About the book: 2023 / Shortlist of the competition "Battle of Genres" from Litres, 2023 Longlist of the “Oxygen” competition from the publishing house ROSMEN-2023. An aspiring Russian artist undertakes to paint a painting to order. The client, an attractive Swede, wants to immortalize on canvas his house, located on the shore of the island of Trollhol in the northwestern part of Sweden. The main condition of the order is that the house must be depicted from life. The artist arrives on the island and learns that there is an ancient fortress there, which was besieged by enemies many times, but was never taken. Local residents are sure that the king who founded this fortress held the defense, using the help of some mystical creatures - either trolls or some other giant monsters. These creatures sensed those who appeared with the goal of taking possession of something - be it land, a house, or even someone’s heart. They say that these powerful patrons still hide in the dungeons of Trollhole and protect the island from strangers. The more the artist likes the owner of the house, the more acutely she feels the threat hanging over her.