The Doyennes

“Blue” is the second novel* of Norwegian author Maja Lunde, who gained recognition worldwide with her first book, The History of Bees (which The Doyennes also really loved – we recommend them both)!

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Like in The History of Bees, Blue also consists of stories set in different times; one in the present and one in the future. The present day story is about a woman named Signe, who returns to the small village she grew up in, between the mountains and fjords in western Norway. An environmentalist from a young age, Signe is horrified by the impact energy production and the sale of fancy, bottled glacier water has had on the beautiful scenery she grew up with, and decides to prove a point to the man who is responsible for a lot of it – an old flame of hers. Simultaneously in the book, but many years ahead in time, we follow the story of David, a young French man who has become a climate refugee with his daughter Lou, due to the draught that has made large parts of Europe impossible to live in. We follow their search for the rest of their family, David’s wife and son, and for a way out of the more and more desperate conditions in the refugee camp. With Maja Lunde’s magical writing style and masterful storytelling, the two stories intertwine, making the connection between our actions in the present and the consequences it will have for the future.

The Doyennes love both Maja Lunde’s captivating stories and the message of the book – a must read for all the fiction loving climate realists out there!

 

*Second novel for adults, that is! Lunde has also written several books for kids and teenagers.