Library Staff Recommendation
Winner of The Women’s Prize for Fiction 2025 and shortlisted for The Booker Prize 2024.
Set in the Netherlands in 1961, the book follows Isabel. She had cared for her mother in her final years and continues to live in and look after the home she grew up in and her mother’s possessions. Her peace is broken when her brother leaves his girlfriend to stay with Isabel while he takes a month-long work trip.
I struggled a little with the start of the book, as Isabel was so unlikable. I am glad I persisted, however. She undergoes a lot of growth over the course of the novel and become a far more interesting figure. The third act reveal of what has really been going on and what this book is really about was extremely powerful and thought provoking. I found it a challenging read, but highly rewarding.
5/5 Stars
Reviewed by Rebecca