Shropshire Star

Novel reworking of Ibsen classic

A Shropshire author who is an expert in Scandinavian literature has taken inspiration from an Ibsen classic for his latest book called The Stranger From The Sea which is published on June 11.

Published

The novel by Paul Binding of Bishop's Castle has been described by one critic as "a stylish and slightly outrageous reworking of themes from Henrik Ibsen's The Lady From The Sea."

Binding reimagines the characters from Ibsen's great play, giving them back stories to create a standalone piece.

The Stranger From The Sea is published by The Overlook Press, costs £19.99, and is being billed as perfect for fans of Ibsen and readers who enjoy historical fiction.

It is set in 1885 in Kent, where a shipwrecked Norwegian sailor strikes up a complex friendship with an aspiring journalist to whom he tells his story.

Binding has been involved in the promotion of Scandinavian culture for more than 20 years.

He is a former managing editor for Oxford University Press and an editor for the New Statesman. He frequently contributes reviews to The Independent and the Times Literary Supplement.