Hemsö is a fictional island, but it is based on Kymmendö where Strindberg had spent time in his youth.

Strindberg wrote the book to combat his homesickness while living abroad in Germany and France.

Written during a difficult period in exile from Sweden, the novel paradoxically has a strong sense of place, and is a feat of straightforward folksy storytelling.

Mrs. Anna Eva Flod, a widow of some means, hires Johannes Edvard Carlsson to run the farm on the island.

In 1955, a movie based on the novel was shown; it marked the first film appearance of the actress Daliah Lavi.