Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst

The title and author’s name over a picture of three figures on a square structure on a beautiful lake surrounded by trees.

Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst is a novel set to be published by Jonathan Cape on 8th May 2025. It has been translated from Danish by Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg.

The novel follows Sylvia, who, along with girlfriend Charlie, leaves their Copenhagen narrow boat for a holiday in a forester’s cottage in the woods at Madum Lake with her friends. There's Quince, a trans and queer Casanova; Gry, the group's mother hen, with young children Vera and Sejr in tow; Gry’s intimidating husband Adam, an important ministerial advisor; Karen, the leader, queenly and stoic; and Esben, Karen's poet fiancé and Sylvia's long-term crush.

Sylvia and Quince are two of my favourite literary characters of all time, I have to say. Sylvia is all too relatable to me as a dreamer and idealist, wishing for more and getting it thrown unceremoniously back in her face. Her feelings for Esben are all too familiar for me, too. And Quince is so unapologetically himself, even when he isn't always 100% certain of his own place, in the world, in terms of masculinity,

Very reflective and introspective, Waist Deep is almost a treatise for how we need each other, and how things like the gender binary, heteronormativity and society get in the way of this, while also advocating for self love and being true to yourself. I love how the author plays on the reader's perceptions, as well to reinforce this, plus the vivid descriptions of the beautiful landscape really adds something.

No, there isn't much action, but so much happens and I certainly felt different by the end, in quite a short time, too, as I couldn't get enough of this beautiful book.