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The Last Summer
A chilling thriller as compulsive as Emma Cline's The Girls
It's the Summer of 1967. The sun shines brightly over Boundary Pond, a holiday haven on the US-Canadian border. Families relax in the heat, happy and carefree. Hours tick away to the sound of radios playing 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' and 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'. Children run along the beach as the heady smell of barbecues fills the air.
Zaza Mulligan and Sissy Morgan, with their long, tanned legs and silky hair, relish their growing reputation as the red and blonde Lolitas. Life seems idyllic.
But then Zaza disappears, and the skies begin to cloud over...
'Brilliantly innovative in narrative and thrillingly readable, Boundary is a splendid novel that makes high literature out of crime and suspense' - Robert Olen Butler, Pulitzer Prize winning author of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
'While it has an element of the whodunit, this lushly written, award-winning francophone novel is literary crime-writing in which the texture of period and place takes priority' - John Dugdale, Sunday Times
'As with her earlier novels, Andrée A. Michaud transcends the limitations of the crime genre (impeccably tying each thread together) to delve deeper into its dramatic repercussions. [. . .] in her 10th novel, she reaches the height of style' - L'Actualité
'The writing is fiery and inspired. The pace is breathless yet punctuated with familiar scenes of daily life that could be our own' - Le Devoir
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2014
About the author
Andrée A. Michaud
23 books105 followersDeux fois lauréate du Prix littéraire du Gouverneur général (Le Ravissement, 2001, et Bondrée, 2014), récipiendaire du prix Arthur Ellis et du prix Saint-Pacôme du roman policier pour Bondrée, ainsi que du prix Ringuet en 2006 pour Mirror Lake (adapté au cinéma en 2013), Andrée A. Michaud construit une œuvre éminemment personnelle qui ne cesse, depuis son premier roman, de susciter les éloges de la critique et des lecteurs avides de mystère. Son polar Lazy Bird, porté par des airs de jazz, est paru en 2010 au Seuil, en France, dans la collection Point noir.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
March 21, 2017
This is a slow burn atmospheric read that evokes the fear, terror, ghosts and powerlessness that beset a small community with holiday homes in Boundary or Bondree, a heavily wooded area on the edges of Maine and Quebec. There are a mix of French and English speakers, it is 1967, Zaza and Sissy sing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, confident and assured in their burgeoning sexuality, dressing provocatively, knowing they have the eyes of the men and boys on them. They are adolescent girls who are so close as to be almost twins, who are caught in bear traps and die. Whilst Zaza's death could have been an accident, Sissy's certainly could not. What we have is murder and the novel focuses on the depth of the repercussions on the small community, individual characters and the cops who investigate. Everyone and everything is set to change forever. 12 year old Andree Duchamp idolised the girls, she watches and observes the people and the police investigation, and before the summer ends she is marked for life and never to return to Boundary.
Boundary's history is intimately connected with Peter Landry who escaped to the area to avoid war, and lived through trapping and hunting with only one friend, Little Hawk. Peter becomes completely isolated when Little Hawk goes to war. Little Hawk returns a deeply traumatised man who discovers Peter has hanged himself in his hut, thanks to the unrequited love of Maggie Harrison, the tanager. Since then the woods are felt to be haunted, cursed and the subject of folklore and rumour. The community reaction to the loss of the girls is varied and variable. There are whispers and gossip, these are girls that tease and provoke, Lolitas, girls who were asking for it. There is remorse, nightmares and guilt, particularly when people see how it affects the girls families, the depth of grief, despair and disintegration. The bear traps, a remnant of Landry's curse, and what they represent, generate fear in all. The woods and lake, once seen as a dream paradise becomes tinged with melancholia, madness and malevolence. The community perceive the macabre spectre of Landy as bent on destruction and indeed it is set to be a ghost town as people leave, unable to live with the ghosts and their memories of what happened. The cops are destined to never forget the girls as their souls shift to accommodate the horrors they bear witness to.
