Brightly Shining

Rishøi (Winter Stories) offers a charming, Christmas-themed novella about sisterhood and financial hardship in contemporary Oslo. Sisters Melissa and Ronja, 16 and 10, live with their single father, an alcoholic who can’t hold down a job. When his frequent trips to the bar cost him his new gig at a Christmas tree stand, Melissa takes his place. Her boss, the miserly Eriksen, pays her less than her father, forcing Melissa to work long hours just to keep food on the table. Ronja, who narrates, frequently visits Melissa at work, and helps boost sales of Christmas wreaths by telling customers the proceeds will go to “children in need” (that is, her and her sister). Eriksen discovers the sisters’ plan during one of his infrequent visits to the stand, and bans Ronja, threatening Melissa’s job, as well. The sisters’ plight takes a perilous turn as Christmas approaches along with a heavy storm, and they dream of living in a warm forest cabin instead of their harsh corner of Oslo. Rishøi’s choice to tell the story from the 10-year-old’s point of view proves fruitful, as Ronja conveys genuine hope amid the family’s dire circumstances along with hints of wisdom beyond her years. This has the feel of a classic holiday tale. (Nov.)