At a family picnic, 16-year-old Aksel's wild, beautiful mother drowns while swimming drunk in a fast-flowing river. Aksel's father is unable to confront his wife's death and the family sinks into isolation and bereavement. Gradually Aksel, a talented pianist, dedicates his life to honoring his mother's memory by playing the music she loved. The novel leaves us with complex questions about the creative process itself, and ultimately asks whether it is possible to produce our most exquisite art forms without personal suffering. Ketil Bjornstad, an international jazz pianist, made his literary debut in 1972 as a poet. He has written novels, plays and essays, as well as fictionalized biographies of artistic figures.