The language is vivid, descriptive and expressive in capturing Boundary, caught in the cusp of Maine and Quebec, and in the cusp of the time before the murder of the girls and what happens after. A time of sunshine and possibility until death and destruction descend. Every individual is affected and the author does a tremendous job of conveying this with indepth details along with their feelings of powerlessness. Through the 12 year old Andree's eyes, we see events and people as she sees them. The characters are finely drawn and authentic, in this, Michaud is remarkably talented. Attitudes of that historical time period are reflected in the small community. An absolutely wonderful read. Thanks to Oldcastle Books for an ARC.
Boundary's history is intimately connected with Peter Landry who escaped to the area to avoid war, and lived through trapping and hunting with only one friend, Little Hawk. Peter becomes completely isolated when Little Hawk goes to war. Little Hawk returns a deeply traumatised man who discovers Peter has hanged himself in his hut, thanks to the unrequited love of Maggie Harrison, the tanager. Since then the woods are felt to be haunted, cursed and the subject of folklore and rumour. The community reaction to the loss of the girls is varied and variable. There are whispers and gossip, these are girls that tease and provoke, Lolitas, girls who were asking for it. There is remorse, nightmares and guilt, particularly when people see how it affects the girls families, the depth of grief, despair and disintegration. The bear traps, a remnant of Landry's curse, and what they represent, generate fear in all. The woods and lake, once seen as a dream paradise becomes tinged with melancholia, madness and malevolence. The community perceive the macabre spectre of Landy as bent on destruction and indeed it is set to be a ghost town as people leave, unable to live with the ghosts and their memories of what happened. The cops are destined to never forget the girls as their souls shift to accommodate the horrors they bear witness to.
The language is vivid, descriptive and expressive in capturing Boundary, caught in the cusp of Maine and Quebec, and in the cusp of the time before the murder of the girls and what happens after. A time of sunshine and possibility until death and destruction descend. Every individual is affected and the author does a tremendous job of conveying this with indepth details along with their feelings of powerlessness. Through the 12 year old Andree's eyes, we see events and people as she sees them. The characters are finely drawn and authentic, in this, Michaud is remarkably talented. Attitudes of that historical time period are reflected in the small community. An absolutely wonderful read. Thanks to Oldcastle Books for an ARC.
March 24, 2026
Es una novela con una trama muy potente. Estamos en 1967, en un cámping de Maine, dos amigas íntimas desaparecen. Primero una, y unos días después, la otra. Entonces, se crea un escenario de miedo en el cámping.
La novela está deliciosamente escrita. Las descripciones del paisaje son precisas y poéticas. Los personajes están captados hasta la esencia. La acción es lenta, eso sí, porque la autora se toma su tiempo. Diría que la investigación del suceso tampoco es primordial. Es más bien, una conexión de todo. Encima, esas montañas de Maine esconden una figura totémica que habitó sus bosques escapando de la guerra, una figura misteriosa que deambuló por esos lares y que, de alguna manera, sigue aun ahí, siendo parte real y parte leyenda, depende de la persona.
El final no deja indiferente y solo la escritora sabe bien qué quiere decir. No es un final claro sino más bien un "no sé si acabo de entender bien el final". Cada uno que saque sus propias conclusiones.
----------------------------
It’s a novel with a very gripping plot. It’s 1967, at a campsite in Maine, and two close friends go missing. First one, and a few days later, the other. This creates a climate of fear at the campsite.
The novel is exquisitely written. The descriptions of the landscape are precise and poetic. The characters are captured right down to their very essence. The pace is slow, mind you, because the author takes her time. I’d say that the investigation into the incident isn’t the main focus either. It is, rather, a weaving together of everything. Moreover, those Maine mountains conceal a totemic figure who once inhabited their forests, fleeing the war—a mysterious figure who roamed those parts and who, in some way, remains there still, part reality and part legend, depending on the person.
The ending leaves no one indifferent, and only the writer knows exactly what she means. It’s not a clear-cut ending, but rather one that leaves you thinking, ‘I’m not sure I’ve quite understood the ending’. Everyone must draw their own conclusions.
