The Home of the Drowned

The Home of the Drowned, by Swedens’s August Prize-winning author Elin Anna Labba, chronicles the poignant story of Sámi women confronting environmental and cultural upheaval over four decades, beginning with the sudden flooding of their summer settlement caused by dam construction. The novel explores themes of displacement, resilience, and the enduring connection to land and water, drawing heavily on the family’s history of forced relocation and colonial dispossession. Through these personal stories, the book delves into what truly defines a home amidst external forces that threaten to erase their way of life.