Holland, the 1960s: Europe is recovering after WWII, liberalism is not even close yet, and it’s a pretty traditional place. A lonely and sour woman lives in a family house alone. The house will go to her older brother once he marries; she should find a man who will provide a house for her. Her older brother leaves his new girlfriend, whom this sour woman passionately hates, with her for a month in the house.
What comes after is a wild ride; each turn reveals that the book is not what it looked like. It ranges from gay and lesbian themes in old Europe to Jews and the aftermath of the Holocaust. It is so well written, so interesting.
I can’t remember why I downloaded this book, who recommended it, or why I started reading it, but it reminded me how little I read and how many such gems I miss because of this.