Lars Mytting's "The Bell in the Lake" is more than just a historical novel; it is a journey into the soul of a community grappling with change. Set in 1880s Norway, the story revolves around the village of Butangen and its ancient stave church, a relic threatened by the encroaching modern world.

Mytting masterfully depicts a community steeped in tradition and folklore, where the line between the old ways and the new is blurred. The characters are richly developed, each wrestling with their own desires and demons. Astrid, a young woman yearning for a life beyond the confines of her village, is particularly compelling. Her struggles with love, duty, and ambition resonate deeply.

The narrative is interwoven with fascinating historical details about stave churches, bell-casting, and the clash between traditional beliefs and modernity. Mytting's prose is evocative, capturing the stark beauty of the Norwegian landscape and the harsh realities of life in a remote village.

While the pacing may feel slow at times, it serves to immerse the reader in the atmosphere and the characters' inner lives. The ending, while leaving some storylines unresolved (this is the first book in a trilogy), provides a sense of closure and lingers in the reader's mind.

Mytting transports you to 19th-century Norway, making you feel the chill of winter and the weight of tradition. Astrid is a fantastic protagonist, and the supporting cast is equally well-developed. The novel explores the challenges faced by communities striving to preserve old ways in the face of progress.

Though the story unfolds at a deliberate pace, which may not appeal to readers seeking fast action, "The Bell in the Lake" is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. It is a must-read for those who appreciate historical fiction imbued with folklore and a deep exploration of human nature.

It is well written, a bit slow but actually did enjoy that. The characters are beautifully created and formed. This book tells a story, it's not full of turns and twists, this story does not need them.

I enjoyed this historical fiction book set in Norway and Germany. At times it felt overly long with its very detailed descriptions, however I liked Astrid and found myself rooting for her. A very sad story overall... I might read the second one to find out what happened next.

This is the first in the series of a translated series.
It is beautifully written with amazing characterisation.
The author is an exceptional storyteller.
A great book.

The Bell in the Lake ended just not being my thing, which is such a shame as I think the premise is really original.

This is really beautifully written. Its a slow paced read but that's okay!

Astrid, a very individual girl who stands out in her village is drawn to two strangers who visit Dresden and they are also drawn to her.

Full of Nordic myths, Dresden villagers are reluctant to change and are stuck in their ways.

I really enjoyed this as I had just read (coincidently) about Dresden during WWII so it was good as more background information around the village!

thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC of The Bell in the Lake.

Well written and interesting book, a little slow going for me. #TheBellInTheLake #Netgalley Would make a good audiobook so I would know how to pronounce some of the words.

An intriguing and compelling story, the first of a trilogy, set in late 19th century Norway (in a little village 20 years behind the times). The old church, dilapidated but rich with ancient symbol, is to be taken apart and moved to Germany and replaced with a bigger, plainer church. The three main protagonists are Astrid Henke, (a descendant of conjoined twins whose lives led to the creation of the "sister bells); a young German student architect, (charged' with drawing the old church and overseeing its dismantling to enable its accurate reconstruction); and a new pastor, determined to rid the village of superstition and modernise their experience of Christianity. It is beautifully atmospheric, fascinating and moving novel and i look forward to the following parts.

