DownloadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2024

The Wolves of Eternity

A journey through time, memory, and existence

Karl Ove Knausgaard author Martin Aitken translator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Vintage Publishing

Published:3rd Oct '24

Should be back in stock very soon

This paperback is available in another edition too:

The Wolves of Eternity cover

This poignant novel explores the intertwined lives of a brother and sister across time and space, revealing deep connections in The Wolves of Eternity.

In The Wolves of Eternity, the narrative unfolds in 1986, following Syvert Løyning as he returns home to Southern Norway after military service, only to be confronted by the haunting memories of his late father. The explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor serves as a backdrop, symbolizing the fragility of life and the unforeseen consequences of human actions. Syvert's quest for understanding leads him to discover a collection of letters that connect him to the Soviet Union, intertwining his personal history with broader historical events.

Meanwhile, in present-day Russia, Alevtina is navigating the complexities of work and motherhood. Although she is deeply invested in caring for her young son, she is also on a quest for answers to life's profound questions. Her friend Vasilisa, who is writing a book about the ancient Russian belief in eternal life, offers Alevtina a glimpse into the philosophical underpinnings of existence. As Alevtina prepares for a pivotal meeting, the narrative hints at impending changes that will shape her worldview.

The Wolves of Eternity is a poignant exploration of the intertwined lives of Syvert and Alevtina, who, despite their geographical and temporal differences, share a profound connection. This second installment in Karl Ove Knausgaard's series deepens the exploration of themes introduced in The Morning Star, inviting readers to reflect on the nature of existence and the bonds that transcend time and space.

Knausgaard is among the finest writers alive. * New York Times *
[An] enormously compelling book… The range of subjects The Wolves of Eternity explores is fascinating * Sunday Times *
Casts an existential spell…captivating… Big themes — the cosmos, death and resurrection — are amplified through ghostly visitations, doppelgänger lives and the question of what, if anything, lies beyond human existence * Financial Times *
Compelling * Telegraph **** *
The nature and possibility of immortality is a recurring theme, and digressions abound — communicating trees, broken families, Chernobyl, death, etc. But by sticking close to his characters, Knausgaard addresses those heady topics with an easy-going grace * LA Times *
Compulsively readable...Knausgaard remains one of the great chroniclers of the moment-by-moment experience of life * Washington Post *
An intelligent, expansive novel * i *
Immersive… It is so engrossing and entertaining that I crammed in its 800 pages like a glutton devouring a box of chocolates * Spectator *
Knausgaard, master of fiction as an inquiry into the self, now revives fiction as an inquiry into the cosmos, re-enchanting the latter with those beguiling secrets science had stolen from it * Guardian *
I read The Morning Star compulsively, and stayed awake all night after finishing it. -- Brandon Taylor

ISBN: 9781529920581

Dimensions: 198mm x 128mm x 33mm

Weight: 542g

800 pages