This semi-autobiographical novel by Raymond Queneau, set in France during World War I, tells the story of a soldier struggling with the loss of his wife and an injury to his leg. The book focuses on one particular winter when he begins to heal, both physically and emotionally, by meeting other women, although the relationships don’t end well. In the end, the protagonist’s leg heals and he is sent back to the frontlines of war. The story, although hopeful, is not sympathetic to the character’s emotions.

In one of her most creative approaches to bookbinding, Mary Reynolds sealed a broken thermometer into the spine. Frozen at 0 degrees Celsius, it evokes the story’s wintry setting and unrelenting conflict. The doublures (inlaid designs on the front and back covers) reflect Queneau’s story as well, mapping the protagonist's grief through color: The front endpaper is blue, a color commonly associated with depression and cold, while the back is red, symbolizing the passionate heat of love.