A young woman grapples with grief and single parenthood after the sudden tragic death of her husband – beautifully wise and intimate autofiction
‘Three in the bed. One not yet born, another dead, and I’m alive.’
Puk is 26 years old, preparing for the birth of her second child, when her husband has a heart attack on his morning run. She leaves their toddler with a friend and dashes to the hospital, where Lasse lies unresponsive in a coma. He dies a few hours later.
Into a Star follows Puk and her young family for one year after this tragedy, which has shattered the ordinary life she thought she would live, as she finds her way slowly through the enormous grief and, eventually, out the other side. With remarkable dignity, candour and attention to the domestic details that make us human, Puk Qvortrup invites us into the hardest moments of her life. And she reveals, amid the devastation, a powerful thread of hope.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 208
Imprint: Hamish Hamilton UK
Publication date: 17/09/2024
Into A Star
By Puk Qvortrup
Review by Rosa
Into a Star is an absolute masterpiece of autofiction. From the heart-wrenching grief of unexpected loss to the overwhelm of early parenthood, every emotion is palpable, every instant tenderly rendered. Through Puk’s eyes, we witness the rawness of grief juxtaposed with the quiet moments of simultaneous solace and anguish- the smells that come with reminders, the gentle touches of loved ones, the ever-changing seasons that whirl around her as she tries to navigate life without her beloved husband and the father of her children by her side. Evocative, tender, and deeply moving, this story will linger in your heart long after you have turned the final page.
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