The Summer Book : A Novel

An elderly artist and her six-year-old grand-daughter are away on 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.

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