“The simplicity of its ideas, clear tone and the casual ease of its prose are the main attractions of this novel. Despite the many descriptions of ice and snow, its warmth should easily appeal to a broad readership.” — Trouw (Letter & Geest)

“Volders’ tone is engaging and self-confident in that she doesn’t go looking for words. Her attention to earthly details, to the physical labour of forging silver and chopping wood present the perfect counterbalance for the romantic rendition of nature as the sublime, untamed surroundings in which man comes to terms with himself. […] With North Volders has added a memorable and compelling female character to the world of literature.” — de Volkskrant

“The penetrating atmosphere and the careful, meticulous composition of this debut novel are as convincing as the fine-grained depiction of its robust characters. You will slowly become enveloped in this blue-grass driven universe.” — De Morgen

“An impressive feat by this new writer, who has patiently and carefully planed and polished every sentence. The final result is that North stands up to inspection as solidly as a Canadian log cabin in a snowstorm.” — VPRO Boeken

“North is a black swan flying across our literary skies: wild, darkly romantic and written with an intoxicating, almost addictive beauty.” — Focus Knack ****

A stunning debut novel about the search for direction and artistic freedom, with wonderful, atmospheric descriptions of the rugged North Canadian setting.

In the early 1980s, Sarah, a young silversmith, finds herself at a turning point in her life. Travelling north, she ends up in a small gold-mining town and meets Mary, who runs the town’s only store as well as its post office. Both these women will cross the path of two men: men who live only for music, freedom and the pursuit of an untamed existence. Gradually, Sarah will come to realise that Mary’s life has been a foreshadowing of her own, and what it means to be free.