The reviewer writes that the book is "a compelling narrative" that provides "a welcome insight into Icelandic culture". After outlining some of the main ideas and events in my story, he concludes: "All of which makes The Promise of Iceland an excellent work. Well written, fascinating and absorbing, the book pulls the reader along on Kári's search for closure and fulfilment."
The review is available in full here.
Other reviews of The Promise of Iceland can be found here. The book is available for sale at the usual online outlets. A recent review by Cath MacAdam on the book's Amazon.com page reads:
A very touching story, how a promise made long ago has enduring consequences.Kari shares so much, from his love for his mother to the confusion of growing up without getting to know his father. This will resonate with many of us who grew up in fractured families, for whom the place we call home is never quite enough but no other place really feels quite right either. Kari's decision to break the promise of silence and contact his father's family would have taken great courage, and so was the decision to share his story with the world. Yet it's not a sad story, rather a story of strength, love and hope, and there are moments of wry humour. Reading Kari's story made me reassess some of the decisions I have made as an adult and a parent. How our choices, which may seem inevitable at the time, have such long lasting effects on the lives of those we love the most. Many times throughout the book I actually forgot this was a real story and not fiction. The writing transported me to a small, frozen community where reputation means so much. Yet the people who inhabit that world showed much warmth and generosity of spirit. A great read.
