Hildur Knútsdóttir is an Icelandic author who writes fiction for both adults and teenagers, as well as plays, screenplays and short fiction. Hildur is known for her evocative fantastical fiction and spine-chilling horror, but her co-authored work with Þórdís Gísladóttir about the humorous crises of modern teenage life has also been well received. Her work has received various awards, including The Icelandic Women’s Literary Prize, and The Icelandic Bookseller’s Prize.
Iðunn is in yet another doctor’s office. She knows her constant fatigue is a sign that something’s not right, but practitioners dismiss her symptoms and blood tests haven’t revealed any cause.
When she talks to friends and family about it, the refrain is the same—have you tried eating better? exercising more? establishing a nighttime routine? She tries to follow their advice, buying everything from vitamins to sleeping pills to a step-counting watch. Nothing helps.
Until one night Iðunn falls asleep with the watch on, and wakes up to find she’s walked over 40,000 steps in the night . . .
What is happening when she’s asleep? Why is she waking up with increasingly disturbing injuries? And why won’t anyone believe her?
The Night Guest is an atmospheric and unsettling Icelandic horror novella from award-winning author Hildur Knútsdóttir. This book is beautifully translated by author/narrator Mary Robinette Kowal. The translation is done so well that many readers will assume this book was written in English. It should be noted that the story contains animal violence involving cats, which occurs off page but is mentioned several times. The story is fast-paced, and the chapters are extremely short, making this a perfect read for a single sitting.
The protagonist, Iðunn, is the definition of an unreliable narrator. She first presents herself as a woman distressed that she’s developing a fatal illness and is frowned upon by her doctor. The theme of doctors dismissing women, having them believe their ailments are all in their heads, is very apparent here. From there, the story takes an unexpected turn. Readers learn that Iðunn’s exhaustion is related to her long sleepwalking excursions. As she gives subtle hints of dark secrets from her past, readers are left to wonder if she’s experiencing some kind of psychosis or if a supernatural force is at work here. As the story progresses, not only is it evident that she’s an unreliable narrator, but her impulsive decision-making makes her somewhat infuriating. The story becomes more dramatic as Iðunn relentlessly tries to find out where she goes at night and what force is behind her disturbing behaviour. Her panic and hysteria are brilliantly captured by the author to make for an engrossing story.
The story becomes increasingly unsettling and horrifying towards the end and then comes to an abrupt conclusion that is very open-ended and puzzling. Every reader will have their own interpretation of the final scenes, but very few may find it satisfying after such an addictive story. It’s evident that the author intends for readers to pay attention to the clues in the story to determine what occurs after the story ends. Even still, many readers may sift through online reviews to get a further understanding of what happens, if it’s even possible!
Narrators Mary Robinette Kowal does a fantastic job translating and narrating this book. Kowal accurately portrays Iðunn, using a constant tone of unnerving tension, almost on the brink of hysteria, to match the characters’ spiralling dangerous circumstances. Kowal paces the story very well and provides distinct and entertaining voices for the small cast of characters in the story. Towards the end, Kowal increases the emotional intensity of her performance as Iðunn becomes increasingly unhinged, making for a very captivating listen. With such great narration, the audiobook is the recommended format for enjoying this novella!
Overall, Hildur Knútsdóttir created a novella that is disturbing, addictive, and quite original, but not without some obvious flaws. If you’re looking for a quick and creepy read that’s difficult to put down, this novella is a good option. If you set your expectations right, especially with the open-ended conclusion, you may thoroughly enjoy it. The audiobook is the perfect method to devour this story, as the narrator does a great job bringing unhinged Iðunn to life and creates a truly unnerving listening experience!
