Ædnan: An Epic
Sweden

Ædnan: An Epic

by Linnea Axelsson

Identity & Belonging Historical Fiction Fiction Poetry 2018

Summary

Spanning a century of Sámi history, Ædnan tells the story of two Indigenous families whose lives are transformed by colonialism, forced assimilation, and the struggle to preserve their cultural identity. In the early twentieth century, new national borders disrupt traditional reindeer-herding routes, tearing families away from the land and ways of life that have sustained them for generations. Decades later, their descendants confront the consequences of discrimination and cultural erasure, searching for ways to reclaim their language, heritage, and belonging. Written in haunting, lyrical verse, Axelsson’s epic weaves together intimate family memories and the broader history of a people whose existence has been threatened but never extinguished. The title, Ædnan, means land or earth in Northern Sámi, reflecting the profound connection between territory, ancestry, and identity. This is a powerful story of dispossession, resistance, and the enduring bond between a people and their homeland.

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About the author
Linnea Axelsson
Linnea Axelsson

Linnea Axelsson (born 1980) is a Sámi-Swedish writer and art historian whose work explores Indigenous identity, cultural memory, and the relationship between people and their ancestral lands. Born in Porjus in northern Sweden, in the heart of Sápmi, she draws on Sámi history and experiences of colonial displacement in her literary work. She earned a PhD in art history from Umeå University in 2009 before establishing herself as a writer. Axelsson achieved widespread recognition with Ædnan (2018), an ambitious verse novel tracing the experiences of two Sámi families across a century of cultural upheaval. The work received Sweden’s prestigious August Prize for Fiction in 2018, as well as the Svenska Dagbladet Literature Prize. Its international success introduced readers to the history and contemporary struggles of the Sámi, an Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia. Through spare, lyrical poetry, Axelsson gives voice to generations affected by forced assimilation, displacement, and the loss of language, while celebrating the resilience of Sámi culture. She lives in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Details
Published
2018
Author
Linnea Axelsson