Beloved

The sculptor Jocelyn Peirston has been obsessed since youth with the eternal search for the unattainable ideal – the Phantom of the Beloved, who, changing forms, will daze him for just a moment, and then ruthlessly departs, leaving emptiness and suffering in his soul. His life is a series of passionate infatuations: once he asked for the hand of the gentle Evis, then he passionately loved the willful Marsia, later fell in love with the enchanting widow Nikola, and finally became captivated by the young Ann. Each of them became a temporary refuge for his ideal, but none could grant him true happiness.

Against the backdrop of creative highs and triumphs in art, a series of personal disappointments and heavy losses unfolds. Only with the years, after experiencing new encounters, life trials, and parting with illusions and his creations, does Jocelyn find peace and simple human comfort. His long journey is a story of seeking meaning, fighting with his own demons, and finding quiet happiness in humility and caring for others.

This novel is a deep reflection on the nature of love, creative calling, and the price of a dream that one must pay dearly for.