It is the story of a third-grade teacher, Nora, a woman in her forties who is single and dreams of becoming a successful painter. Her life changes with the arrival in her class of a Lebanese student, Reza, through whom she meets and befriends his parents. Reza’s mother, Selene, also dreams of becoming a famous artist. The two women work together in a studio.
The narrator, who writes in the first person, falls in love with Selene and visits her home, where she also helps her son in the studio. She grows fond of little Reza and eventually also falls in love with her friend’s husband, who visits her in the studio when his wife is not there. The book is well written and the narrative is convincing.
The episodes are often told with an insistent sensuality, which characterizes Nora’s relationship with the members of the Lebanese family. At times, it is somewhat unclear what kind of painting the two friends are actually creating in the studio. Selene eventually holds an exhibition in Paris, where she is reunited with her husband and son. Nora is left alone again. She takes a sabbatical year to travel to Europe, and in Paris she visits her Lebanese friends, who welcome her with sympathy and affection, but nothing more. Heartbroken, she finds herself in her hotel room, filled with anger toward life, herself, and the world. It should be noted that Nora consistently uses open language, full of swear words.