Across the China Sea

July 17, 2017
Norwegian author Heivoll (Before I Burn) peers into the life of a family committed to caring for others with the “christlike spirit of love” in this poignant, haunting novel. After moving from Oslo to a small village in southern Norway at the end of the German occupation, the nameless family with a small boy build a home with rooms for war victims they plan to care for, including three psychologically unstable men and “the crazies from Stavanger,” five siblings whose parents are not able to care for them. Many years later, the only son returns to the house after both of his parents have passed away. As he cleans and sifts through objects from his childhood, he recalls the German occupation, the tragic death of his sister, and the profound but inexplicable bonds of his unconventional family. While the language is spare and at times restrained, Heivoll’s book is deeply affecting. This is a striking and exquisitely detailed novel exploring the depths of compassion, cognizance, and mutual understanding amidst a household of adults and children who cannot always communicate in traditional ways.