Norway in the Sixties: The life of fifteen-year-old Aksel Vinding falls apart when his mother drowns before his eyes during a bathing trip. In memory of her, who instilled in him a love for music, he decides to drop out of school and dedicate himself entirely to playing the piano. He immerses himself in an ambitious milieu of young artists and falls in love with the sensitive and highly talented Anja Skoog. With empathy and wonderfully sensual language, Ketil Bjørnstad paints the portrait of a young pianist searching for stability in life, and tells of his musical and erotic obsessions. A novel about the difficulties of growing up – and a love letter to music.