The Swell

A spellbinding, atmospheric mystery, rich with Icelandic myth and perfect for fans of Burial Rites and The Witches of Vardo.

Two sisters. A shipwreck. A story demanding to be told . . .

Iceland, 1910. In the middle of a severe storm two sisters - Freyja and Gudrún - rescue a mysterious, charismatic man from a shipwreck near their remote farm.

Sixty-five years later, a young woman - Sigga - is spending time with her grandmother when they learn a body has been discovered on a mountainside near Reykjavik, perfectly preserved in ice.

Moving between the turn of the 20th century and the 1970s as a dark mystery is unravelled, The Swell is a spellbinding, beautifully atmospheric read, rich in Icelandic myth.

Review

Spellbinding. Entranced by dark, icy, mythical Iceland and captivated by two generations of women and their struggle for agency, I could not put The Swell down. Evocative and heartbreaking, this is a story of sisterhood, with a page-turning mystery at the heart of the novel. ― Anya Bergman, international bestselling author of The Witches of Vardo

A deeply satisfying, deftly woven novel of female power and resistance, and of feminisms both implicit and explicit. Early and late 20th century Iceland are both beautifully evoked in Kat Gordon's rich, captivating prose. Highly recommended. ― Anna Hope, author of Expectation

In beautiful, crisp prose The Swell examines the saga of one family and the often complicated role of the women within it. An addictive and twisty read. ― Liza Klaussman, author of Tigers in Red Weather

Spellbinding. I could not put The Swell down. Evocative and heartbreaking, this is a story of sisterhood, with a page-turning mystery at the heart of the novel. ― Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo

Thoroughly bewitching. Kat Gordon's spare prose is as beautiful as it ishaunting. ― Freya Berry, author of The Birdcage Library

Gripping, bewitching, and laced with atmosphere, reading The Swell was a wonderfully sensory experience. ― Harriet Constable, author of The Instrumentalist

A skilful, measured, atmospheric mystery set in Iceland and weaving across two timelines. Kat Gordon is a master storyteller. ― Cathryn Kemp, author of A Poisoner's Tale

Beautiful and powerful, a story of courage and survival that echoes across generations. Kat Gordon presents us with a compelling tale of two women living in very different times in the 20th century, both striving for change in the face of danger and oppression. The harsh, often lightless, landscape mirrors the struggle for liberation for these young women. I am sure this haunting, melancholic yet ultimately hopeful novel will appeal to readers of Elizabeth O'Connor's Whale Fall. ― Emily Critchley

Set against a dramatic and treacherous Icelandic landscape, The Swell is a cinematic and compelling story of hope, autonomy and transformation. ― Elle Machray, author of Remember, Remember

About the Author

Kat Gordon grew up in London, a short distance from Charles Dickens's house on Doughty Street. Great Expectations has always been one of her favourite books, and at Oxford she studied and fell in love with his others. After graduating, she worked briefly at Time Out, as a gymnastics coach and an HIV counsellor before publishing her first novel, The Artificial Anatomy of Parks. Her second novel, An Unsuitable Woman, was picked by Richard and Judy for their Book Club. Having lived in Reykjavik, her third novel, The Swell, was set in Iceland. Her novels have been translated into multiple languages. She is currently settled in London with her partner, their son, and two cats but no hedgehog.