This is a novel of vengeance, grief, love, the ties that bind us to others and the actions fueled by emotion. The setting is in Scandinavia and there are a few Norwegian words sprinkled throughout that really require no further explanation due to the context. The author depicts ghostly birch forests and hard scrabble fishing villages vividly, right down to the rocky beaches. If you are familiar with the ocean, there is an incidence with a rip tide that should hit home.
While the author paints a detailed portrait of the earth, the sea, and the beaches where they meet; there is far less attention to the physicality of the people. People here are defined by their emotions. It is up to the reader to imagine a face marred by a lifetime of suspicion or a fisherman's hands scarred by a lifetime at sea. That is not to say the characters are not well written.
The reader feels an intimate connection to the sisters, and will certainly recognize at least one other character from their own life. Well worth the read, but be prepared. This is a visceral construct of humanity, ranging from herd prejudice to unselfish love.