This spare, unforgettable novel is Pierre Michon?s luminous exploration of the mysteries of desire. A young teacher takes his first job in a sleepy French town. Lost in a succession of rainy days and sleepless nights, he falls under the spell of a town resident, a woman of seductive beauty and singular charm.   Yvonne. Yvonne. ?Everything about her screamed desire?setting something in motion while settling a fingertip to the counter, turning her head slightly, gold earrings brushing her cheek while she watched you or watched nothing at all; this desire was open, like a wound; and she knew it, wore it with valor, with passion.? Michon probes the destructive powers of passion and the consuming need for love in this heartbreaking novel.