by Virginie Grimaldi (Author), Hildegarde Serle (Translator)
"Lovers of Europa Editions' other titles My Brilliant Friend and Fresh Water for Flowers will fall hard for this beautiful, heartbreaking, and healing story. Grab a box of tissues!" -- Electric Lit
Full of humor and compassion, this Indie Next Pick is a profound exploration of sisterhood, healing, and the ineffable beauty of life.Sisters Emma and Agathe were thick as thieves when they were young but have always been as different as can be. Five years older, Emma was the defender, protector, and worrier for her fiery younger sister until tragedy marred their relationship.
For a long time, Emma has kept her distance from Agathe and her chaos. But when their adored grandmother dies, they must return together to Spain to empty out her house and, in the process, reconcile, remember, and pour out what is hidden inside their hearts.
Alternating between the sisters' childhood and the present day, Grimaldi's delicately wrought prose paints complex portraits of the two women, asking if the scars of the past can ever truly be healed, and what, in the end, is a good life.
Laughter, tears, and the transformative power of love -- these are the ingredients that combine to make this uplifting, unputdownable literary novel the summer read of 2024.