THE INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNER
GUARDIAN BEST TRANSLATED FICTION 2025
'Beautifully written and thought-provoking, this stayed with me for a long time' DAILY MAIL
'Uplifting, gentle ... each page is made marvellous. Grytten's characters are intriguing, unique and reassuringly flawed' TIMES
How would you spend your last day? And whom would you spend it with?
Ferryman Nils Vik chooses to head out onto the fjord, as he has for many years. Today, the 18th of November, his trip is different. As his trusty boat reaches the sea, a lifetime of passengers join him from beyond the grave, among them his rescue dog, the American photographer he thought of as his friend and young Jon Anderson, whose funeral Nils attended. But Nils is truly waiting for just one passenger: his beloved wife Marta, whose absence has marked each day since her passing. Approaching the end of his journey, his expectation grows - will he be reunited with her too?
Timeless and heartbreaking, The Ferryman and His Wife is a contemplative celebration of life, for readers of Fredrik Backman, Elizabeth Strout and Sarah Winman.
'A heartfelt reckoning of a human life' Lisa Ridzén, bestselling author of When the Cranes Fly South
'Saturated with tenderness, achingly real and profoundly moving' Anne Michaels, Booker-shortlisted author of Held
Translated by Alison McCullough
Genre: Literary Fiction
GUARDIAN BEST TRANSLATED FICTION 2025
'Beautifully written and thought-provoking, this stayed with me for a long time' DAILY MAIL
'Uplifting, gentle ... each page is made marvellous. Grytten's characters are intriguing, unique and reassuringly flawed' TIMES
How would you spend your last day? And whom would you spend it with?
Ferryman Nils Vik chooses to head out onto the fjord, as he has for many years. Today, the 18th of November, his trip is different. As his trusty boat reaches the sea, a lifetime of passengers join him from beyond the grave, among them his rescue dog, the American photographer he thought of as his friend and young Jon Anderson, whose funeral Nils attended. But Nils is truly waiting for just one passenger: his beloved wife Marta, whose absence has marked each day since her passing. Approaching the end of his journey, his expectation grows - will he be reunited with her too?
Timeless and heartbreaking, The Ferryman and His Wife is a contemplative celebration of life, for readers of Fredrik Backman, Elizabeth Strout and Sarah Winman.
'A heartfelt reckoning of a human life' Lisa Ridzén, bestselling author of When the Cranes Fly South
'Saturated with tenderness, achingly real and profoundly moving' Anne Michaels, Booker-shortlisted author of Held
Translated by Alison McCullough
Genre: Literary Fiction
Praise for this book
"Tenderly powerful and urgently contemplative, The Ferryman and His Wife is a profound exploration of what gives a life meaning. With remarkable creativity and piercing honesty, Frode Grytten guides us on a vivid and intimate journey through both the ferryman's fjord, and his memories. The story is breathtaking,unforgettable, and threaded with humble insights about the human experience. Upon turning the final page, I held the book to my chest with a shiver of gratitude." - Sarah Damoff
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