Review: A Northern Light in Provence by Elizabeth Birkelund

A Northern Light in Provence by Elizabeth Birkelund

Blurb from Goodreads:

A woman leaves her coastal Greenland village to translate the works of a renowned Provençal poet and finds her life irrevocably changed, in this tender and romantic novel set in a French village.

“A charming and beautifully written novel about self-discovery, the power of language, and yes, love!”—Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants 

Ilse Erlund is a translator who lives in a house on stilts along the west coast of Greenland. Isolated and restless in her world by the sea, she convinces her publisher to pay for a trip to the country she has never visited but whose language she speaks France. Her mission is to translate the verses of Geoffrey “Po” Labaye, a charismatic poet known as “the last living troubadour of Provence.”Upon arrival in the medieval hilltop village of Belle Rivière, Ilse falls under the spell of the Provençal way of life, captivated by the air, the sun, the vibrant spring colors, and the dulcet sounds of the dialect. Soon enough, Ilse is captivated by the poet, too, and she and Po develop a daily rhythm and warm camaraderie—which is disrupted by the arrival of the poet’s son, Frey. Though he has a fiancée back in Paris, Frey turns his attentions to Ilse, and suddenly she is forced to learn another language, one her translation skills have not prepared her to decode. Where—and with whom—does her future lie?With an eye and ear attuned to the sensibilities of French life, Elizabeth Birkelund has created a love story about a woman forced to choose between the security of her quiet northern home and the possibility of the life of her dreams.

My Review:

This was lovely.  I'd never really contemplated what it would be like to live in Greenland but I am after reading this book and, of course, this will make you long to travel to Provence.  The characters were rich, textured and I didn't know quite what would happen.  I really enjoyed this book! Definitely add to your TBR!!

A Northern Light in Provence comes out next week on May 21, 2024, and you can purchase HERE!  

The Anglo-Saxon language is many things, but a romance language it is not. For a richer verbal transmigration, English would have to languish topless on the pebbled beaches on the Mediterranean coast, or step among sunflowers in the dusty fields of Provence, or at the very least, bite into a tranche of crusty French bread. And that would be only the beginning.