Reviews

• “This instinctive fear of the other and the dangers they represent nourishes one of the most beautiful novels released at the beginning of this year. Norwegian author Agnes Ravatn has indeed published The Bird Tribunal, a thrilling and feverish work. It feels like a film by Bergman, with its dark and mysterious beauty.”

• “The Bird Tribunal offers an incredible richness of themes /…/ The atonement for the past sins and the titular bird tribunal carry powerful messages, as well as questions of morality and humanity.”

• “A chilling closed-door that is read in one sitting!”

• “Ravatn creates a creeping sense of unease, elegantly bringing the peace and menace of the setting to vivid life. The isolated house on the fjord is a character-like shadow in this tale of obsessions. This is domestic suspense with a twist – creepy and wonderful.”

• “Agnes Ravatn manages to maintain suspense until the very last lines /…/. Gradually, a Hitchcockian atmosphere settles in, enveloping the narrative and making The Bird Tribunal a true tour de force.”

• “Crackling, fraught and hugely compulsive slice of Nordic Noir /…/ tremendously impressive.”

• “The author knows how to create unique atmospheres, and the reader wonders on which foot to dance…”

• “A tense and riveting read.”

• “A book that envelops you, bewitches you. /…/ An intense closed-door setting, where unspoken words and tensions guide us until the last page.”

• “Unfolds in an austere style that perfectly captures the bleakly beautiful landscape of Norway’s far north.”

• “Masterful! /…/ An effective narrative that doesn’t overlook the troubled psyche of the characters, an ability to convey to the reader the underlying tension that binds the protagonists, not to mention the art of making you shiver, both literally and figuratively, in beautiful yet chilly places.”

• “An unrelenting atmosphere of doom fails to prepare readers for the surprising resolution.”

• “Agnes Ravatn only needs a few lines to establish a strange atmosphere. The open-air closed-door she masterfully orchestrates fulfills all its promises throughout the chapters. /…/ The Bird Tribunal is a tour de force that combines literature, theater, and cinema, not to be missed.”

• “The ending literally pounces on you. ”

• “Agnes Ravatn demonstrates real expertise in the obsessive portrayal of two individuals trapped in a face-to-face confrontation with an inevitably regrettable outcome.”

• “It quivers with excitement and surplus /…/ about two people, who just want to be found and loved. ”

• “A true promise of a sleepless night. Agnes Ravatn cleverly plays with the strange, in a vein reminiscent of gothic literature, intertwined with legends. A claustrophobic setting in an oppressive chiaroscuro that oscillates between a dark forest and a luminous fjord. /…/ A powerful tension underlies this narrative filled with nightmares and lies.”

• “The novel remains with you as an electrical charge under your skin. ”

• “Beautiful about two damaged souls living under the same roof. ”

• “The whole book is characterised by an uncomfortable and ominous tone and an exquisite writing style. It is dark, thrilling and captivating, as we slowly learn more and more about these two lonely people. ”