Winter Stories

The internationally acclaimed and nationally bestselling author of Brightly Shining returns with a trio of tender, powerful stories of courage and overcoming adversity

Ingvild Rishøi is one of Scandinavia’s most revered literary voices and winner of the Dobloug Prize from the Swedish Academy. Following the nationally bestselling novel Brightly Shining, she has returned with the highly acclaimed and award-winning collection Winter Stories.

In these brilliantly rendered stories, Rishøi paints three tender and indelible portraits of life on the fringes of society in contemporary Norway and the very human desire to take care of those closest to us, even at risk to ourselves. The first story, “We Can’t Help Everyone”, is a heartfelt depiction of a young mother trying to teach her dreamy daughter about the realities of the world. The central story, “The Right Thomas”, explores both the beauty of a relationship that crosses class boundaries and the challenges of a father returning to society after incarceration while trying to protect his son. And in the final story, “Siblings”, Rishøi brings the reader on a childish adventure that takes a precarious turn when an older sister leads her two younger siblings away to a place where she feels they will finally all be safe.

Winter Stories is a masterful triptych from a major international writer renowned for her ability to say a great deal in few words. It is a poignant reminder of the power of hope, loyalty, and unexpected kindness during dark times.