The lives of women are full of ambivalent choices: career or family, love or security, confident risk or self-preservation? Eventide explores these dilemmas as faced by Karolina Andersson, a professor of art recently separated from a long-term relationship and now on her own in a small apartment, wondering if her entire life, both professionally and personally, has been a waste.
Karolina is attracted to many different men, most recently her postgraduate student who exudes an irresistible confidence and may have discovered a link between artists previously unknown in the art world. This discovery is tempts Karolina into a dangerous relationship, and leads her to choose either devastation or liberation. Eventide is not plot-driven, but is rather a thoughtful character study of a woman who feels powerless and at the same time is craftily manipulative of others. It is intelligent and empowering.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Other Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.