A deeply moving story of love, loss, and the power of forgiveness, perfect for readers seeking an emotional and heartfelt journey.

In the dead of night, Askur, a man in his mid-twenties, hitchhikes away from a life filled with fear, shame, and broken relationships. His mother, once a rising political star, awaits his arrival at the airport, unaware of his plans to leave everything behind. 

As memories flood back, Askur recalls his first trip with his girlfriend, Gyda, and the warmth of her grandmother’s home. Haunted by the secret, which tore their family apart, Askur’s journey leads him to confront his past and seek forgiveness from those he wronged. In a twist of fate, his mother races to find him, and together they face their shared shame. In this poignant moment, they begin to rebuild their fragile relationship.

R E V I E W S

“Einar Lovdahl is an exciting new Icelandic voice, celebrated for his authenticity and emotional honesty. With a unique blend of humor and profound emotional depth, Lovdahl invites readers into a captivating, thought-provoking world where the journey of personal growth is intertwined with the burdens of the past.”
DANNY WATTIN, AUTHOR OF HERR ISAKOWITZ’S TREASURE

“Crosswind, the first novel by a young author who steps forward here as a fully matured writer. Some kind of Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist is a young man who has lost control and connection for reasons that gradually become clear in a multi-layered narrative that keeps you engaged until the end. There is no hint of a beginner’s touch or dead ends … everyone is human, on their own terms, incredibly well done.”
ANDRI SNAER MAGNASON, WRITER

“… a profound reading experience… Einar Lovdahl is clearly a major talent… it usually takes decades to achieve such mastery in plot design and character descriptions… such sensitivity to situations, and precision in the depiction of emotions. It’s unusual for someone to succeed in this on their first attempt. … here, we are dealing with real pain, with real consequences. The conclusion, as so often: Children are fragile, and parents are idiots.
The story is structured in three circles. 1. The Mother. 2. Gyða. 3. The Escape. The circles spin like three interlocked hula hoops, so mesmerizing to watch, and ultimately deliver you to a single destination. All very skillfully done with a classic cinematic thread; it wouldn’t take much to turn this into a film…
The main character, Askur, is in the foreground, this sensitive boy who is always attached to strong women. … a brilliant portrait of contemporary Iceland … and many glorious party scenes, with delightfully annoying characters, crystal-clear surfaces, and underlying deep emotions.
… One can only cheer! And now, stop watching and start reading; this offers a completely different pleasure than any Netflix series can provide. Here is our own young compatriot writing about our life and our country, a real novel about real issues that is also so funny and clever.”
HALLGRIMUR HELGASON, WRITER

★★★★
4 STARS
“Very, very good!!!
Beautifully written … a delightful read …”
KRISTIN HULDA, GOODREADS

“A beautiful and tragic contemporary story straight out of Iceland today. It scared me a little how much I related to Askur.”
THORVALDUR SIGURBJORN HELGASON, GOODREADS

★★★★
4 STARS
“An excellent and gripping modern story. The book is structured in a way that the reader gradually learns more and more about where the main character went off course — which heightens the suspense and drives the story forward — while the author entertains the reader with a realistic portrayal of a young man in a dilemma. Some of it is everyday and universal, while other experiences are more painful and personal.”
EINAR JOHANN, GOODREADS

★★★★★
5 STARS
“Crosswind is a heartbreakingly well-written story about how deeply the roots of neglect and indifference can grow, while at the same time, it is witty, ironic, and beautiful.”
VEDIS EVA, GOODREADS

★★★★
4 STARS
“Wow!!! So raw and sincere, real, and it evokes all kinds of emotions! I didn’t want to finish it; it could have been longer! Insanely well-written and structured; the timeline is well set up without being too literal. Highly recommend!”
VALA RUN, GOODREADS

“Truly gripping and sincere writing. A dazzling debut!”
ARI ELDJARN (ABOUT IN THE MIDST OF THE CROWD)