August Blue, a mesmerising new novel from the twice Booker-shortlisted author Deborah Levy, delves into the life of Elsa M. Anderson, a piano virtuoso and former child prodigy, now in her thirties, who finds herself in a moment of crisis. At the pinnacle of her career, Elsa walks off the stage in Vienna, mid-performance, setting off on a journey to escape her talent and her past.

Her odyssey takes her to Athens, where she encounters a woman so familiar, she could be her double. This woman purchases a pair of mechanical dancing horses at a flea market—objects Elsa herself desires but cannot have. This encounter sparks Elsa's trek across Europe, haunted by the presence of the woman who seems to share her soul.

August Blue paints a dazzling portrait of melancholy and metamorphosis, exploring the ways we attempt to rewrite our life stories and the pursuit to reinvent ourselves.