Ein letzter Tag Unendlichkeit • Lucien Deprijck

It wasn’t that long ago that I read my first book by Lucien Deprijck. The Islands Where I’m Stranded was published by Mare Verlag, which for me was already a mark of quality — a promise that the book would be excellent. And that turned out to be true, so I was eager to read Deprijck’s latest novel, this time published by the Swiss Unionsverlag. And it’s right at home there, for the novel revolves around a pleasure cruise on Lake Zurich.

The book spans exactly one day, during which the poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock embarks on a boat excursion across Lake Zurich together with a group of ladies and gentlemen. A single day on the lake — can that possibly work as a novel? Yes, it can — and it does so beautifully.

Let’s say it plainly: Deprijck can write. This book once again proves it impressively. His command of language, the long, elegant sentences, his ability to conjure a vivid scene from nothing — using not too few, but not too many words — make this novel an absolute pleasure to read.

Ein letzter Tag Unendlichkeit is also a painting of sorts, for it strongly evokes the art of the 18th century — the era in which the story is set. Deprijck skillfully weaves his exquisite descriptions of nature, of the lake, of the small Au Peninsula, and of the shifting times of day into the social mood of his pleasure-seeking characters. For the reader, the book itself becomes a delightful excursion — one feels transported to another place and time, savoring the summer view across the lake toward the Alps.

But Deprijck goes a step further. He doesn’t merely guide the reader through nature and into the company of these pleasure travelers; he also offers philosophical, theological, and metaphysical reflections, brought to life in vivid dialogues between the poet Klopstock and his companions.

One especially striking conversation takes place between Klopstock and Anna, discussing the paradox between Abraham’s unfulfilled sacrifice of Isaac and the destiny of the Messiah. It ties beautifully to Klopstock’s own epic poem The Messiah, which the poet — the most prominent figure among the travelers — recites from throughout the novel. Through Anna’s almost blasphemous doubts, Deprijck mirrors the borderline hedonistic tone of the pleasure cruise, with its hints of partner swapping and moral looseness.

A lovely passage that perfectly illustrates how poetically Deprijck infuses nature with a philosophical touch:

Above her, there was a soft rustling. Something swirled through the branches — seemingly the wind. But it was not the wind. It was something that drifted gently with the breeze, something ancient, something eternal: the knowledge of all things. This knowledge was always there, always and everywhere; it knew everything that had ever happened and all that was yet to come, even everything that could ever have been. It whispered among the trees, inaudible to humankind, glided through the branches, and now brushed gently across Anna’s face.

Anna often reminded me of Emma Bovary at the beginning of her journey — similarly enthusiastic in her faith. Of course, the novel’s focus isn’t on theology as such. Rather, the reader accompanies the group of pleasure travelers through light, fleeting conversations that never last long, usually interrupted by the next stop along their voyage. This makes for a charming, leisurely reading experience — the relaxed, buoyant mood and gentle sense of ease immediately wash over the reader.

In addition to its reflections on nature, philosophy, and theology, the book also touches upon the era’s social milieu — clothing, living conditions, artistic pursuits, and even the private destinies of individual travelers — but always with a light hand that invites reflection without delving too deep.

Here’s another beautiful passage, perfectly representative of the novel’s tone and the spirit of the journey it depicts:

Human beings had grown beyond nature, according to God’s plan and His infinite wisdom — and yet returning to her embrace was an intoxicating feeling. It was as though one were satisfying a longing that had long gone unnoticed, a kind of desire recognized only in the moment of its fulfillment. Almost an entire life spent in enclosed rooms, in narrow streets and alleys, in studies, parlors, and carriages — and then here, in the open air, in sunshine, heat, and wind, dining beneath the open sky, beneath the luminous canopy of oaks — so beautiful, so pleasantly intoxicated by wine, with feelings of friendship and devotion in the heart, fluttering toward the fairest of the ladies. To see only beauty, to feel only beauty, to cast off all burdens, and to forget everything that was wearying or sorrowful.

Conclusion: Reading this book was a delight. Although not much “happens” and there is no grand plot, the language — the elegance of the sentences, the vivid and precise descriptions of nature and the lake — is a joy to experience. The atmosphere quickly takes hold, and one feels part of the company, longing for nothing more than to indulge in idleness, wine, and princely feasts. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book — especially in winter, when one feels that persistent longing for the beauty of summer days.

Book information: Ein letzter Tag Unendlichkeit • Lucien Deprijck • Unionsverlag • 240 pages • ISBN 9783293004832