In the days leading up to Christmas, Dómhildur delivers her 1,922nd baby. Beginnings and endings are her family trade; she comes from a long line of midwives on her mother's side and a long line of undertakers on her father's. She even lives in the apartment that she inherited from her grandaunt, a midwife with a unique reputation for her unconventional methods. As a terrible storm races towards Reykjavik, Dómhildur discovers decades worth of letters and manuscripts hidden amongst her grandaunt's clutter. Fielding calls from her anxious meteorologist sister and visits from her curious new neighbour, Dómhildur escapes into her grandaunt's archive and discovers strange and beautiful reflections on birth, death and human nature. For even in the depths of an Icelandic winter, new life will find a way.

"Ólafsdóttir is at her best when sharing the histories of midwives . . . Nothing much happens, but only in the way that one could say nothing much happens on any given day, the rhythms of which the author captures perfectly. The result is a rich slice of life" - Publishers Weekly

"[L]yrical . . . Animal Life is a uniquely crafted novel that concerns itself with light and darkness, purpose and coincidence, fear and hope." - Booklist

"A love letter to the planet, its people, and the hopeful longevity of both... a beautiful and profound book." - New European

"Every novel by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir is a multifaceted gem, with a sparkle concealing dark hues and sharp edges... a tranquil yet compelling meditation on life and death, darkness and light, from a reliably thought-provoking novelist" - The Economist

"Set during a stormy Icelandic winter, this evocative story of self-discovery is leavened by glimpses of humour amid the darkness" - Financial Times