The novel is a fictionalized account of the life of Lili Elbe, one of the first people to undergo sex reassignment surgery. The Danish Girl, as Ebershoff stated, does not try to tell a true story. He has not only imagined most of what he wrote about Elbe's inner life, but he has also fabricated all of the other characters in the book, most important among them Wegener's blue-blooded American-born wife, Greta Waud, who like Ebershoff comes from Pasadena, California. The real Gerda Wegener was Danish, but in the novel her name was changed to Greta to please the American audience. The story takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark. Einar Wegener is happily married to his wife, Gerda Wegener. Einar was raised as a boy with his best friend Hans. Gerda was raised in California with her twin brother Carlisle. She eventually moved to Denmark, and first met Einar at the Royal Academy. They were unfortunately separated due to events of World War I. During their separation, Gerda marries another man named Teddy Cross and has a child. Unfortunately, the child dies at birth and Teddy dies of tuberculosis. Gerda moves back to Denmark and marries Einar. The couple are painters with Einar painting mostly landscapes and Gerda painting portraits of somewhat famous people. One day, Anna Fonsmark, a friend of Gerda, must cancel her scheduled painting session. Gerda however needs to have the painting finished as soon as possible, hence her requesting Einar to model as Anna. The session is cut short with Anna barging into their home. Anna then decides to name Einar "Lili." Soon, the couple are invited to the annual Artists' Ball. Gerda convinces Einar to dress as Lili, but during the ball, Lili meets a man named Henrik Sandahl. Henrik and Lili start a short relationship. Lili and Henrik eventually go their separate ways. Lili then starts having many nosebleeds and stomachaches, which leads to Gerda making Lili visit a doctor named Dr. Hexler. Gerda's true intentions however are actually to see if there is a tumor developing in his pelvis for she believes that if a tumor were indeed there, it might be the cause of the nosebleeds, stomachaches, and psychological problems. Hexler performs an X-ray on Einar and sees that there is no tumor; however, he tells Gerda to discourage Einar from ever going anywhere as Lili again. Gerda starts to paint Lili more often, and these paintings spark popularity for Gerda. Gerda then manages to have a temporary gallery of her Lili paintings in France. In France, Gerda meets Hans Axgil, Einar's childhood friend. Gerda, Hans, and Einar dressed as Lili share a dinner where Hans luckily fails to recognize Einar. Einar feels his problem regarding his identity however is only worsening. Carlisle admits he knows Einar is Lili and decides to help him find doctors to solve his problems. Gerda, meanwhile, meets Doctor Alfred Bolk. Bolk is interested in helping Einar become Lili completely. Einar then meets Doctor Bolk. Bolk tells Einar of the surgeries he plans to do, to which Einar agrees to. Bolk transfers to Dresden and Einar soon follows. Hans eventually admits to Gerda that he also knows about Einar being Lili. Hans is actually supportive and tells Gerda to meet Einar in Dresden. She complies. At the same time, Gerda starts to fall in love with Hans. The first operation removes Einar's testicles, making the first move to him becoming Lili. Gerda makes it to Dresden where Bolk reveals that Einar was supposed to be born as a woman as he had undeveloped ovaries in his body the whole time. Einar's ovaries are restored and he takes his last operation. It is successful and he fully becomes Lili. Lili and Gerda then return to Denmark. Lili and Henrik fall in love again while Gerda and Hans also start falling in love. Henrik then proposes to Lili and Hans asks Gerda to move with him to America. Bolk manages to contact Lili and tells her of a final operation; one that will give Lili a uterus to be able to become a mother. Lili tells Gerda of the operation, to which Gerda rejects going to Dresden with Lili with for it is "too dangerous." Carlisle instead brings Lili to Dresden. Lili and Gerda eventually part ways. Gerda moves to Pasadena. The surgery was a failure as it has been found that an infection has grown inside Lili. Whether Lili lives or dies is unclear.
In The New York Times Book Review, novelist and critic John Burnham Schwartz called the novel "arresting": "I hope people will read The Danish Girl. It is fascinating and humane." Critic Richard Bernstein wrote in The New York Times, "Mr. Ebershoff is telling us that love does involve a small dark space. The intelligence and tactfulness of his exploration of it make his novel a noteworthy event."
Translations
The novel has been translated into more than ten languages and is published in paperback by Penguin.