La novela está deliciosamente escrita. Las descripciones del paisaje son precisas y poéticas. Los personajes están captados hasta la esencia. La acción es lenta, eso sí, porque la autora se toma su tiempo. Diría que la investigación del suceso tampoco es primordial. Es más bien, una conexión de todo. Encima, esas montañas de Maine esconden una figura totémica que habitó sus bosques escapando de la guerra, una figura misteriosa que deambuló por esos lares y que, de alguna manera, sigue aun ahí, siendo parte real y parte leyenda, depende de la persona.
El final no deja indiferente y solo la escritora sabe bien qué quiere decir. No es un final claro sino más bien un "no sé si acabo de entender bien el final". Cada uno que saque sus propias conclusiones.
----------------------------
It’s a novel with a very gripping plot. It’s 1967, at a campsite in Maine, and two close friends go missing. First one, and a few days later, the other. This creates a climate of fear at the campsite.
The novel is exquisitely written. The descriptions of the landscape are precise and poetic. The characters are captured right down to their very essence. The pace is slow, mind you, because the author takes her time. I’d say that the investigation into the incident isn’t the main focus either. It is, rather, a weaving together of everything. Moreover, those Maine mountains conceal a totemic figure who once inhabited their forests, fleeing the war—a mysterious figure who roamed those parts and who, in some way, remains there still, part reality and part legend, depending on the person.
The ending leaves no one indifferent, and only the writer knows exactly what she means. It’s not a clear-cut ending, but rather one that leaves you thinking, ‘I’m not sure I’ve quite understood the ending’. Everyone must draw their own conclusions.
March 25, 2017
Boundary is a challenging book to read – one which rewards a readers patience but takes its time to immerse you into – it is tense and atmospheric, a slow burn of a tale with an edgy sense of place, my main love for this book came within the language used and the coming of age aspects, rather than with the mystery elements.
Boundary follows a community bereaved – not only of the two girls who die but of their safe place, their haven from the real world. Told mostly from the points of view of the detective investigating the deaths and Andree a young girl who was fascinated and enthralled by the two free spirited teenagers, this is a story of innocence lost, of that moment when a grown up world invades a child’s easy existence and changes them forever.
The fascination here came as the community collapsed in on itself – as the realisation set in that this place was no longer a safe place – there is an ethereal, waif like feeling to the writing that makes you occasionally crazy but really digs deep into the characters and the setting. This is not a novel that has huge twists and turns, the eventual reveal is gently jolting – but more an exploration of how violence affects individuals and their wider world. The mythology elements in relation to the wilderness surrounding the location is quietly haunting – a terrible beauty that gives an anchor to the rest.
Overall I loved Boundary – but I would caution that it won’t be for everyone. For me as a reader I just loved the writing. The crime aspects are not unique but the characters certainly are – and ultimately I was extremely taken with this and it stayed with me for a while after reading it.blog tour..
Boundary follows a community bereaved – not only of the two girls who die but of their safe place, their haven from the real world. Told mostly from the points of view of the detective investigating the deaths and Andree a young girl who was fascinated and enthralled by the two free spirited teenagers, this is a story of innocence lost, of that moment when a grown up world invades a child’s easy existence and changes them forever.
The fascination here came as the community collapsed in on itself – as the realisation set in that this place was no longer a safe place – there is an ethereal, waif like feeling to the writing that makes you occasionally crazy but really digs deep into the characters and the setting. This is not a novel that has huge twists and turns, the eventual reveal is gently jolting – but more an exploration of how violence affects individuals and their wider world. The mythology elements in relation to the wilderness surrounding the location is quietly haunting – a terrible beauty that gives an anchor to the rest.
Overall I loved Boundary – but I would caution that it won’t be for everyone. For me as a reader I just loved the writing. The crime aspects are not unique but the characters certainly are – and ultimately I was extremely taken with this and it stayed with me for a while after reading it.blog tour..
August 11, 2017
It seems unusual that a work would win both the Governor General's award and be nominated for the Arthur Ellis award. One is for the finest in Canadian literature while the other is for crime writing. In this case, good writing is what the awards and this book have in common.
In the novel, the summer of 1967 is not the idyllic place of previous summers. We understand the why of the murders early in the novel, we simply don't know who. As is usual for me, I did not guess the murderer correctly, and I rarely knew what would happen next. This is not a cozy mystery. There were scenes that involved the minutes leading up to the murders where the victim was the focus. The discovery of the murdered was not bloodless.
