An Altered Light

Finished April 20
An Altered Light by Jens Christian Grøndahl, translated from the Danish by Anne Born

This is a lovely novel about the changes in a middle-aged woman's life. Irene Beckman is 58, a successful family lawyer, married to a successful banker. She has two grown children, a lovely house in a good area of town, and has kept her looks well.
However things have been growing more distant between her husband and her, and clues lead to another woman. When he announces that he is leaving her, she retreats into solitude, reflecting on her past, their relationship, and her dreams. Irene's mother is undergoing surgery and unexpectedly reveals information about Irene's father that changes her world further.
The two events change Irene's perception of herself and how she got there. She must first find her own history before she can move forward.
This novel shows how events can change lives, how decisions can move someone in a new direction, and how those affect relationships, between parents and children, husbands and wives, and those we barely know. A fascinating book into one woman's life.