This gorgeously crafted novel tells the story of the friendship between two women, one older and one younger. If you loved Out Stealing Horses, you will enjoy this book just as much. Finely nuanced, sparely written and perfectly paced. It's hard to believe this is a debut. ( )

Beautiful story about friendship, shame, secrets. Most impressed with writing style. ( )

Linda Olsson has written two books and I have just read and enjoyed the second. Let me sing you gentle songs is actually the first book she wrote and I enjoyed it very much. I love the way that she writes. It is a simple story, the story of the friendship between two women, one older and one younger, set in Sweden. Veronika, the younger, arrives in a small village, late at night, in search of peace and solitude, to enable her to come to terms with the grief and loss that have overtaken her, and to try to finish her novel. Next door lives an older, reclusive, woman Astrid, who has her own family secrets and personal tragedies. Astrid watches Veronika unpack the car and watches her day to day activities. When she does not see Veronika for a few days she becomes worried and knocks on Veronika's door and thus begins a friendship between the two women. As they become closer they gradually reveal to each other the secrets of their lives and healing begins for both of them. . The story is told against the backdrop of the changing seasons. A beautiful story. ( )

"Astrid & Veronika" recounts the friendship that springs up between two women badly in need of it, and how it saves them. Ms. Olsson describes it very well; the friendship unfolds at a realistic pace and their relationship gains in sweetness as the book travels along. I would like to salute the author for the opening image in this book: the younger woman, Veronika, arrives at a rental home late at night and unloads her car by the light from the headlights. This makes a small tunnel of light in an otherwise black-as-pitch world; thus does hope ignite and life hold the potential for a re-start. Astrid sees this glimmer from her neighboring home and senses a return to life for herself.

The seasons are turned interestingly upon their heads: spring is portrayed as the hardest time to bring forth young, while in autumn mothers have the benefit of the fullness of Earth's bounty - it's easy to find food and provide for offspring. The friendship has its hard knocks, and survives everything.

This is a gentle, graceful tale, with the possible subtitle, "Now let me sing gentle songs." This, in fact, is the name of the book Veronika winds up writing. It's life-affirming, wonderfully written, and well worth it. If you haven't checked this one out, do so right away. ( )

The only thing more inviting than the cover of this rather short novel is the story itself. Linda Olsson's first novel Astrid & Veronika is beautifully written and the two women come to full life as their stories unfold slowly over the course of four seasons.
Please visit my blog LibraryCatsBooks to read the full review. ( )