Winter Stories - by Ingvild Rishøi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"From the internationally acclaimed and nationally bestselling author of Brightly Shining, a trio of tender, powerful stories of courage and overcoming adversity. Ingvild Rishoi is one of Scandinavia's most revered literary voices and winner of the 2024 Dobloug Prize from the Swedish Academy. Following the success of her nationally bestselling novel Brightly Shining comes her award-winning collection Winter Stories. In these brilliantly rendered stories, Rishoi paints three big-hearted, indelible portraits of life on the fringes of society in contemporary Norway and the very human desire to take care of those closest to us, even at risk to ourselves. The first story, "We Can't Help Everyone," is a heartfelt depiction of a young mother trying to teach her dreamy daughter about the realities of the world. The central story, "The Right Thomas," explores both the beauty of a relationship that crosses class boundaries and the challenges of a father returning to society after incarceration while trying to protect his son. And in the final story, "Siblings," Rishoi brings the reader on a childlike adventure that takes a precarious turn when an older sister leads her two younger siblings away to a place where she feels they will finally be safe. Winter Stories is a masterful triptych from a major international writer renowned for her ability to say a great deal in few words. It is a poignant reminder of the power of hope, loyalty, and unexpected kindness during dark times"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

The internationally acclaimed and nationally bestselling author of Brightly Shining returns with a trio of tender, powerful stories of courage and overcoming adversity

Ingvild Rishøi is one of Scandinavia's most revered literary voices, winner of the Dobloug Prize from the Swedish Academy, and her American debut Brightly Shining made her into a national bestseller and earned her a wide English-language readership. Now, in the highly acclaimed and award-winning Winter Stories, Rishøi paints three vivid and evocative portraits of the lives of those existing on the fringes of society.

A young mother in financial trouble tries to steal a pair of underwear in front of the watchful eyes of her young daughter. A man fresh out of prison struggles to reintegrate into a daunting society and become a better father to his son. Three siblings run away and seek refuge in a remote cabin untouched by time in a desperate bid to keep their family from being torn apart. In these powerful and emotionally charged tales, Rishøi delves into the complexities of family, poverty, and forgiveness, exploring the human desire for a better life, the longing for change, and the difficult choices we must sometimes make to protect those we love.

Winter Stories is a masterful triptych from a major international writer renowned for her ability to say a great deal in few words. It is a poignant reminder of the power of hope, loyalty, and unexpected kindness during dark times.

Review Quotes

Praise for Winter Stories:

An Indie Next Pick for December 2025

A Bustle Most Anticipated Book

"This stunning trio of tales is perfect for its titular season . . . It'll remind you of the complex beauty of humanity."--People

"A lush triptych set against the darkness of a brutal Norwegian winter. These short stories explore life on the edges of society . . . This new collection insists that unexpected forms of kindness can appear in the bleakest of circumstances."--Seattle Times

"Set in wintry Norway, characters ponder words and teachings from the past . . . The three stories explore the lives of people on the fringes of society . . . These stories are connected by a striking interiority of the struggling characters within . . . The brilliant stories of Ingvild Rishøi are a welcome addition. May the rest of her works be translated and distributed in quick succession."--Winnipeg Free Press (Canada)

"Like Claire Keegan's novellas, we discover kind acts amid the tough times that bring comfort in the cold."--Center for Fiction

"The best way to survive winter is to burrow deeper into it. Norwegian writer Ingvild Rishøi offers three meditative Scandinavian winter tales from a place of surprising brightness in the endless hours of dark."--Bustle, Most Anticipated Books of Winter

"A triptych of tender portraits set in the frigid Oslo winter . . . Rishøi renders each character's inner turmoil with beautifully constrained prose. For fans of Claire Keegan's Small Things Like These and Marilynne Robinson's Gilead, Winter Stories belongs on the same shelf."--Air Mail

"The author imbues the gut-punching slice-of-life scenarios with rich emotions. This devastates."--Publishers Weekly"Can a lifetime of struggle be distilled into a single moment? Oslo-based Rishøi, author of the best-selling novel Brightly Shining, shows it's possible in her riveting latest, three stories examining the multitudes contained within just a few short hours. With sympathetic characters, expert pacing, and palpable tension, Rishøi builds each tale toward a gripping conclusion . . . Winter Stories explores how seemingly everyday interactions can carry extraordinary consequences. The past meets the present as promises, regrets, and betrayals intertwine; relationships that are over but not forgotten surface for characters tracing the choices that led to their current crucible moments--all while Rishøi finds light amid the darkness of a Norwegian winter."--Booklist, starred review

"Beautiful . . . In three unforgettable stories of people struggling to survive on the edges of Norwegian society, strangers provide kindness . . . In each of Rishøi's stories, chaos halts for a moment, whether by fate or serendipity. She suggests that, whatever may come, perhaps, just for today, that is enough."--Shelf Awareness

"A unanimous corp of critics has said it before. And I repeat. Ingvild Rishøi is a brilliant short story writer."--Dagbladet (NO)

"Ingvild Rishøi writes first class short stories."--Klassekampen (NO)

"Three short stories that each give off enough heat to last throughout the whole winter. Read."--Dagsavisen (NO)

"I think we have only seen the beginning of a great authorship. [Rishøi's] short stories are studies in troubled minds, in boundless loyalty and in trembling hearts."--Tara (NO)

"After reading it, you just don't want to recommend Winter Stories, you want to pay tribute to it."--Telemarksavisa (NO)

