X-Book

The Swell

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now ${{ price }} Send as a gift
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

'A page-turning mystery. Spellbinding' Anya Bergman
'Captivating. A deeply satisfying, deftly woven novel of female power and resistance' Anna Hope
'Addictive and twisty' Liza Klaussman

Two sisters. A shipwreck. A story demanding to be told . . .

Iceland, 1910. In the middle of a severe storm two sisters - Freyja and Gudrún - rescue a mysterious, charismatic man from a shipwreck near their remote farm.

Sixty-five years later, a young woman - Sigga - is spending time with her grandmother when they learn a body has been discovered on a mountainside near Reykjavik, perfectly preserved in ice.

Moving between the turn of the 20th century and the 1970s as a dark mystery is unravelled, The Swell is a spellbinding, beautifully atmospheric read, rich in Icelandic myth.

Critics Review

A deeply satisfying, deftly woven novel of female power and resistance, and of feminisms both implicit and explicit. Early and late 20th century Iceland are both beautifully evoked in Kat Gordon's rich, captivating prose. Highly recommended.
Anna Hope, author of Expectation
Thoroughly bewitching. Kat Gordon's spare prose is as beautiful as it is haunting.
Freya Berry, author of The Birdcage Library
In beautiful, crisp prose The Swell examines the saga of one family and the often complicated role of the women within it. An addictive and twisty read.
Liza Klaussman, author of Tigers in Red Weather
A skilful, measured, atmospheric mystery set in Iceland and weaving across two timelines. Kat Gordon is a master storyteller.
Cathryn Kemp, author of A Poisoner's Tale
Gripping, bewitching, and laced with atmosphere, reading The Swell was a wonderfully sensory experience.
Harriet Constable, author of The Instrumentalist
Beautiful and powerful, a story of courage and survival that echoes across generations. Kat Gordon presents us with a compelling tale of two women living in very different times in the 20th century, both striving for change in the face of danger and oppression. The harsh, often lightless, landscape mirrors the struggle for liberation for these young women. I am sure this haunting, melancholic yet ultimately hopeful novel will appeal to readers of Elizabeth O'Connor's Whale Fall.
Emily Critchley, author of The Undoing of Violet Claybourne
Set against a dramatic and treacherous Icelandic landscape, The Swell is a cinematic and compelling story of hope, autonomy and transformation.
Elle Machray, author of Remember, Remember
Spellbinding. Entranced by dark, icy, mythical Iceland and captivated by two generations of women and their struggle for agency, I could not put The Swell down. Evocative and heartbreaking, this is a story of sisterhood, with a page-turning mystery at the heart of the novel.
Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag and the x-book®

Discover the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed to simplify finding, purchasing, and enjoying your favourite books in audio format. Our flexible pricing model makes bestselling audiobooks affordable, offering the best audiobook deals without the need for a subscription. You can also give the perfect gift with our convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

A core differentiator of xigxag is our groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology, which delivers a truly immersive digital book experience. This unique innovation seamlessly combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant, integrated format, complete with exclusive audiobook features and a next-generation digital reading experience. Our growing x-book selection is easily discoverable by looking for the distinctive purple x-book® ribbon, or by simply filtering your search by ‘x-book’.

Beyond our technology, xigxag is committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we stand as a leader in audiobook innovation and a compelling alternative to big tech. Our commitment extends to delivering extraordinary customer service, provided by our friendly UK support team.

Effortlessly search audiobooks, gain insights from honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. You can download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.