Monique ProulxAnmeldelser

Loved the familiar setting of the Laurentians, the multidimensionality of the characters and the lyrical, poetic writing that was, thankfully, not lost in translation.

Camille is an eleven-year-old girl facing several challenges: she's much smarter than her classmates and therefore finds it hard to gain acceptance, or the notice of Lucky Poitrais, whom she has a major crush on. And, her mother is dating her principal. Finally, her father has become a woman. Add a novelist with serious writer's block who believes the father (Marie-Pierre) is the key to writing a successful book and a radio researcher who is fascinated by Marie-Pierre. What we get is a great story...and a well written one. I felt as if I knew these characters and I wanted to know what would happen to each of them.

The author explores themes of identity through her characters. Are we always happiest when following our own path, even when it leads us away from our peers and family? What makes us who we are? What if we don't know who we really are? Such a thought-provoking read!

I found the ending a bit rushed, but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This novel was originally published in French and I read the English translation.

I wanted more from this book. It was an awkward read for me ~ parts of it were terrific and parts were really not so great; I was eager to read, then working to read. The lack of consistency was a big frustration. The story and main character were both interesting and had so much potential but the plot had this odd arc off into a funny realm that didn't work for me. I am glad to have read it as I think Proulx used an intriguing writing strategy, but I am wondering what was lost in translation?

Hommage à Réjean Ducharme, le célèbre auteur mystérieux, ce roman équilibre roman policier et histoire d'amour sur fond de découverte personnelle. Il faut s'habituer au style très particulier et imagé, mais une fois qu'on est dans le bain, on se laisse prendre par la quête de Florence, ses déceptionsses espoirs et sa réalisation qu'elle doit se trouver une place dans le monde. Pas facile à lire, mais ça en vaut bien la peine.

A book about what makes people read what others write, writers, and about the fact that no matter how hard we try to escape being emotionally engaged in life, life and destiny will catch up with us sooner or later.
There are some really good parts in this book, but they more or less drown in a neurotic, PMSing narration of the main character. The character (Florence, 25 year old successful web designer)doesn’t altogether ring true, and behaves more like a 16 year old. Funnily enough, the male characters seem to be more true and likeable than the female ones.
Maybe all the female characters are the representatives of the writer herself and hence treated with no sympathy??
There are some unnecessary twists and unfinished plot lines, but some good, self-deprecating humour as well.
“In a 300-page book, there are always 250 pages too many. Reading books slows you down, softens you, it wipes you out. When you open a book, a particularly underhanded book, you’re neutralized for hours, the captive of this corpulent mass that isn’t even true, a creation that some neurotic fabricated out of the worst of his neuroses, the better to unload it on you and get it out of his life.” Ha, ha p.9
(Well, it may even be true about this book:)
Too much reminding me of Paul Auster's ideas and style as well.