When Ingrid is sent to a remote sanatorium for tuberculosis, she is simultaneously torn away from her life, her love and her future. Another young woman also comes to the sanatorium, Karin, a doctor´s wife, who had hoped that married life would bring more freedom and independence, but she finds it difficult to fill her days with something meaningful. Without a clear purpose at the sanatorium, Ingrid becomes the bright spot that makes her feel alive.
Twelve Breaths to the Lake is the first part of the Sanatorium Suite, which takes place in the shadow of war, illness and suppressed dreams, but it is also a story filled with joy of life, sacrifice and courage. The novel is inspired by the author’s grandmother’s experiences at the sanatorium in Sandträsk in Norrland, the North part of Sweden.
This capturing book is shortlisted for the award Book of the year 2026.
