The Orange Girl

Jostein Gaarder

At fifteen, Georg comes upon a letter written to him by his dying father, to be read when he is old enough. Their two voices make a fascinating dialogue as Georg gets to know the father he can barely remember and is challenged by him to answer some profound questions. The central mystery of the book is the story of the Orange Girl, the elusive young woman for whom Georg's father searches in Orso and Seville, and who Georg finally realises is his mother.

THE ORANGE GIRL is short and simply constructed, but it takes on some big questions about the meaning of life and the universe. It is imbued with the sense of awe and wonder that is Jostein Gaarder's hallmark. Although it is intended for teenagers, it is written in the unmistakable Gaarder way that reaches readers of every generation.