø's very existence. Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1620 witch trials, The Mercies is a feminist story of love, evil, and obsession, set at the edge of civilization.

Nochebuena de 1617. Una tempestad se desata sobre la isla noruega de Vardø cuando los hombres de una pequeña aldea están en el mar pescando. Todos mueren. A partir de ese instante, Vardø se convierte en una isla de mujeres, entre ellas, Maren, que debe hacer frente a la muerte de su padre, su hermano y su prometido. Las mujeres de la isla tratan de hacer todo lo posible por salir adelante, pero, pronto, las noticias llegan a las autoridades. Dieciocho meses más tarde, una siniestra figura arriba a la isla desde Escocia para poner fin al anómalo gobierno de las mujeres: el comisario Absalom Cornet. Con él, viaja su joven esposa, Ursa, que ve en Maren algo que nunca ha conocido: una mujer independiente. Entre ambas surgirá una relación que lo cambiará todo. Pero, para Absalom, Vardø es el hogar de un mal terrible y oscuro, uno que debe erradicar a toda costa. Escrita con delicadeza y gran lirismo, Vardø es una novela atmosférica que nos habla de la verdadera naturaleza del amor y del mal, y del poder de las mujeres y la razón en un momento más necesario que nunca.

Την παραμονή των Χριστουγέννων του 1617, μια τρομερή καταιγίδα ξέσπασε στη θάλασσα της απομακρυσμένης νορβηγικής νήσου Βάρντε. Η Μάρεν Μαγκνουσντάττερ στέκει και παρακολουθεί, ενώ τα κύματα καταπίνουν σαράντα ψαράδες, ανάμεσά τους τον πατέρα της και τον αδελφό της. Οι άντρες του χωριού χάνονται από τη µια στιγμή στην άλλη –το Βάρντε είναι πλέον τόπος γυναικών. Δεκαοχτώ μήνες αργότερα καταφθάνει στο χωριό µια απειλητική μορφή. O Αβεσσαλώμ Κόρνετ ήρθε από τη Σκοτία για να τιθασεύσει ένα μέρος άγριο, στην άκρη του πολιτισμένου κόσμου, και ξέρει τι πρέπει να κάνει για να υποτάξει τις γυναίκες του Βάρντε. Μαζί του ταξιδεύει και η νεαρή του σύζυγος, η Ούρσα. Στο Βάρντε, και στο πρόσωπο της Μάρεν, η Ούρσα βρίσκει κάτι που δεν έχει ξαναδεί – γυναίκες ανεξάρτητες. Ο Αβεσσαλώμ όµως δε βλέπει παρά ένα μέρος όπου ξεχειλίζει ανυπέρβλητο κακό, το οποίο πρέπει να ξεριζώσει πάση θυσία… Οι μάγισσες του Βάρντε, που είναι εμπνευσμένες από τα πραγματικά γεγονότα της καταιγίδας του Βάρντε και τις δίκες των μαγισσών που έλαβαν χώρα στο νησί, είναι ένα μυθιστόρηµα για το πώς η καχυποψία διαβρώνει έως εσχάτων μια κοινότητα και για το πώς η αγάπη μπορεί να αποδειχτεί επικίνδυνη αλλά και πανίσχυρη.