The Summer Book: A Novel

Description

Tove Jansson”s classic, bestselling novel”Distils the essence of summer” Robert Macfarlane”Magical, life-affirming” Elizabeth Gilbert The Worldwide Classic about a tiny island and larger love.An elderly artist and her six-year-old grand-daughter while away a summer together on a tiny island in the gulf of Finland. As the two learn to adjust to each other”s fears, whims and yearnings, a fierce yet understated love emerges – one that encompasses not only the summer inhabitants but the very island itself.Written in a clear, unsentimental style, full of brusque humour, and wisdom, The Summer Book is a profoundly life-affirming story. Tove Jansson captured much of her own life and spirit in the book, which was her favourite of her adult novels. With a foreword by Esther Freud and an afterword by Sophia Jansson (on whom the child ”Sophia” is based) who returns to the island during the pandemic at the point of becoming a grandmother herself.Includes a 15pp epilogue by Tove”s niece Sophia Jansson – the inspiration for ”Sophia” – on a personal and moving return to the island.”Eccentric, funny, wise, full of joys and small adventures. This is a book for life.” Esther Freud”Tove Jansson was a genius. This is a marvellous, beautiful, wise novel, which is also very funny.” Philip Pullman