'Written with memorable precision and love' Sarah Moss

'Raw and shimmering' Liz Berry

The woman has given birth. Now she holds her second child in her arms, a tiny mystery. The world is new and full of surprises, even though dangers lurk behind every corner; a car out of control, disease ever present in the air, the unforgiving speed of time. As she speaks to the child, the story of her life emerges. A story of a body worn down by illness, of heartbreak, of a lover stolen and of happiness finally found.

In iridescent prose, Skomsvold paints a portrait of the artist as a mother, and reckons with the sharp compromises and quiet joys that make up a life.

Translated by: Martin Aitken