"We are only in January, but mark my words, when 2014 is summed up, Winter Stories will be at the top of the best Norwegian fiction publications."--Adresseavisen (NO)

"Immensely gifted: Read, just read! [...] Dear god, let this gem of a short story collection get all the attention it deserves, don't let it drown in noise of the book flood."--Svenska Dagbladet (SE)

"One of the best books of the decade."--Vi Läser (SE)

"This is an author who is brilliant at including the child's perspective and telling us how she feels, and it is true that in some parental and child roles it is not always the adult who comforts the child, sometimes it is the other way around. So this is indeed heartbreaking at times."--Go'kväll (SE)

"Ingvild H. Rishøi continues to impress."--Jyllands-Posten (DK)

"It is almost shameful that I have not previously become acquainted with the short stories of the Norwegian author Ingvild H. Rishøi. Because she is truly an exceptional writer."--Kristeligt Dagblad (DK)

"In a time of skepticism and wariness between people, these stories remind us of the humanity which unites us all."--Het Korte Verhaal (NL)

"Rishøi is a master of combining an inner monologue and striking dialogue. [...] Winter Stories is a heartfelt, gripping collection of stories, where each one not only awakens solidarity with our fellow humans with disabilities, but simultaneously holds up a mirror to us: we try to make something of our lives regardless of our faults, but we are not alone in this, and to find a bit of warmth, we need each other."--Tzum (NL)

"The paper-thin line between good and evil is what Rishøi describes incomparably. [...] It is strangers small and hopeful victories, and unexpected kindness, that make these stories so likeable and touching. It is as if the author wants to say that they are surely there, the people who still have a heart and are willing to help others."--Literair Nederland (NL)

"Grab this book, lock yourself inside, turn off all notifications and devices, maybe play some music in the background, and disappear into this author's merciless world. You will come out broken."--Bazarow (NL)

"Snow, misery, and yet, a ray of light."--Het Parool (NL)

Praise for Brightly Shining:

Named a Best Book of the Year by Oprah Daily

"An emotionally packed little gem . . . As the story unfolds, your heart aches for the girls--but also for all of us in this world we've built, where money too often means more than kindness. And yet, there are small joys to be found, and a dose of Christmas magic is delivered too."--Jen Doll, New York Times Book Review

"A bittersweet tale of Christmas past."--Ron Charles, Washington Post

"A winning holiday tale with just the right proportions of hardship and hope . . . For all of its irony about holiday consumerism, Ms. Rishøi's book never quite gives up on the spirit of Christmas."--Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal

"This tender novel does exactly what it promises: shines brightly despite the darkness."--Oprah Daily, "Best Books of 2024"

"Ronja's ever hopeful voice is tenderly rendered from Norwegian by Caroline Waight."--Suzi Feay, Financial Times

"Heart-warming and memorable."--Michael Giltz, Parade

"Charming . . . Rishøi's choice to tell the story from the 10-year-old's point of view proves fruitful, as Ronja conveys genuine hope amid the family's dire circumstances along with hints of wisdom beyond her years. This has the feel of a classic holiday tale."--Publishers Weekly

"Told with the clear-eyed candor of young Ronja, this beautifully crafted novel explores the challenges of a child's unpredictable life with an alcoholic father and the band of kind people who try to help, including an older neighbor and the tree-stand worker about to become a father himself. This moving tale, with not a single wasted word, asks how we keep going when hope fades and life's burdens become too much to bear, leaning on the power of imagination and connection to find a way forward."--Booklist

"There is real magic in this charming novel about care, community, and the kindness of strangers. It is a deeply affecting story, beautifully told, that is sure to touch the hearts of many readers."--Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo

"Ingvild Rishøi's Brightly Shining is a dazzling contemporary fable of hardship and grit about two sisters who refuse to lose hope. Curl up with it for instant hygge and a warming of the heart."--Lily King, author of Writers & Lovers

"Deceptively simple, deceptively innocent, told from the perspective of a bright-eyed, too-wise child, Brightly Shining has the power of a classic. You will read it in a single sitting, then carry it in your heart."--Claire Messud, author of This Strange Eventful History

"Brightly Shining feels fresh as spruce needles and ancient as bedrock. The clear and hopeful voice of Ronja slips easily into your heart and takes up residence like a breathless memory, like a song of unbearable beauty. I want to read more Ingvild Rishøi, and the sooner the better."--Leif Enger, author of I Cheerfully Refuse

"Ingvild Rishøi creates distinct yet multifaceted characters. The protagonist Ronja is truly precious but it's not only her that we are taken by as the story unfolds . . . A vivid story inducing laughter and tears, indignation and class-consciousness and, not least, a major dose of Christmas spirit."--Adresseavisen (Norway)

"The portrayal of two sisters' attempts to survive Christmas is masterful, inescapable and deeply moving."--Aftonbladet (Sweden)

"Probably going to stay with me for the rest of my life . . . A magnificently beautiful story, at the intersection between Astrid Lindgren and H.C. Andersen . . . In the same league as the absolute best that has been written in Nordic literature." --FriFagbevegelse (Norway)

"A little miracle of literature."--Les Echos (France)

About the Author

INGVILD RISHØI was born and raised in Oslo. She has published several collections of stories in Norway as well as the debut novel Brightly Shining, a national bestseller. Brightly Shining is published or forthcoming in twenty-nine territories and is being adapted for film. Rishøi was awarded the prestigious Dobloug Prize by the Swedish Academy for her contributions to Norwegian literature.