A relatively unknown Danish author (Solvej Balle) has crafted a series of small books on a well-worn theme, a person caught in a repeating day. See full review at the attached link: On the Calculation of Volume – I, II, and III – Welcome
Tara Selter is a middle-aged book reseller who lives in a fictional town in northern France called Clairon-sous-Bois with her husband Thomas. They travel within France and to other European countries to pursue the book trade. On a routine buying trip to Bordeaux and then returning through Paris, Tara travels alone and returns to her house late one evening (on November 18th) with books in hand and a nasty little accidental burn on her arm. When she awakens the next morning, she is no longer home but somehow back in her hotel in Paris, the burn remains along with a clear memory of the previous day’s events, which are yet to occur. The story is planned to be told in seven volumes, four of which have been completed and three of which have been translated into English (at the end of 2025).
There is daily repetition of course, initially in the descriptions of a routine day back at her home. She attempts to convince Thomas that she is trapped in a daily time loop, with some acknowledgement, yet in a sense it is futile because the very next day she must re-initiate this discussion. Growing weary of these futile attempts, she retreats to her room and her own thoughts and self-explorations, avoiding interactions. Tara tries to probe for an escape from the cycle, without luck, and the days accumulate.
In Volume Two, slowly she begins to extract herself from her home life, with travel. She then chases the seasons (the weather) north into winter, and then after several months, back southward and into spring. A seasonal travelog unfolds, deep through winter, into spring, and then what passes for her version of a late summerlike November – in southern England. At the very end of this second volume, she meets a fellow time traveler; how that happened and what do they do together.
Volume Three explores the existence and backstory of this new person, their time together and apart as they continue to try to hold on to their previous lives. As so many repeated days pass, it becomes more difficult to hold on to the past. The plotline eventually reveals the opportunity to meet up with additional time loop travelers.
“In many ways, the repetition of the eighteenth of November comes as a relief. A day that made no assertions of progress and promotion. At least the eighteenth of November is honest… It wipes the slate clean.”
Solvej Balle’s narration is repetitive in the spirit of the theme of this book. Throughout there are long descriptive thoughts, observations on human relationships, and nature, and the seasons that she longs to experience once again. Along with a sense of continuous learning as she researches cultures and history along the way. I found myself immersed in the culture of the countries that she traveled through. Following along as her outlook swings back and forth between desire to break through the cycle, mixed with acceptance of each day and her ability to stay busy and enjoy each moment.
This book is best enjoyed while sitting quietly in the sun, immersed in the narrative and as an escape from the daily vicissitudes of life. More volumes to come, I highly recommend!
