The central thread of this book (father in search of lost daughter) has been done many times before, but Stimson manages to make something new out of it with a sharply realised northern-Swedish setting. The description of midnight light, of the 'silver road' of the title that Lelle travels every day, illuminates an overdone plot.
While the dialogue could use some work (it also verges on the trite at times), when we get to the second thread of the novel, that of Meja and Silje, Stimson excels. It is this thread which appears to foreshadow what happened to Lina and yet also offers some much needed character complexity: the red marks around Silje's neck, her rejoinder to her daughter: 'Don't pretend to be stupid' - this demonstrates a pleasing depth of attention to female relationships that will hopefully extend into the Lina plot.
Overall, there is much to be looked forward to in this book!
While the dialogue could use some work (it also verges on the trite at times), when we get to the second thread of the novel, that of Meja and Silje, Stimson excels. It is this thread which appears to foreshadow what happened to Lina and yet also offers some much needed character complexity: the red marks around Silje's neck, her rejoinder to her daughter: 'Don't pretend to be stupid' - this demonstrates a pleasing depth of attention to female relationships that will hopefully extend into the Lina plot.
Overall, there is much to be looked forward to in this book!