“Out Stealing Horses,” by Perr Peterson, is set in eastern Norway in late 1999. The main character is a man named Trond, who is in the twilight of his life. He has moved out into the countryside to be alone, to avoid human entanglements and to reflect on his past.
As fate would have it, his nearest neighbors turns out to be a childhood acquaintance, and both men are more knowledgeable of the others past than either would like.
The men’s lives, their experiences and the subsequent consequences are shared with the reader via flashback’s to their Norwegian childhood. Their families are involved in The Resistance movement during WWII, passing documents and information through Sweden.
I will not give negative reviews because preferences are so subjective. What one person enjoys reading, another may not, and that is in no way a reflection on the author.
Having said that, I must confess I did not enjoy this read. For my interests, it failed to draw me in, to cause me to experience 1940 Norway vicariously through the characters. However, that in no way suggests that you will not like it.
I encourage others to explore “Out Stealing Horses.” The book jacket lists Mr. Peterson’s many accomplishments and the awards he has won for his writing. Those awards include the 2007 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, Independent foreign Fiction Prize, and the Critic’s Award for best novel.
Clearly, there is something in this work that I did not see. I hope that you enjoy it.
