RLA
Traces on the Moorland (2025)

Traces on the Moorland (2025)

Ragna Sigurdardottir
2025
268 pages
Fiction

A moving story of fathers and sons, friendship and violence, where past and present collide in unexpected and haunting ways. 

Saevar is an illustrator who has just moved with his family to Alftanes, where he finds inspiration for his art in the rich life of the tidal flats. He quickly settles into the peace and beauty of nature, but his teenage son Petur resents the change and struggles to adapt to his new surroundings. 

Just as Petur begins to make friends and find his footing, a brutal attack shatters his fragile sense of belonging, leaving his best friend badly injured. The police launch an investigation, but little progress is made. Saevar, weighed down by worry for his son, is also haunted by memories of a bittersweet childhood summer with his grandparents on the same peninsula and by echoes of a 19th-century murder case in which his ancestor was entangled. Then a video of the boys’ assault suddenly surfaces online, and the case takes an unexpected and chilling turn. 

Traces on the Moorland is a powerful contemporary story with deep roots in the past – a novel about the fragile bond between fathers and sons, the complexities of friendship, and a journey, at once painful and compelling, through old and new landscapes. 

 

Reviews

“Ragna writes, as before, with refinement and composure, so much so that you don’t even notice at first when you suddenly find yourself short of breath. I don’t know if it’s accurate to call this a study of a culture of violence—really, I don’t think Ragna is writing from that kind of framework, nor to make any grand statement about the nature of violence, but rather to tell us something about pain and hopelessness, and how they summon the destructive force within people. But this is by no means a simple book, and I will surely be processing it for a long time and then reading it again. In short: A terrifying book (especially for anyone who has, has had, or plans to have teenagers), but an outstanding novel.”

EIRIKUR ORN NORDDAHL, AUTHOR

“Past and present are merged with remarkable ease, and the author writes about parenthood with sensitivity, insight, and perfect timing: This is exactly what our paralysis and helplessness in the face of social technology look like. And what an extraordinary community it must have been back then—600 people in close-knit rural surroundings. … a strong and accomplished novel.”

HALLGRIMUR HELGASON, AUTHOR

“This is a well-woven story with many subplots, all revolving around morality and some form of violence. Like Ragna’s earlier works, it leaves the reader with big questions well worth pondering deeply.”

STEINGERDUR STEINARSDOTTIR, LIFDU NUNA MAGAZINE