“On the Calculation of Volume: I” by Solvej Balle

This is the first volume of what will eventually be a series of seven, translated from Danish, telling the story of a fairly ordinary French woman who gets stuck Groundhog-Day-style, in a single day. Each evening time slips back twenty-four hours and she has to live through 18th November again and again. The Groundhog Day film, of course (and the splendid stage musical version that was produced a few years ago too) was a glorious, feel-good romantic comedy. This novel could not be more different in that respect, being melancholy in tone and exploring the possibility of actually being condemned to live the same rather dreary, damp and cold day multiple times.

It is very well written and wholly compelling, despite the situation not really being at all exciting, and one that gets less exciting as the story proceeds. In this first volume, we follow our protagonist Tara through a full year of November 18ths, the only other major character being her rather relaxed husband Thomas who has to have her predicament explained to him time and time again as he wakes up to experience each of Tara’s 18th Novembers for the first time.

A slow burner, but one that is highly original, thought-provoking and beautifully crafted. I will definitely look to read Volume 2 after a reasonable digestive break.