If you’re looking for a book to set you on edge for spooky season, this is it. This short novel from Icelandic author Hildur Knutsdottir is a very quick read full of foreboding and tension. It’s also a commentary on women’s health and mental health and the stigma/lack of attention attached to both.
The novel is narrated by the main character, a woman who I imagine to be in her 30s or so. Odunn (not sure if this is a correct spelling, since it seems the Icelandic alphabet is used to spell it in the novel) has been having health problems. She falls asleep and stays asleep all night but when she wakes up, she is exhausted. It feels as if she has been on the run all night and her muscles are aching. Her experience with older male doctors has been frustrating, as they seem to treat tired women as “hysterical,” so she is happy when she gets to work with a younger female doctor who takes her seriously. Odunn has an office job that seems not to be the cause of any problems. She sees her parents regularly and occasionally goes out with other female friends. But there is some tension in her life. She has recently broken up with a lover named Stefan who won’t leave her alone, and she had an older sister who died tragically. Her doctor, after getting back normal test results, suggests that she take advantage of psychological services for possible depression. Her friends make a variety of suggestions as well, including more exercise. When Odurr gets a Fitbit and accidentally leaves it on all night, she makes a staggering discovery. Somehow, overnight while sleeping, she has logged tens of thousands of steps. She also notices that the neighborhood cats, with whom she had always had a friendly relationship, now hiss at her and run.
As Odunn narrates her life over the next days and weeks, the reader can sense her growing fear; Odunn seems to have some idea of what is happening to her but we do not. Her attempts to manage her situation and her growing fears of falling asleep are deeply unnerving. I was creeped out but also could not put this book down until I reached the end. Incidentally, I think I got this title from another Book Riot article (just like my last review) but The Night Guest exceeded my expectations.