Antoinette

I didn't know that you could lose something you didn't yet possess.

A man waits in a thermal bath in Budapest for a woman, his wife, Antoinette. Seven years ago, they were here once before. Right at the beginning. Right at the beginning of their happiness. In between, countless unsuccessful fertility treatments, estrangement, and ultimately a failed marriage. Will they meet again now, will their love get a second chance? Robbert Welagen, a master of quiet, well-measured words, paints in this novel the panorama of a marriage and the inner lives of two people who are on the verge of breaking under their childlessness. Very atmospheric, of minimalist beauty, and immensely comforting.