I don't know how many of Michaud's novels have been translated, but I certainly would try to find time to read them. Still, I hesitate to give this 5-stars. It is a fine novel, but I fear it belongs more to the mystery category rather than that of literature.
Still lost in thought, mite, my father said, gently ruffling my hair, and that gesture made me want to cry, because soon my father wouldn’t dare pass his hand through my hair that way, for the simple reason that I was less and less of a mite, that I was unbugging at the speed of light, like all those girls who from one day to the next start saying no to their parents’ goodnight kisses.This quote is by one of the several narrators in the novel, twelve-year old Andrée Duchamp. Most of the other sections are by an omniscient third person narrator where different characters are the focus. For at least half of the novel I appreciated the prose the most, but as I got deep into the later pages, the character of Andrée is so very well developed it deserves mention. In the Acknowledgements, Michaud says her parents took her to Bondrée in their summers. The location was also very well presented.
In the novel, the summer of 1967 is not the idyllic place of previous summers. We understand the why of the murders early in the novel, we simply don't know who. As is usual for me, I did not guess the murderer correctly, and I rarely knew what would happen next. This is not a cozy mystery. There were scenes that involved the minutes leading up to the murders where the victim was the focus. The discovery of the murdered was not bloodless.
I don't know how many of Michaud's novels have been translated, but I certainly would try to find time to read them. Still, I hesitate to give this 5-stars. It is a fine novel, but I fear it belongs more to the mystery category rather than that of literature.
October 15, 2020
Un bon roman, mais sans plus, j'avoue ne pas comprendre l'engouement de certaines personnes et les prix littérares qu'il a remporté. En gros, une enquête policière sur la mort d'adolescente dans un lieu isolé (terrain de camping). Histoire classqiue, personnages assez classique, avec quelques clichés et rtien de très accrocheur. L'intrigue fonctionne bien, comme la plupart de composantes de ce roman, tout fonctionne bien, mais rien n'est vraiment spectaculaire ou ne se démarque. Le point fort, le tragique du réel et le réalisme exprimé par l'écriture de l'auteur, on se croirait dans une histoire vraie et c'est comme s'y on y était, pas de flafla inutile, pas d'artifice, juste et simplement la tragédie réelle que peut engendrer ce genre de drame. Ce réalisme n'est pas négligeable et fait que ce roman mérite un 4 étoiles, mais il a aussi le double tranchnt qui fait que par manque d'éclat, ce roman ne peut mériter le titre de chef-d'oeuvre.
Deuxième lecture de ce roman, en livre audio cette fois. Sombre, prenant, très bien écrit. Un livre à lire… au moins une fois!
De plus en relisant ma première critique, j’ai trouvé ma note pertinente, mais mon commentaire un peu dure… comme quoi on change!
Deuxième lecture de ce roman, en livre audio cette fois. Sombre, prenant, très bien écrit. Un livre à lire… au moins une fois!
De plus en relisant ma première critique, j’ai trouvé ma note pertinente, mais mon commentaire un peu dure… comme quoi on change!
March 14, 2018
(Nearly 3.5) The original French/English title immediately conveys a preoccupation with borders. This subtle crime thriller is set in Boundary, a summer holiday destination on the border between Maine and Quebec, but readers are also directed to probe the unsteady divides between childhood and adulthood, innocence and experience. The new paperback edition clearly targets the same audience that appreciated Emma Cline’s The Girls; while both are languid late-1960s coming-of-age stories interrupted by murder, Michaud’s book will be better suited to readers of Louise Penny or Nordic noir.
(Full review in March 23rd issue of the Times Literary Supplement.)
(Full review in March 23rd issue of the Times Literary Supplement.)
