Pylväinen's novel is a marvelous picture of mid-nineteenth century Scandinavia. There's a lot of rich material here, but what stuck out to me was the way in which the novel explores the multi-layered effects of colonialism. At one point the native people (the Sámi) argue about the potential effects of decisions made by distant kings on their livelihood as reindeer herders. They are hardly ignorant or oblivious of the wider world. Rather, they can see all too well the impact of the encroaching settlers. While a love story takes center stage in the novel, the wider world of natives, settlers, and the changes in international politics that create intended and unintended consequences are all part of Pylväinen's wider stage.