At first I wasn't sure what to think of this short novella. A 30-year-old literature teacher, Julian, at night reads a book ("The Private Life of Trees") to his stepdaughter before going to sleep, while he's becoming increasingly concerned about his partner Veronica (the girl's mother) who is late from her art lessons. That absence and the illusory soothing thoughts of Julian become the common thread of the story, which is now filled with Julian's memories of his youth, of a past problematic relationship and of the rather sad expectation that the little girl as an adult probably will not remember much of him. The novella, breaking off rather abrupt, leaves a bitter aftertaste, summarized in this reflection by Julian: “It's all right, there were no strings attached, as it should be: we love in order to stop loving, and we stop loving in order to start loving others, or to end up alone, for a while or forever. That's the doctrine. The only doctrine.” This is a nicely written gem that initially soothes us – just like Julian does with his stepdaughter – but leaves us sobered and a bit in shock. Rating 2.5 stars.