In 1980s Communist Poland, love is dangerous—and freedom even more so.
When Ludwik meets Janusz during a summer agricultural camp, their connection is immediate and electrifying. What begins as a cautious friendship turns into an all-consuming romance, fueled by stolen moments, shared dreams, and a tattered copy of Giovanni’s Room. But passion has no place in a repressive regime, and returning to Warsaw forces each man to choose a path.
Janusz rises through the political ranks. Ludwik, disillusioned and restless, leans toward protest and resistance.
As politics, secrets, and survival wedge them apart, Swimming in the Dark becomes not just a love story, but a haunting meditation on identity, loyalty, and the price of personal freedom.
Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR, this debut is lyrical, intimate, and unforgettable.
