Description
'An idyll of immense charm ... a masterpiece’ John Bayley, The New York Review of Books
'Thomas was born in the village of Gine at that time of year when a ripe apple thumps to the ground during an afternoon lull.'
So a boy's life begins in a winding river valley on the Polish-Russian border where time is measured by seasonal rhythms and ancient songs. For Thomas, the ghosts in the forest are as real as the magical water-snakes that live in the Issa; in the village he is entranced by the women with their cinched waists and the men in their long boots.
But when he is shown a map, he discovers a kingdom all his own and starts to dream of leaving the valley behind.
Paperback | Publication: 14 May 2026, Penguin Classics
ISBN: 9780241773925 | Extent: 336 pages
