Born into a troubled family in a Danish seaside town, the heroine of "To Siberia" clings to her brother, and he to her, with a desperate devotion. The novel tells the story of their powerful bond and their agonizing separation. Neglected by their parents, the two wander the streets of their village as young children, dreaming of a different life. The sister fantasizes about escaping to Siberia, but that dream seems ever more remote as her brother becomes a young man and disappears into the resistance movement against the Nazi occupation. Their separation begins years of wandering for her, and Petterson's novel traces the separate struggles of brother and sister with empathy, insight, and pathos.
With the same crystalline prose that made "Out Stealing Horses" a bestselling sensation, Per Petterson here draws a portrait of a sister and brother bound together powerfully by birth, and separated painfully by circumstance.
Industry Reviews
"Brilliant . . . a darkly beautiful story." --Los Angeles Times
"Reading a Petterson novel is like falling into a northern landscape painting--all shafts of light and clear, palpable chill. " --Time Magazine
"To Siberia succeeds in one of the greatest aims of fiction, to transport us to another time and place that makes us see our world with clearer vision, and to recognize the similarities and differences of human nature across time and distance." --The Dallas Morning News
"Coaxes readers into a sphere of loneliness with the precise prose and keen intellect of a masterful writer. " --Star-Tribune (Minneapolis)
"Petterson's writing is so exact and piercing that, like poetry, it distills [the narrator's] experiences and feelings into imagery that is powerful beyond words. The effect is beautiful and moving, letting the reader connect with the character's vitality and reflect on life with the same fullness and serenity that she does." --The Seattle Times
"Striking . . . Petterson creates a surprising range of effects, from the silvery surfaces of childhood memories to the twilight depths of shadows falling." --The Boston Globe Brilliant . . . a darkly beautiful story. Los Angeles Times
Reading a Petterson novel is like falling into a northern landscape painting--all shafts of light and clear, palpable chill. Time Magazine
To Siberia succeeds in one of the greatest aims of fiction, to transport us to another time and place that makes us see our world with clearer vision, and to recognize the similarities and differences of human nature across time and distance. The Dallas Morning News
Coaxes readers into a sphere of loneliness with the precise prose and keen intellect of a masterful writer. Star-Tribune (Minneapolis)
Petterson's writing is so exact and piercing that, like poetry, it distills [the narrator's] experiences and feelings into imagery that is powerful beyond words. The effect is beautiful and moving, letting the reader connect with the character's vitality and reflect on life with the same fullness and serenity that she does. The Seattle Times
Striking . . . Petterson creates a surprising range of effects, from the silvery surfaces of childhood memories to the twilight depths of shadows falling. The Boston Globe
" Brilliant . . . a darkly beautiful story. "Los Angeles Times"
Reading a Petterson novel is like falling into a northern landscape painting--all shafts of light and clear, palpable chill. "Time Magazine"
"To Siberia" succeeds in one of the greatest aims of fiction, to transport us to another time and place that makes us see our world with clearer vision, and to recognize the similarities and differences of human nature across time and distance. "The Dallas Morning News"
Coaxes readers into a sphere of loneliness with the precise prose and keen intellect of a masterful writer. "Star-Tribune (Minneapolis)"
Petterson's writing is so exact and piercing that, like poetry, it distills [the narrator's] experiences and feelings into imagery that is powerful beyond words. The effect is beautiful and moving, letting the reader connect with the character's vitality and reflect on life with the same fullness and serenity that she does. "The Seattle Times"
Striking . . . Petterson creates a surprising range of effects, from the silvery surfaces of childhood memories to the twilight depths of shadows falling. "The Boston Globe"" "Brilliant . . . a darkly beautiful story." --"Los Angeles Times
""Reading a Petterson novel is like falling into a northern landscape painting--all shafts of light and clear, palpable chill." "--Time" Magazine
""To Siberia" succeeds in one of the greatest aims of fiction, to transport us to another time and place that makes us see our world with clearer vision, and to recognize the similarities and differences of human nature across time and distance." "--The Dallas Morning News
""Coaxes readers into a sphere of loneliness with the precise prose and keen intellect of a masterful writer." "--Star-Tribune" (Minneapolis)
"Petterson's writing is so exact and piercing that, like poetry, it distills [the narrator's] experiences and feelings into imagery that is powerful beyond words. The effect is beautiful and moving, letting the reader connect with the character's vitality and reflect on life with the same fullness and serenity that she does."" --The Seattle Times
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"Striking . . . Petterson creates a surprising range of effects, from the silvery surfaces of childhood memories to the twilight depths of shadows falling."" --The Boston Globe" "Brilliant . . . a darkly beautiful story." -"Los Angeles Times
""Reading a Petterson novel is like falling into a northern landscape painting-all shafts of light and clear, palpable chill." "-Time" Magazine
""To Siberia" succeeds in one of the greatest aims of fiction, to transport us to another time and place that makes us see our world with clearer vision, and to recognize the similarities and differences of human nature across time and distance." "-The Dallas Morning News
""Coaxes readers into a sphere of loneliness with the precise prose and keen intellect of a masterful writer." "-Star-Tribune" (Minneapolis)
"Petterson's writing is so exact and piercing that, like poetry, it distills [the narrator's] experiences and feelings into imagery that is powerful beyond words. The effect is beautiful and moving, letting the reader connect with the character's vitality and reflect o "A compassionate, moving but clear-eyed view of family relationships . . . overwhelming emotional power."-"Independent"
"One of the past decade's most moving novels." - "Guardian"
"Beautifully written. . . . wistfully sad novel . . . Petterson is a writer of great talent and originality." - "Scotsman"
