In a small town on the Baltic coast, in a community steeped in

maritime industries and local mores, a teenager falls in love with his

English professor. Christian looks older than his years, Stella younger

than hers. The summer they spend together is filled with boat rides

to Bird Island, secret walks on the beach, and furtive glances. The

emotions that blossom between Christian and Stella are aflame with

passion and innocence, and with an idealistic hope of a future. The

two lovers manage to keep their mutual attraction concealed, but

as the hot months comes to an end, their meetings become more

difficult to conceal.

Stella begins at the end, at Stella Petersen’s memorial service,

where Christian relives the memories he shared with his first love.

There is nothing salacious about their relationship, nor is it just a case

of a teenager’s crush on his teacher. Their affair changes both

Christian and Stella, allows them to expand their views, and pushes

them out of social and familial constraints. Theirs is a tender love

story of a time, and yet speaks to any time; it is actually through

death that their love is transformed.

The sparseness of Siegfried Lenz’s narrative is reminiscent of the

existential stringency of Ernest Hemingway. Only a master stylist of

his standing could compose such a story that is equally modest and

powerful, a work that leaves a lasting authentic impression, and that

strives to comply with W.H. Auden’s famous request, “Tell me the truth

about love.”