First published 2000
Einar Wegener stands before his easel in 1920s Copenhagen, but today he poses as his wife Gerda's model instead of painting. When Gerda asks him to wear stockings and a dress for her portrait, something awakens in Einar that he cannot ignore. What begins as playful experimentation becomes a profound transformation as Einar discovers his true identity as Lili. His marriage to Gerda, built on artistic partnership and deep affection, must now navigate uncharted territory. Gerda watches the person she married disappear, replaced by someone she barely recognizes yet still loves. As Lili emerges more fully, Einar fades away, leaving both women to grapple with questions of identity, desire, and sacrifice. Set against the backdrop of bohemian Copenhagen, their story explores the boundaries of love when everything you thought you knew about your partner changes forever.
Genres: drama, art, literary-fiction, 20th-century, biographical-fiction, lgbt
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, transformation
Setting: Copenhagen
Period: 1920s
270 pages · Hardcover · Viking Adult