October 28, 2017
Bondrée is a place where shadows defeat the harshest light, an enclave whose lush vegetation recalls the virgin forests that covered the North American continent three or four centuries ago. Its name derives from the deformation of the word “boundary”, or frontier. No borderline, however, is there to suggest that this place belongs to any country other than the temperate forests stretching from Maine, in the United States, to the southwest of the Beauce, in Quebec. Boundary is a stateless domain, a no-man's land harbouring a lake, Boundary Pond, and a mountain that hunters came to call Moose Trap, after observing that the moose venturing onto the lake's western shore were swiftly tripped up on the steep slope of this rocky mass that with the same dispassion engulfs the setting suns.
Boundary is about several different hazy borderlands: Not just this forested setting that spans the Maine-Quebec border, but also the unseen limits that separate people by class and custom and gender, the numinous realm of ghosts and legend, and especially, the boundaries that mark a girl's passage into womanhood. On the surface, this book reads like a murder mystery, but it's much deeper than that. I'm unsurprised that it won the Governor General's Literary Award when it was first released in French, and am happy that its appearance on this year's Giller Prize longlist led me to pick it up. I'll give no more spoilers than what's on the book's cover, but it is a murder mystery, so reader beware from here.
Everyone knows that death stains, that it leaves marks everywhere it goes, big dirty tracks that make us lurch backwards when we're about to step right into them.
The year is 1967 and the summer cottagers – an assortment of rich Americans and modest Quebeckers who don't intermingle – return to Boundary Lake. Two of the teenaged girls, Zaza and Sissy, have come into their own this summer, and as they strut along in their short shorts and tank tops, brazenly smoking stolen cigarettes and singing A Whiter Shade of Pale and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, the women cluck their tongues and the men disavow their thoughts at the sight of their long, flowing hair and long, tanned legs. When Zaza goes missing one night when her family is away, Sissy has trouble raising the alarm among the other cottagers: Just what do you expect from that type of girl? But when Zaza is found dead – having apparently stumbled into an old bear trap and bled out in the forest – it's considered a horrible accident; maybe even the revenge of the ghost of the legendary Pete Landry who once trapped in these woods. Yet, when danger visits upon Zaza's friends, it becomes clear that there's nothing more vulnerable than a girl blooming into womanhood.
The narrative switches between several points-of-view, but feels primarily from that of Andrée – a twelve-year-old Québécoise tomboy who would rather catch frogs than paint her nails. Andrée likes the attention that Zaza and Sissy sometimes pay her (giving her sticks of “baby yum” and calling her “littoldolle”), but Andrée feels that there is more than just language acting as a barrier between them: these barely older girls feel like they're from a different world. As the summer progresses and Andrée spies on the adults around her and the ongoing police investigation, the evil that she witnesses takes away her childish innocence and pushes her over the boundary into that adult world. As the book progresses, Andrée goes from fighting growing up:
I didn't want a bra or nylon stockings or nail polish or blood between my legs. I wanted trees to climb, I wanted dirty running shoes that go a hundred times faster than new running shoes and girls' sandals, and I especially didn't want to feel that what up to then had got me out of bed every morning was going to leave me cold, while life went on without me. It hurt too much to think that old age planed down the mornings, and left slivers of new wood at your bedroom door.
To acknowledging its inevitability:
Still lost in thought, mite, my father said, gently ruffling my hair, and that gesture made me want to cry, because soon my father wouldn’t dare pass his hand through my hair that way, for the simple reason that I was less and less of a mite, that I was unbugging at the speed of light, like all those girls who from one day to the next start saying no to their parents’ goodnight kisses.
In the Acknowledgments at the end of the book, author Andrée A. Michaud notes that her family had a cottage in Bondrée for three years, and that made sense to me: this felt like a very personal narrative; made knock-over-the-head obvious by the main characters being a young girl named “Andrée” and a police detective named “Michaud”. Tying together the dichotomies represented (that of English/French and adult/child) is the character of Larue – a book-loving recluse whom Michaud engages as an interpreter for his investigation – and he would seem to be another aspect of the author herself:
Larue came from another world, that of books, which reflect reality with a different sort of acuity, taking a small sample of the real and weighing it against a whole that existed only in the sum of its parts.
