Aspellbindingsagaabouttheinhabitantsandinheritorsofoneruralcommunity,byoneofIceland’smostbelovednovelists.AmancomestoawarenessinacoldchurchintheIcelandiccountryside,notknowingwhoheis,whyhe’sthereorhowhearrived,withastrangerstaringmockinglyfromafewpewsback.Startledbytheman’scrypticquestions,heleaves--andplungesintoahistoryspanningcenturies,apastpressedintohisgenesthatsinkshimclosertosomeknowledgeofhimself.Acitygirlisdrawntothefjordsbythememoryofablue-eyedgaze,andagenerationearlier,afarmer’swifewritesanessayaboutearthwormsthatchangesthecourseoflives.Apastorwhowritesletterstodeadpoetsfallsinlovewithafarawaystranger,andarockmusician,plaguedbycosmicloneliness,discoversthathispasthasbeenalie.Facedwiththeviolenceoffateandtheeffectsofchoices,madeandavoided,thatcascadebetweenthem,eachdiscoversthecostoffollowingthemagneticneedleoftheheart.Incandescentandelemental,hope-filledandhumane,YourAbsenceIsDarknessisacomedyaboutmortality,music,andthestrangesalveoftime,andaspellbindingsagaofdeath,desire,andtheperfectagonyofstar-crossedlove.
