Be Still the Water

This book spanned through two wars and seventy years. The small community of characters faced so many triumphs, disappointments, and tragedies that I could not put it down. This book is one that I highly recommend.

A lovely historical fiction book about Icelandic immigrants who resettle in Manitoba Canada during the early 1900s. Asta is the main character and at the beginning of most of the chapters she is briefly in the present time and is coherent and communicating with her loved ones. What really interested me was when she would slip from the present and enter a semiconscious or dream state of mind. It was while Asta was dreaming that she would vividly reminisce about her life and the reader is transported with her as she experiences her life story. There is a terrible secret that she kept from her family as a young girl. Asta also explores her family’s struggles to survive in this new home along with the deep and lasting friendships made with neighboring friends. She spent a good part of her life as a young women trying to find her younger sister, Freyja, who mysteriously disappeared one day, leaving her family forever changed and devastated. Of course there is also the neighbor from Hell who has his own secret and agenda to make life miserable for all.
I really enjoyed this well written story and the anticipation of learning about the secrets and mysteries that were part of Asta’s life. Her memory recalls and her present day acceptance of her final days was emotional and quite moving for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my unbiased review.

A family saga involving three generations, also a rare book about Icelandic immigrants to Canada at a time when immigration was not the hotly debated topic it is now.

Settling down into a fishing and farming life, these hardworking, industrious Icelanders knew their subject and were determined to make a fresh start and do it well. That they succeeded was due to their work ethic and very strong moral values along with strong family ties which never lessened even under immense strain.

Woven into the history of the period was also the story of youngsters who came to Canada as infants and who grew to adulthood and finally old age, making a great success of their lives both personally and professionally.

It was a quiet book if that is an adequate description. It was serene despite the bloodshed, despite the war intervening and despite intermittent loss of life. I enjoyed the characterization as well. Very descriptive of the bleak and icy conditions of where they settled, this shows an outsider of what life was like at the time in outer Canada.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy of the book.

This is by far one of the best books I've ever read and definitely the best one I've read so far this year. I was interested in reading this because it follows the story of Icelandic refugees settling in Canada and starting a new life. The story is heart wrenching and beautiful and I could not stop myself from wanting more. This is historical fiction done right!

The book mainly follows the story of Asta, the middle child in her family, who is often overshadowed by her boisterous older siblings or her younger, charming sister Freyja. Through her eyes, we experience the hardships and triumphs of the Icelandic community based around Lake Manitoba. The story is recited two-fold, in the past following Asta and her friends and in the present narrated by a dying Asta as she looks back on her life to figure out what went wrong just before the one fundamental event that changed their lives forever; the disappearance of her sister Freyja.

Some of the instances in this story are based off real events faced by the early settlers of the area. It is a recount of astounding love and loss. I believe it stays true to the roots of the community it is based on as the story is steeped in the importance of folklore and nature to the people, thus preserving the essence of their culture. It also shows the hardworking nature and perseverance that we see in refugees around the world as they protect and try to build their families up in foreign lands while respecting the customs of their aides.

The writing of this book is very well done and the elements are clearly well-researched. The characters are both relatable and frustratingly real and their stories leave you reeling and make you feel as if you are a part of their world. Commonly occurring themes are family, love, loss, jealousy, character growth. Trigger warning for the following: death, rape, suicide, chronic illnesses.

I would recommend this book to everyone! So glad that the author has expressed interest in writing more regarding the stories of the people in this book.

Rating: 5/5

The main characters in this book are so well developed that I felt like I was part of the story and they were my neighbors. I missed them when I had to stop reading and return to my regular life. I enjoyed learning about Icelandic culture and reading the quotes at the beginning of each chapter which subtly foreshadowed the chapter ahead. It's fun to go back and reread the quotes after you finish each chapter. In a nutshell the book is a saga that addresses some serious topics but felt so very different than other sagas due to its setting and heritage of the characters. This book, as has become the standard for some many books, is split into two time frames as the story is told by one of the characters as she reflects back on her life. For the vast majority of the read I felt the current story was much weaker than the chapters detailing her earlier life and that it wasn't necessary - that it would have been an even stronger book without the current story. However, there is a twist at the end that made it worthwhile. I look forward to reading other books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows the life of Asta and her Icelandic immigrant family in a small community in Canada. It describes her in the last days of her life searching her memories to find a clue into her little sister's disappearance when they were teenagers.
I like how well the characters are described in this story. The story was well developed and a good pace between the present and past.