The Princes of Pauper’s Pond, Lars Elling (translated by Don Bartlett)

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This post is part of a blog tour. Thank you to Random Things Tours and Orenda Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

As children, Arnstein and Truls were incredibly close. Their father, aware of the impending war that was coming, was keen that they learn survival skills and would leave them to fend for themselves in the forest for weeks at a time, never too far from home that they wouldn’t be able to seek help if they really needed it. Seventy years later and the brothers barely speak. They live directly next to each other, and silently argue every year when the apples drop, sweeping them from one side to the other. Arnstein’s grandson Filip is intrigued by what caused the rift and as the story unfolds gradually we are always aware that tragedy is not far off.

The narrative is split between 1912 and 1985 and we feel the shift in time. Arnstein and Truls grew up with the threat of war hanging over them but oblivious in their childhood of the horrors that lay ahead. They enjoy their time in the Norwegian forest, claiming their little kingdom and learning about the natural world. There are some quite grizzly scenes of animals being killed, and the horror of the boys when their traps work a little too well. There is an innocence and naivety about them, always tinged with a sadness, knowing that their closeness will be broken.

Through Filip’s eyes we see the strain of their estrangement, the stubbornness of both men to heal the rift. He is a teenager, on the cusp of leaving school and trying to work out the world for himself. An aspiring artist, we see his struggles as he strives for improvement, and the blunt honesty he receives from his elders. He must also come to terms with the realisation that his grandparents were once young and full of hopes and dreams themselves. Can he learn from their paths to find a more harmonious route through his own life?

Elling’s debut novel is frequently beautifully written, gently paced and meditative. It didn’t have me rushing back to it but it’s enjoyable once you have picked it up (except perhaps some of the more gruesome scenes, depending on your squeamishness). A thoughtful examination of family dynamics, trauma, and generational impact.

Pick up a copy:

Waterstones