In 1909, in the remote Alpine village of Rosenau (pop. 363), the postmistress has gathered a group of village women - the wives and daughters of dairy farmers and cheesemakers - to solve a problem. A postcard has arrived addressed to Anna Fink, who, because of the conventions of naming in this close-knit community, might be any one of seven women. The mystery of the card's intended recipient - and its lovesick sender - preoccupies all of Rosenau, and takes one Anna, Anna of Bengat farm, on a profound inner journey.
By the time the novel closes, in 1977, we are on intimate terms with the life of Rosenau, governed by sun and snow, by the cycles of farming and dairying, by the intrusions of war, and by the passions of its people, their loves and losses, their pettiness and nobility.
