The End of Drum-Time

The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen is a historical novel that examines cultural erasure and religious coercion in 19th-century Sweden. Set in 1851 in a remote Scandinavian village, the story begins with Mad Lasse, a Lutheran minister who struggles to convert the native Sámi reindeer herders. When a respected herder undergoes a religious awakening, his son Ivvár is left to manage their diminishing herd. Ivvár's chance meeting with Mad Lasse’s daughter, Willa, leads to a relationship that crosses cultural, religious, and political divides as Willa joins the herders on their challenging migration north. The narrative centers on the intersecting lives of the Sámi people and the Laestadian Lutheran movement, considering themes of identity, faith, and resilience in the face of cultural and religious upheaval. Having grown up in this movement, Pylväinen draws on her religious upbringing in this novel, her first novel, We Sinners, and her 2007 memoir, Unbelieving. Published in 2023, this work was nominated for the National Book Award and situates itself within the historical fiction genre, highlighting the complexities of cultural, colonial, and religious interactions.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide include themes of cultural erasure and religious coercion, as well as references to abuse.

This guide refers to the 2023 Henry Holt and Company Kindle edition.

Plot Summary

The End of Drum-Time opens on the darkest day of the year in a northern village, where Pastor Lars Levi Laestadius feels uneasy and troubled by an unclear dream. As the village church fills with both Finns and native Sámi people, Henrik, the bell ringer, sneaks away to his store to sell illegal alcohol. During the service, Biettar Rasti, a troubled reindeer herder, collapses at the altar, and Lars Levi interprets this as a spiritual awakening. An earthquake disrupts the scene, causing panic, and Willa, Lars Levi's daughter, interprets the earthquake as a divine message directed at her.

Meanwhile, Ivvár, a young Sámi herder, struggles with the harsh winter and managing the reindeer herd in his father Biettar’s absence. He resents his father because he assumes he is drinking. Ivvár thinks about Risten Tomma, a young woman he is seeing even though she is engaged to Mikkol Piltto. When Biettar finally returns, he shares his newfound Christian faith with Ivvár, which only deepens the boy’s confusion and resentment. Biettar becomes a frequent presence at the parsonage, which is unusual for a Sámi man of his social standing. He engages in theological discussions with the pastor while Willa contemplates her future and her growing feelings for Ivvár.

Old Sussu, a traditional Sámi woman, is shocked by Biettar's conversion and shares her concerns with the Tomma family. She speculates that Ivvár is responsible for Risten’s troubled engagement with Mikkol Piltto. Risten, distracted by Old Sussu's insinuations, struggles with her feelings for Ivvár and the pressures of her engagement to Mikkol. She also reflects on issues plaguing the community such as harsh winters, wolverine attacks on the reindeer herds, and debt.

Easter brings both celebration and anxiety as Risten struggles with her feelings about both Mikkol and Ivvár. During the intense Easter service, Willa spots Ivvár, intensifying her longing. However, Ivvár avoids her, seeking solace in alcohol instead. A night of terror follows as Willa's brother, Lorens, falls gravely ill, prompting Lars Levi to seek help outside the community. During this crisis, Willa visits Ivvár, seeking comfort. They have a tense interaction, and Ivvár, unable to comfort Willa in the way she needs, sends her home. He follows soon after, hoping to see her and check on Lorens’s condition. He and Willa have an intimate moment in the sauna that is interrupted by Lars Levi. Willa is punished by her family and carries her burden of guilt and shame before fleeing to seek refuge with the Tommas.

Risten marries Mikkol and reflects on the complexities of married life and her unresolved feelings for Ivvár. Willa, ostracized by her family, seeks refuge with Risten’s family and begins a journey to Gilbbesjávri with other Sámi people. Their trek is arduous, marked by physical hardship and emotional turmoil. As they near Gilbbesjávri, Willa struggles with her place within the siida (community) and her feelings for Ivvár. The community faces further challenges when the border with Russia is closed, which interferes with their nomadic herding routes. As the herd moves toward the border, Willa and Ivvár's relationship is tested by their differing responsibilities and the pressures they face.

Meanwhile, Henrik receives troubling news: His uncle Frans is trying to transfer Lars Levi out of the community to mitigate his influence. Since Henrik is growing close with Nora, one of Lars Levi’s daughters, he worries about Nora leaving. He proposes marriage, but her family disapproves of the match since he sells alcohol in his store. He destroys his liquor to redeem himself, and he is permitted to marry Nora just before the Laestadius family moves away. Frans arrives and takes on the role of pastor, troubling the community dynamics by both encouraging alcohol consumption and enforcing strict discipline in the church, often hitting his parishioners. Frans imprisons Biettar for interrupting a church service, condemning Frans for encouraging drinking.

The climax unfolds when Henrik and Frans journey to the Sámi camp. Many of the Sámi, including Ivvár, are in debt, and the duo tries to forcibly collect reindeer as repayment. During the conflict, Henrik pulls out a gun and fires it, causing the reindeer to scatter. The Sámi try to corral the reindeer but lose many in the process. Frans and Henrik leave with Mikkol and Nils Tomma in custody.

Determined to confront Frans and Henrik, Ivvár and others head to the town in the night. Mikkol and Nils are liberated from the parsonage. In Henrik’s store, a brutal struggle ensues when Ivvár demands the key to free his imprisoned father. During the fight, Ivvár kills Henrik, and a fire accidentally starts, spreading quickly. As the store burns, Ivvár rescues Biettar, but the community is left in turmoil, struggling with the scattered reindeer and the aftermath of the violent encounter.

Overwhelmed after killing Henrik, Ivvár walks away, seeking solace. Willa realizes that she must remain in the village to support her newly widowed sister and face the consequences of the events that unfolded. Risten and the others move on, leaving Willa to confront her destiny as "Mad Willa," forever marked by the chaos and the dramatic changes in her life.