The painter Peter Wihl – a celebrated success early in his career – is about to turn fifty. The prospect is stifling his creativity and jeopardising his preparations for a major new exhibition intended to revive his reputation. In a cruel twist of fate, his concerns about his forthcoming birthday are rendered meaningless when he discovers that he has an incurable eye condition and will be completely blind within six months. What is a painter without his eyes? A chance encounter with an old classmate leads a vulnerable Peter into a sinister world which will haunt him for as long as he lives. The novel poses the question: How far is the artist willing to go in the pursuit of his art?

‘Christensen is Norway’s leading writer and his small hero has a wild, poetic intensity that makes him entertaining company’ The Times

‘Lars Saabye Christensen’s intense rapport with his subject shines through. This is a novel of great emphatic humanity’ Paul Binding, TLS

‘Full of authentic off-beat charm’ Daily Telegraph