Embracing The Hygge Life

The Floating Copenhagen Café by Annabel French is the most delightful contemporary novel that will warm your heart and make you smile. I never wanted it to end.

As the title suggests, the novel is set in Copenhagen. It is a pretty city with a vibrant food scene, and a network of canals. All this comes to life under the author’s descriptive pen. It is easy to picture the colourful buildings, peaceful waterways and delicious food. A real wealth of treasure for the senses.

The leading character travels from Milton Keynes to Copenhagen on a sabbatical to help revive a café. The greyness of England contrasts with the colourful Denmark. A staid 9 to 5 job in England and a life lived in shades of grey, opens up to pure technicolour in Denmark.

The Danes are a relaxed nation as they believe in, and adopt, the hygge life. “It’s about finding happiness in the everyday things in life we take for granted, enjoying every precious moment and making ourselves happy, even in the tough times.” There is always something to be joyful about, we just need to look for it. Life is for living, not just existing.

We learn about the treasures of life. “Life isn’t about things and possessions. It’s about feelings and experiences.” It is people who are the most important.