Published by Orenda Books on January 1st 2017
Pages: 185
Goodreads





TV presenter Allis Hagtorn leaves her partner and her job to take voluntary exile in remote house on an isolated fjord. But her new job as housekeeper and gardener is not all that it seems, and her silent, surly employer, 44-year-old Sigurd Bagge, is not the old man she expected. As they await the return of his wife from her travels, their silent, uneasy encounters develop into a chilling, obsessive relationship, and it becomes clear that atonement for past sins may not be enough. Haunting, consuming and powerful, The Bird Tribunal is a taut, exquisitely written psychological thriller that builds to a shocking, dramatic crescendo that will leave you breathless.
I’m off to Book Expo later this morning but wanted to sneak in one more post before I go. This one is long overdue owing, for the most part, to my lack of technical skills. There is really no excuse but, you see, this is the first time I have successfully installed a Mobi file onto my Kindle. I will not say how long it took.My previous attempts all ended in frustration and wine. This time, however, I was so successful that I now have six copies on my Kindle! My sincere apologies to Karen at Orenda Books for the length of time it has taken me to read and review this book.
The Bird Tribunal had me hooked right away. It feels, and it is, more like a literary mystery. It’s very beautifully written and everything about it conveys a sense of quiet foreboding. The isolated location, the fjord, the gardens, and the little house in which Allis and Sigurd come to know one another combine to create an atmosphere which lends itself perfectly to this novel full of suspense and mystery.
The character development is very interesting as Allis and Sigurd’s characters are very well-developed but only very slowly revealed. The author feeds us just a little at a time and we know that at least one of them is not fully what they seem. Or could it be both?
The pacing is just perfect for this one hundred ninety-four page read. Even while all was going swimmingly, I felt compelled to keep turning the pages. In fact, this false sense of security only served to intensify the level of suspense for me. The reader is led down a path that could go any number of ways. I’ll admit that my predicted outcome changed several times. I’ll also admit that all of my predicted outcomes where wrong. That ending!!
I would absolutely read any of Agnes Ravatn’s future books.
My thanks to Orenda Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Oooo…this one sounds interesting! I’ve never heard of it or the author- which is an added incentive. Adding to my TBR.
Jealous that you’re at BEA. Have a great time!
Thanks, Catherine. I hope you enjoy it if you can squeeze it in. Book Expo was wonderful and exhausting at the same time.
i HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CHECK OUT MORE BOOK IN TRANSlation. I love the sound of this book…
It was very well done. I hope you can read it! Thanks for stopping by.
Good for you for sticking to it and getting the book downloaded. I’d probably have given up! I read The Bird Tribunal last year and really liked it. You’re right, I’d read anything else by Ravatn, too. It was so darkly good!
Have a great time at BEA. I look forward to hearing all about it.
Thanks, Susie! It was a nice break from some of the more standard thrillers. Though, of course, I love them too!
Congrats on getting the book downloaded. I’m next to useless at anything technical, i would have ended up calling an expert. Good on you to keep at it.
I read this awhile back. Enjoyed the creepy forboding atmosphere but ultimately found the ending unsurprising & a little disappointing. Even though I enjoyed the first half of the book, I probably won’t read another by her.
Enjoy the expo!
Thanks, Anne. Sorry it didn’t hold up for you. Book Expo was awesome. I’m already looking forward to next year!