We find Emilie, an Emily Dickinson scholar who has fled her husband in Amsterdam, settling in a remote farmhouse in Wales. She has admitted to an affair, but the reader will quickly get the sense that there is more to her escape. The farmhouse does not have many amenities. And, as you may have guessed, there are ten white geese on the property. Emilie makes the best of her situation, though loneliness creeps in at times and the reader sees her through her worst moments.
She does meet a few people along the way. Rhys Jones has a history with the property and stops in whenever he likes. There is also what Emilie describes as a young boy who stumbles upon Emilie while he is surveying the land. We find that there is more to these characters, the same as with Emilie.
Emilie's husband is left in Amsterdam (with her parents) wondering why his wife has decided to completely leave him. He is almost arrested after a truly odd moment at Emilie's university and befriends the police officer who speaks to him. Together, they look to find out the truth behind the disappearance.
There is so much going on in this little book that it's impossible to get through it all. Emilie's story is beautifully written and told. I am always skeptical when a male author tries to write about a female protagonist but Bakker has done a wonderful job.
You may also wish to pick up Bakker's first book, The Twin, which was also an international bestseller.
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