Between Sandor and his next-door neighbour, a bond full of restraint and humanity is woven from ordinary encounters. He is in his seventies and in failing health; she is younger and moved by her neighbour's struggles. Their relationship grows closer, as she discreetly accompanies the man who did not want to die, who wanted to keep living.

The simplicity of the narrative, the sensitive portrayal of the characters, the humanity and humour that emerge despite the illness and the seriousness of the topic, make it a profound and engaging novel. The pages, so close to the realm of shadows and yet so luminous, are filled with a breath of lif and a sense of calm. Catherine Lovey's elegant writing weaves a genuine ode to life, as colourful as its cover page!

Photo by © Giulia Ferla, all rights reserved