Literary fiction

The Sorrow in St. Peter Ording

Ingvar Ambjørnsen

Ingvar Ambjørnsen is a major voice in contemporary Norwegian literature, renowned for his unflinching portrayals of marginalised individuals and his sharp social commentary.He is one of the grand masters of the short story, often employing a concise, unsentimental style to deliver powerful, resonant narratives exploring themes such as alienation, identity, and the search for meaning in a fragmented world. With The Sorrow in St. Peter-Ording, we are presented with seven new, dark and atmospheric short stories. In one story, two teenage boys—friends and birdwatchers—stumble upon a cabin with an open door. What begins as a night of adventure with beer, porn magazines, and other “treasures” takes a chilling turn. The ending is shocking—there’s a gruesome reason why the cabin’s owners won’t be returning that night. In another, a man takes the ferry Color Magic to Kiel. Memories from the past come flooding back, including one of a previous ferry trip where he and his girlfriend received an unexpected erotic invitation from another couple. Suddenly, the power goes out. The sound he hears is unlike anything he’s ever heard. The ferry hits bottom. He moves through the belly of the sinking vessel—again, an unlocked door, an open door—and inside, on a narrow bed, sits a crying woman with long hair.