This is a great little book. Thought provoking and intense in a languid way – if that’s possible. It’s about a loving couple from Norway who go on a much anticipated and well planned trip to New York. One day, they visit the Metropolitan Museum where the husband is captivated by a particular painting. He stands in front of it for a long time – so long that his wife decides to go to the ladies’ while she’s waiting for him. When she comes back, he’s gone. The rest of the book is about her reaction to his disappearance and what she does to find him.
I enjoyed it very much, both because of Kristensen’s writing skill and because the idea intrigued me. What would I have done in a similar situation? And is it possible to really know someone else, even if you’ve lived with them for years? The ending is not entirely satisfying, but is in keeping with the rest of the book (without giving away too much).