Even on the surface, this is a satisfying read: the nature writing is engaging, the characters are recognisable, the mystery is intriguing. But what I really liked was Andrée path into adulthood – would she become one of those frightening beauties who call danger down upon themselves; or one of the mothers who “forget themselves” once they have children; or one of the cops' wives who must take second place to the dead girls who haunt their husbands' dreams – and while Andrée tries to cling to her childish ways, her body outgrows her hiding places and events push her over that final boundary. Truly an enjoyable read on every level.
June 20, 2017
This book was completely atmospheric. Michaud brilliantly captures the time period (1967) and the idyllic lifestyle of a beach town between the border of Canada and the States. The concept it itself was completely creepy; girls brutally murdered, found in hunting traps. Even that short description alone had my skin crawling. Told in majority through the eyes of a young girl as she watches the summer town crumble and the police work the case, this one started to remind me a little bit of Jaws. Obviously, there was no man-eating shark wreaking havoc, but the same paranoia and fear littered these pages; a town torn apart, great suspicion, danger looming and absolutely nowhere to turn.
If you want a fast-paced, beach thriller; this will not be it. This was absolutely a slower burn; it really reminded me of the Nordic Noir novels I have read previously. Relying heavily on the scenery to set the ominous tone, Michaud’s writing was reminiscent of Scandinavian crime fiction. Think the same vibe as The Bird Tribunal by Agnes Ratvan. In all honesty, this one moved so slowly, in the beginning, I almost put it down. I struggled to get into the storyline and there were times where I thought, well this book is over my head. I was intrigued enough to keep going but lacked the patience needed. However, after about the first hundred pages, the plot moved slightly faster and I was able to settle a little more strongly into the narrative. If you are a regular reader of Clues and Reviews, you know I love fast paced thrills, so this was not 100% what I usually read, but I absolutely appreciated the nature of Michaud’s prose.
Overall, if you are a fan of the atmospheric vibe of the Scandinavian crime genre and the ominous tone of Nordic noir, this would be a welcome and diverse addition to your collection. However, if you want something light or on-the-edge of –your-seat, this would not be it.
If you want a fast-paced, beach thriller; this will not be it. This was absolutely a slower burn; it really reminded me of the Nordic Noir novels I have read previously. Relying heavily on the scenery to set the ominous tone, Michaud’s writing was reminiscent of Scandinavian crime fiction. Think the same vibe as The Bird Tribunal by Agnes Ratvan. In all honesty, this one moved so slowly, in the beginning, I almost put it down. I struggled to get into the storyline and there were times where I thought, well this book is over my head. I was intrigued enough to keep going but lacked the patience needed. However, after about the first hundred pages, the plot moved slightly faster and I was able to settle a little more strongly into the narrative. If you are a regular reader of Clues and Reviews, you know I love fast paced thrills, so this was not 100% what I usually read, but I absolutely appreciated the nature of Michaud’s prose.
Overall, if you are a fan of the atmospheric vibe of the Scandinavian crime genre and the ominous tone of Nordic noir, this would be a welcome and diverse addition to your collection. However, if you want something light or on-the-edge of –your-seat, this would not be it.
October 28, 2016
1967, Boundary Pond. Ou bien "Bondrée" prononcé à la québécoise. Nous sommes quelque part sur la frontière entre les États-Unis et le Québec. Ce sont les vacances, les jeunes chantent "Lucy in the sky with diamonds", l'ambiance est calme, agréable, reposante. Jusqu'au meurtre de deux jeunes et jolies filles...
Huis clos oppressant, livre sur la fin de l'enfance et l'adolescence, Bondrée se distingue par la belle plume de l'auteur et les émotions qu'il dégage. C'est un roman à plusieurs voix, dépourvu d'action et de dialogue, qui nous embarque auprès de ce lac pourtant si tranquille d'habitude. Une chose est sûre, à la fin de cete été, plus ne sera jamais pareil.
Huis clos oppressant, livre sur la fin de l'enfance et l'adolescence, Bondrée se distingue par la belle plume de l'auteur et les émotions qu'il dégage. C'est un roman à plusieurs voix, dépourvu d'action et de dialogue, qui nous embarque auprès de ce lac pourtant si tranquille d'habitude. Une chose est sûre, à la fin de cete été, plus ne sera jamais pareil.
