The End of Drum-Time

'Transports readers deep into an unfamiliar world, yet with familiar conflicts and desires. I was absorbed and changed. Absolutely beautiful' - Tracy Chevalier, bestselling author of Girl With a Pearl Earring

‘The End of Drum-Time is a novel like no other. It is as much a historical epic as it is an intimate love story―as much a vast cultural record as it is a detailed study of a person's soul. It is infinitely rich and rewarding. In these pages, Hanna Pylväinen tells a story of love, faith, reindeer herding, and human failing. She has written a masterpiece’ - Julia Phillips, author of the National Book Award finalist Disappearing Earth

‘One of the most unique voices in American literature, Hanna Pylväinen occupies a space shared by the Scandinavian writers Kerstin Ekman, Tove Jansson, and, beyond that, 19th century masters. The End of Drum-Time brings the readers to a recent past, a distant land, and proves that the complexity of human nature is as relevant and timeless as the ancient landscape. A triumph from the first page to the last!’ - Yiyun Li

‘The End of Drum-Time explores some of the most complex themes in literature in some of the most gorgeous prose imaginable. Hanna Pylväinen’s novel of cultural collision in the far north is an extraordinary feat of research and imagination by an author who reminds you with every page what fiction can accomplish’ - Anthony Marra, New York Times bestselling author of Mercury Pictures Present

'A sweeping Sámiepic ... atmospheric tale of love and colonial conflict ... engrossing ... The End of Drum-Timecalls to mind the great novels of Thomas Hardy – for Pylväinen understands, as Hardy did, the cost that transformation exacts, and her writing echoes his empathy for all who came under his gaze' - Erica Wagner, Guardian

'The End of Drum Time is a novel of large ideas and beautiful details. Pylvainen’s characters are alive, her prose deft, her story’s conclusion sad and satisfying – uplifting too, against the odds. I’m already looking forward to her next' - Rachel Seiffert, The Spectator

'Pylvainen’s evocation of the daily life of the Sami people is truly immersive … a mystical and beautiful novel. Despite its honest portrayal of the cruel colonial war on Sami culture, there is a deep, gentle rhythm to Pylvainen’s writing that is mesmerising. Her slow storytelling is quietly radiant and sheds light on a corner of history that is undersung, as well as reminding us of the indelible synchronicity of man, beast and the changing seasons' - Melissa Katsoulis, The Times

'A satisfying slice of historical fiction' - Stephanie Cross, Daily Mail

'Rich in ethnographic descriptions of the way of life of the Sámi ... intelligent, enthralling ... This novel of epic proportions, its luminous prose written in a rhythmical storytelling voice, earns a tragic closing act. It’s a stunning work' - Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Irish Times

‘Transcendently epic love story … A soaring yet powerfully intimate tale of a people, culture, history and landscape that for all its careful research – Pylväinen spent six months living with Sámi herders in Finland – remains very much a tale of the heart all the way to its shattering end. Stunning’ - Marie Claire, Best Books of 2024

'Part love story, part tale of clashing of cultures and faiths, what really stands out is the sheer lushness of Pylvainen’s prose' - Katie Law, Collagerie

'A haunting tale of love and conflict set in the Sámi lands of northern Europe in the 19th century ... While The End of Drum-Time is broadly a Romeo and Juliet-style romance across the divides, Pylväinen has produced a wonderful novel with much to say about borders, imperialism, religion and bigotry that throws light on events taking place on our continent today, its eloquent voices calling from the farthest latitudes and arriving on the chill winds of time' - Charlie Connelly, The New European