Book Review – The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff

First published, 2000

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

I really enjoyed this book. The story follows Danish artist, Einar Wegener, and his wife, Greta, as Einar comes to terms with his true self and undergoes gender reassignment surgery to become Lili Elbe in the early 1930s.

An amazing story, with basis in fact, the novel is well-written and heart-rending, with some stunning use of imagery. I really admire the author’s ability to root the story in its time. It’s important to be mindful of the difficulties that Lili must have faced at a period in history when she might well have felt like the only person in the world who didn’t fit with their physical presence.

A very important novel, I’m pleased to have read it.