In this intimate literary memoir, bestselling novelist Hannah Kent chronicles her transformative relationship with Iceland, beginning with her bewildering arrival as a seventeen-year-old exchange student. From sleeping in the National Archives—where she would later return to write her acclaimed debut Burial Rites—to living in a remote fishing village, Kent explores how this singular landscape shaped her identity and creative voice. Weaving between past and present, Kent examines Iceland’s rich storytelling traditions, from ancient sagas to folk tales, revealing how this tiny nation became both her muse and second home, forever leaving her simultaneously at home and homesick.

Hannah Kent’s first novel, the multi award-winning international bestseller, Burial Rites, was translated into over 30 languages and is being adapted for film. Her second novel, The Good People, was translated into 10 languages, nominated for numerous awards and is also being adapted for film. Devotion, her third novel, published in 2021, won Booktopia's Favourite Australian Book and was shortlisted for multiple industry awards. Her original feature film, Run Rabbit Run, was directed by Daina Reid and starred Sarah Snook. Kent is also the co-founder of Kill Your Darlings, and has written for The New York Times, The Saturday Paper, The Guardian, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Meanjin, Qantas Magazine and LitHub. She lives and works on Permangk and Kaurana Country.

Nicole Abadee has worked in the book industry for many years after her previous career as a barrister. She writes about books for Good Weekend, and is also a regular contributor to their much loved “Two of Us” column. She appears regularly as a facilitator at writers’ festivals and literary events. She also has a popular podcast, Books, Books, Books in which she interviews top Australian and international writers about their latest books. Nicole is also a director of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, 2024 winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.