Yvonne is a widow, her twin children grown. Hoping to immerse herself in memories of a happier time-as well as sand and sea-Yvonne travels to Turkey. But her plans for a restorative week in Turkey are quickly complicated. Overwhelmed by the past and unexpectedly dislocated by the environment, Yvonne clings to a newfound friendship with Ahmet, a local boy who makes his living as a shell collector. With Ahmet as her guide, Yvonne gains new insight into the lives of her own adult children, and she finally begins to enjoy the shimmering sea and relaxed pace of the Turkish coast. But a devastating accident upends her delicate peace and throws her life into chaos-and her sense of self into turmoil.
With the crystalline voice and psychological nuance for which her work has been so celebrated, Vendela Vida has crafted another unforgettable heroine in a stunningly beautiful and mysterious landscape.
Vendela Vida is the author of the acclaimed novels And Now You Can Go and Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name. She is a founding editor of the Believer magazine, and the editor of The Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and children.