I'm playing catch up on my Netgalley shelf and the latest from my shelf that I've read is 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐊𝐄 by Lars Mytting. This is the first book in the Hekne trilogy, but could easily be read as a standalone novel.
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𝐅𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐬, 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰.
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What a beautiful and complex book The Bell in the Lake is! The first in a trilogy, and split into 3 main parts, it transports the reader back in time, and to the small Norwegian village of Butangen.
Here we follow the story of the Hekne Sisters, their descendant Astrid Hekne, and the story and preservation of The Sister Bells.
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𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 “𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞”𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬.
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Most people in Butangen are content to follow the cycle of the seasons, and follow the same patterns and traditions they always have, but not Astrid Hekne.
Having declined two marriage proposals because of wanting more for herself than becoming a farmer's wife and mother, she is in danger (in the eyes if her family and fellow villagers at least) of becoming an old maid.
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𝐀𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩, 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐮𝐩, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.
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When a german art and architecture student - Gerhard Schönauer - comes to Butangen to dismantle the church in such a way so that it can be preserved, a number of events are set in motion that impact all of the characters, and that set them on a trajectory that can't be altered or undone.
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𝐘𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐬, 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬, 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚.
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There are lots of themes running through The Bell in the Lake, including modernism versus tradition, religion versus superstition, and love versus duty.
Notably, several of the characters feel these internal conflicts: from Pastor Kai Schweigaard, who is torn between his feelings for Astrid and his sense of duty, and who wants to erect a new church for his congregation and replace the older stave church that has become somewhat delapidated; to Astrid herself who wants to preserve The Sister Bells and for them to remain in Butangen even as the stave church is dismantled, who is torn between her initial feelings for Kai but who falls in love with Gerhard, and who feels the pull of maintaining tradition/superstitions when her older friend (who continued such traditions) passes away; to the entire village who disagree with the dismantling of the old stave church, and who maintain their secrets amongst their own, until something happens that leads to them accepting Pastor Schweigaard as one of their own.
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𝐑𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰. 𝐁𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭, 𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬
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I particularly enjoyed the historical folklore, myths and religious references throughout the book, including the Norwegian superstitions and tales, but also the Norse myths and beliefs that the original stave church was clearly built upon.
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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥, 𝐜𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬; 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭.
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I'd definitely recommend The Bell in the Lake to readers who like Historical Fiction, and complex yet insular stories. I would definitely read more from Lars Mytting, and would continue with this series when the second book of the trilogy is released.
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“𝐈𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬,” 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝. “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐯𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬.”

Once started and stopped this book a few times. And every single time I picked it up again, I couldn’t read more than a chapter.
Unfortunately I had to give up as I just couldn’t get around to it and what’s happening in the story. It might be me and my “moody reader type” .
I’m very grateful to the publisher for my review copy and I’m sorry that I couldn’t keep up with it.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book……..kept me gripped from the beginning and beautiful descriptions of the landscapes. Good plot and well written characterisations

Powerful and atmospheric. I loved how Lars mixed the gritty present with the delicate romance and mystery. There is something about Scandinavian writers and the dark edge to their stories that really stay with you. Can’t wait for the rest of the series!!

The Bell in the Lake really took me by surprise. Initially I found the slow and atmospheric storytelling hard to access - the pacing had me wondering when the plot was really going to kick off. However, it was the stillness and steadiness of the storytelling that so wonderfully paired with the surroundings that captured my heart by the end. I felt incredibly invested in each of the main characters without realising quite when I had fallen in love with all of them.

Following three main perspectives, the story is set in Butagen, Norway in 1880. Prefaced by the story of the death of conjoined twin sisters and the grief of the patriarch placing all of the family silver into the twin bells for the stave church, the story begins with Astrid Hekne, descendant of this family line. She is truly the star of the novel with her passages some of the best sections in the novel. She encapsulates the old ways of Butagen, the Hekne heritage and connection to tradition. However, she is constantly at war within herself in wanting to know more, to stretch out beyond her family home and her questioning her prospects of becoming a wife. Her yearning for a modern life is key. Perhaps this desire for change is the allure of the two other main characters; pastor Kai Schweigaard and architect Gerhard Schonauer, the outsiders that change everything for Astrid.

As mentioned, Astrid's perspective and tone brought this story to life for me. Her bluntness and desire for truth was a tonic for the artifice of the Kai and Gerhard, quickly bringing their ideas of grandeur back to reality. You can't blame either of them for loving her. Likewise, as the connection to the Hekne line, it is through her that we learn about the superstitions around her and how Astrid's future is cast in silver and bronze before she could ever dream to change it.

For all the wonderful detail about the surroundings, stave churches and religion, I would have liked a touch more on the mystical element of the narrative. The coupling of modernity to this theme made for some beautiful passages that I would love to have seen extrapolated upon to provide more of the chilling wonder. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative and felt incredibly moved by the ending - I'm excited to pick up book two to see where it goes next.

