A Northern Light in Provence

More about the book

A woman leaves her coastal Greenland village to translate the works of an elderly Provençal poet, leading to a transformative journey in a French village. Ilse Lund, a translator living in a house on stilts along Greenland's west coast, feels isolated and restless. She persuades her publisher to fund a trip to France, a country whose language she speaks fluently, to translate the verses of Geoffrey Labaye, known as “the last living troubadour of Provence.” Upon arriving in the medieval village of Beau Rivière, Ilse is enchanted by the Provençal lifestyle and the charming poet. She becomes captivated by the vibrant colors, warm sun, and melodious sounds of the dialect, as well as by Labaye himself, with whom she develops a close bond centered around words and shared experiences. However, their connection is disrupted when Labaye’s son, Frey, arrives. Despite having a fiancée in Paris, Frey is drawn to Ilse, forcing her to navigate a new emotional landscape that her translation skills cannot prepare her for. As Ilse grapples with her feelings, she must decide between the security of her quiet life in Greenland and the possibility of a more passionate existence in France. With a keen understanding of French sensibilities, the author crafts a poignant love story about choices and dreams.