Title: Uff Da! What’s Happening in Midnight Sun?
Author: Karen Ganger
Publisher: URLink Print & Media, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-64753-772-2
Pages: 307
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Candace L. Barr
Hollywood Book Review
Karen Ganger’s novel Uff Da! What’s Happening in Midnight Sun? answers this question in the title with a simple yet complex answer: a lot. Midnight Sun is a small midwestern community deeply in touch with its Scandinavian roots. What the town lacks in size it makes up for in upheaval on the day before Thanksgiving. Of course, most towns are busy before a holiday, but this Wednesday in Midnight Sun goes beyond the normal hustle and bustle to chaos. Inclement weather, mystery illnesses, a snowplow accident, reunions, and more usher the citizens of the town into the holiday season, teaching many of them lessons about family, responsibility, and time. Interspersed with the stories are recipes for various dishes so you can have a bit of Midnight Sun (and Hawaii) on your table, be it for Thanksgiving or a regular weeknight meal.
The book opens with Annika Halstrom’s stormy morning driving to the Twin Cities to make deliveries, giving us an introduction to one of the town’s close-knit families. After making her rounds, she doesn’t feel so well. The cause isn’t discussed until much later, but I bet many readers can guess what ails her. Meanwhile, in the main part of town, young Heidi Lindahl gets a strawberry ice cream cone and inadvertently causes the town’s snowplow to crash into one of the shops. This has a domino effect in multiple directions—one injury turns into multiple, and others make some discoveries. It seems like the snowplow would be the talk of the town, but some are unaware of it because they’re busy dealing with their own issues. The Viking Pillager Pinochle crew has to rally around a friend in need while Edvar Eklund, the local fish shop owner with a secret side job, has to rush to Hawaii to deal with an emergency. Trellis Johansson is just arriving in Midnight Sun after decades away, having never visited after she snuck away to follow her dreams. Not only has she missed the news about the snowplow, but there’s a lot more in store for her in the days and weeks to come.
The characters are the types that are expected in a small-town tale. Some are quirky and out there, while others are more relatable. Some characters get a lot of development in the span of a day, while others give a satisfying peek of what’s under the surface in the little time they get. They all work well in the setting, bringing their own kind of charm to the picturesque town.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to try any of the recipes, so my review has to stick to the story, which I found enjoyable overall. If you enjoy books that are set in small communities and follow multiple narratives, this one is worth a read.