Jon Fosse’s Melancholy I described the troubled life of acclaimed Norwegian landscape artist Lars Hertervig. Melancholy II continues his story from the perspective of his fictional sister Oline. At least most reviews say she is fictional, but I haven’t been able to confirm this. Be that as it may, the novel is set in 1902 shortly after the artist’s death and again takes place over a single day. Here Oline thinks about her brother, remembers their childhood, and reflects that even back then Lars didn’t seem to fit in. She offers some glimpses into Hertervig’s later life and into his unhappy soul. Now an elderly woman and facing her own mortality, we watch Oline on her daily round, ill and often forgetful, lonely and finding even the trivial actions of everyday existence – going to buy fish for her meal, going to the toilet (there’s a lot about this) – almost too much to cope with. The stream-of-consciousness narration allows the reader to get inside her head and really feel for her. It’s a melancholy tale indeed, a haunting mediation on ageing, ill-health and impending death. I very much enjoyed the book. It’s beautifully written, expertly paced, empathetic and compassionate. Possible the reading would be enhanced by having first read Melancholy I but I feel that it stands alone and although referring to a real person, has a universal application in its themes, and even without knowing anything of the background it’s a poignant and absorbing read.