I really enjoyed this book! It was gripping from the start and kept me guessing until the very end! Fantastically written! Would definitely recommend!

The Bell in the Lake opens with the legend of the sister bells, struck in memory of conjoined sisters centuries before. Astrid is the link to the mythical sisters, a spirited young woman from the same local family generations later. Once wealthy enough to cast the bells, by the late nineteenth century, the Heknes are still one of the more prosperous farming families in rural Butangen but times are hard and the village is mired in poverty. Villagers get by as best they can, prodded by their pastor into acceptance of the hardships through adherence to their Christian faith. But the older religions and superstitions of the mountains are not far below the surface and the villagers draw strength and guidance also from the local myths, folklore and ancient gods.

The centuries-old and once beautiful wooden stave church has fallen into disrepair and there is no money to restore it. The new pastor, eager to benefit the village but also anxious make his mark and further his career, devises a way of funding a new church: the stave church is to be sold and removed to cosmopolitan Dresden piece by piece. A young German architect is dispatched to document and oversee the dismantling and transportation. Against this background, Astrid, pastor Kai and architect Gerhard are caught in a web of conflicting desires.

Mytting has fashioned from this simple framework a tale as intricate and delicate as the stave church itself. The setting is immersive. The landscape, the weather, the trials and hardships of daily lives are richly described. The three main characters have depth and motive and the tensions between them are brought vividly to life.

This is a long book, slow-paced, and in translation certainly, it has the feel of a nineteenth century novel. Unlike some genuine nineteenth novels, at no point does the story lose momentum and nothing felt superfluous. I was totally pulled into the stories of Astrid, Kai and Gerhard and engrossed in their respective personal battles. I also found, to my surprise, that I was captivated by the stave church, its place in the community, its role in the wider church and how the church elders regarded it as a commodity with no thought for its spiritual and communal significance to the villagers. The descriptions of the church and the processes involved in removing and rebuilding it are described in rich, meticulous detail, again not something I would expect to enjoy but I was engrossed.

I wish I had the ability to read Norwegian; I would love to compare the two versions to know how closely they compare. What I can say is that in translation the language felt richly authentic and the story flowed seamlessly.

The Bell in the Lake is the first of a proposed trilogy and by the end of the book I could see where the second one might begin. I’m very much looking forward to the next instalment. My thanks to Net Galley, to the writer, publisher and translator for an advance copy of this book.

I really liked this book. It was very poetic and slow and gave a fascinating insight into the lives of a rural community far behind it's metropolitan counterparts. It was very moving and the characters played on my mind for a few weeks after a finished - always the sign of a good book!

I was intrigued by this book, and it didn't disappoint. It is beautifully written and completely absorbing.

Two centuries old bells that were made in memory of conjoined twins Halfrid and Gunhikd, live in the church stave of an isolated villiage. These bells should never be separated but change is actioned in 1880 by the new pastor and representation of the Saxon Royal Family, leading to unsettling the town and its townspeople; in particular a young woman called Astrid.

Astrid feels a connection to the past and family but wants to experience the future outside her hometown. This leads to a battle of religion, tradition and superstition.

It was a slow start for me but I did become fully emmersed in this wonderful historical novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the character Astrid - she's headstrong, reliable and standing for what she believes in. I also enjoyed the superstitions and tales that had such a strong place in the townspeoples lives and impacted their decision making. Overall, it was a fantastic insight into life during this time.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus Publishing for allowing me to read The Bell in the Lake for free in return for an honest review.

This book is written in so much detail, I loved every minute of it. I loved reading about 1980 Norway and couldn't wait to read more, it was very hard to put down! I'm a big fan of historical fiction and this one didn't disappoint.

I felt this book started well and I was getting drawn into the story and then I began to lose interest, I thought the story was a good one and liked the historical element and the parallels between the past and the present but it wasn't too keen on the supernatural elements. I also struggled at times with the writing which at times didn't seem to flow - but that may have been where something got lost in the translation. I feel I should have loved this book, but unfortunately I didn't.