Chapter 24 (Norway): Summary, Analysis, and Key Themes

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

In 1652, the narrator finds herself reborn closer to her previous life than ever before, giving her the rare opportunity to return to Vardø, Norway, and visit the family she left behind seventeen years earlier. The journey from Kuopio is grueling: she steals a horse from a neighboring farm, wrestles with an outdated map, and accidentally wanders into western Russia before finally reaching the northern port.

When she arrives, Vardø is not the home she remembers. The town is in the grip of a serious witch trial. Grim pyres line the port, and fearful crosses are nailed above doorways throughout the village. Paranoia has settled into every corner of the community.

Urszula goes to her mother's house, where she finds Mamma aged and wary. When Urszula claims to be her deceased daughter, Mamma is deeply suspicious. Urszula tries to prove her identity by recalling details: her name means 'small bear,' her sisters are Hedda and Branka, and her father Anders Nilsson died the previous year. But the more she reveals, the more frightened and hostile her mother becomes. Mamma begins screaming 'Heks!' — witch — and refuses to let her inside.

The commotion draws neighbors from their houses. A man carrying leg irons approaches with hostile intent, and Eyjolf, the local noaidi, is among the crowd. Urszula realizes she has no escape route — her horse is on the mainland and she is exhausted from travel.

Just as the situation turns desperate, Arden appears. In a new body — tall, golden, described as resembling a Norse god — he knocks out the man with the leg irons with a single blow and carries Urszula to a boat. They push off from the shore and row away as her mother's cries of 'heks' fade behind them.

Arden explains that he followed her because she stole his horse, and that he has been tracking her ever since, amused by her terrible map-reading. They share a tender moment in the boat, embracing and kissing. Urszula reflects that Arden is the one constant in her endless lives — her true homeland, a language only the two of them speak.

Finally, Urszula asks whether they made a pact with the devil, whether that explains their immortality. Arden replies, 'Something like that,' but his eyes dart away, and Urszula is certain he is lying.

Key Events

Urszula returns to Vardø, Norway, in 1652, seventeen years after her previous death
She travels from Kuopio after her parents die of smallpox, stealing a horse and getting lost in Russia
She discovers Vardø is in the middle of a witch trial, with pyres and crosses marking the town
Her mother rejects her claim to be Urszula and screams 'Heks!' (witch)
Neighbors gather, and a man with leg irons threatens her
Arden appears, knocks out the attacker, and carries her to a boat
They escape by sea; Arden reveals he followed her because she stole his horse
They share an embrace and a kiss in the boat
Urszula asks about a pact with the devil; Arden's evasive answer leaves her suspicious

Character Development

Urszula — This chapter shows Urszula at her most vulnerable. She risks everything to return to her family, hoping to be recognized and welcomed, only to be branded a witch by her own mother. The rejection is devastating, and it forces her to confront the reality that mortal families move on without her. Her decision to seek out her old home suggests a deep longing for belonging, and her realization that Arden is her true constant marks a shift in how she understands her identity.

Arden — Arden's actions here reveal a protective, devoted side. He follows Urszula across the wilderness for months, not to confront her about the stolen horse but because he senses the journey matters to her. He intervenes violently to save her, then comforts her with unexpected tenderness. His evasive answer about the devil pact, however, hints that he is keeping secrets — and Urszula notices.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Reincarnation and memory — Urszula's return to Vardø tests the limits of memory and identity. She remembers everything about her family, but they cannot recognize her. Her body has changed completely — she is now tall and pale-haired where she was once short and dark — making her claims impossible to believe.

Family rejection and belonging — The chapter's central emotional conflict is Urszula's rejection by her mother. The word 'heks' becomes a symbol of how fear and paranoia can sever even the closest bonds. Urszula's search for a homeland ultimately leads her to Arden, not a place.

Witch trials and persecution — The historical setting of the Vardø witch trials grounds the supernatural elements of the story in real persecution. The pyres, the crosses, and the mob mentality show how easily communities turn on those they fear.

Eternal love as a constant — The chapter frames Urszula and Arden's relationship as the one stable thing in an otherwise shifting existence. The river metaphor — love flowing deeper and wider through the centuries — suggests their bond is both natural and inevitable.

The nature of the soul — Urszula's question about the Greek belief that souls are lost in death, and her own immortality, raises questions about what she and Arden are — more than human, or less?

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal for several reasons. It is the first time Urszula attempts to reconnect with a past life, and the failure of that attempt crystallizes the central tragedy of her existence: she can never truly belong to the mortal world. The chapter also deepens the mystery of Arden. His willingness to follow her across the wilderness, his violent rescue, and his evasive answer about the devil pact all suggest there is more to their shared history than Urszula knows. The kiss in the boat and the intimacy of their conversation set up the emotional stakes for the rest of the novel.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Urszula's mother reject her, and what does this reveal about the limits of memory and identity?

Urszula's mother cannot reconcile the woman at her door with the daughter she lost seventeen years ago. Urszula's body has completely changed, and in the paranoid atmosphere of the witch trials, her detailed knowledge of family history reads as witchcraft rather than proof of identity. The rejection shows that memory alone is not enough to sustain relationships across lifetimes — the people who love us are shaped by the bodies and lives they knew.

2. What does Arden's decision to follow Urszula reveal about his character?

Arden follows Urszula for months after she steals his horse, not to retrieve it but because he senses the journey matters to her. He intervenes to save her from the mob, carries her to safety, and comforts her with unexpected tenderness. His actions reveal a deep, protective devotion that transcends the petty grievance of a stolen horse. However, his evasive answer about the devil pact suggests he is withholding something important.

3. How does the chapter use the witch trial setting to explore themes of fear and persecution?

The witch trial setting shows how paranoia can transform a community. The pyres, the crosses nailed above doorways, and the mob that gathers at Urszula's mother's scream all demonstrate how fear spreads and how quickly people turn on those they perceive as different. Urszula — who is, in a sense, genuinely supernatural — becomes a target of the very persecution that her existence makes plausible.