Trondheim

In a Norwegian hospital, thousands of miles from home, a foreign student lies in a coma from which he may never wake. At his bedside, his mothers vacillate between extremes of hope, fear, and psychic pain, which push their already troubled relationship towards the edge. A profound exploration of a family in crisis, Trondheim portrays the way each woman copes with the looming tragedy and the possibility of healing in the wake of a life-altering emergency.

Read the novel’s opening chapter in Harper’s Magazine.

Editor’s Choice, New York Times Book Review

Kirkus: Most Anticipated Books of 2024

LGBTQ Reads: Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ fiction of 2024

Washington Independent Review of Books: Books of the Year

“delicately and deeply probes the mothers and their relationship.”
— New York Times Book Review

“a poignant meditation on grief, perseverance, and the complications of love.” 
— Publisher’s Weekly

“A luminous tale of forgiveness, love and hope that views a complicated relationship in the wake of tragedy.” 
— Library Journal

“An exquisite novel that explores maternal love, the price of hope, and how bodies endure.” 
— Foreword Reviews

“James’ elegant novel will leave [readers] shattered and uplifted.” 
— Washington Independent Review of Books