March 24, 2019
Tras una sinopsis tan interesante solo hay páginas llenas de frases desordenadas. Por cierto, si alguien entiende ese final que me lo explique.
March 18, 2021
Je viens tout juste de terminer ma lecture et je suis sans mot... Je dois avouer avoir de la difficulté à donner mon appréciation, puisque, malgré que ce soit un roman policier, je n’ai jamais rien lu de tel. L’histoire se déroule lentement (« Slow burn » comme on dit en anglais) et bien qu’il s’agit d’une enquête, j’ai l’impression que ce n’est pas ce qui prend la plus grande partie du texte. Nous avons accès aux pensées des différents personnages qui donnent de l’information supplémentaire.
J’ai aimé les contrastes français/anglais que je n’avais jamais vu aussi présent dans un roman. Les nombreuses descriptions me permettaient de réellement m’imaginer les scènes se déroulant.
La fin m’a étonnée ce qui est bon signe! C’est certainement un roman que je devrai lire à nouveau afin de m’assurer d’avoir tout saisi.
J’ai aimé les contrastes français/anglais que je n’avais jamais vu aussi présent dans un roman. Les nombreuses descriptions me permettaient de réellement m’imaginer les scènes se déroulant.
La fin m’a étonnée ce qui est bon signe! C’est certainement un roman que je devrai lire à nouveau afin de m’assurer d’avoir tout saisi.
May 28, 2025
хух...пульс досі гепає у скронях
обожнюю такі напружені сюжети
авторка майстерно гралася з читачами: вбивця був весь час настільки поруч, що здавалось, йому можна зазирнути прямо в очі, та водночас інтрига тяггулась буквально до останніх сторінок
єдиний мвнус тут - для мене були дуже складні імена героїв, я частенько плуталась в них
в усьому іншому дуже добре!
обожнюю такі напружені сюжети
авторка майстерно гралася з читачами: вбивця був весь час настільки поруч, що здавалось, йому можна зазирнути прямо в очі, та водночас інтрига тяггулась буквально до останніх сторінок
єдиний мвнус тут - для мене були дуже складні імена героїв, я частенько плуталась в них
в усьому іншому дуже добре!
February 19, 2026
écouté en audio, je my perdais parfois mais tout de même 3.5 ⭐️. J'ai été intéressé par l'histoire et la narration était bonne.
September 22, 2023
Тверда 4,5/5
"Пограниччя" Андре Мішо, можливо, попало у настрій, але вельми сподобалася. Трохи нагадало Devil's Day Хьорлі, цим похмурим зображенням зла, яке водночас є і нелюдським, і чимось звичним, майже банальним. Чимось, що не можна просто відрізнити, впізнати за каїновою печаткою просто на лобі.
Історія, як двох дівчат вбили у літньому селищі, куди приїжджають за сонцем, водою, прозорим повітрям та лісними хащами. Де стежками бродить невпокоєний дух мисливця-самогубці та ховаються іржаві смертоносні ведмежі капкани. Саме ця пронизлива атмосфера - найкраще, що є у романі.
Варто розуміти, що "Пограниччя" не є жанровим твором, як вже так подивитися, хоча є риси як детективу, так і трилеру, але вони не головні. Значно більше тут від роману-дорослішання, де юна Андре втрачає свою дитячу невинність, спостерігаючи, як зло паплюжить, опорочує, псує все світле, яскраве, л і т н є. Як знищує безтурботне літо року та літо її життя. Я спочатку не розуміла, чому під час читання "Пограниччя" постійно на згадку спадає Кінгівська The Body, повість, вибудувана навколо історії, як четверо підлітків знайшли труп. Вона звісно зовсім інакша, бо у Мішо її героїні не абстрактні мертві тіла, а живі дівчата із своїми надіями, смутком, вадами, словом, життям - але це відчуття невиправно зіпсованої чистоти дитячої наївності, віри в добро, воно відтворене дуже близько.
"Пограниччя" Андре Мішо, можливо, попало у настрій, але вельми сподобалася. Трохи нагадало Devil's Day Хьорлі, цим похмурим зображенням зла, яке водночас є і нелюдським, і чимось звичним, майже банальним. Чимось, що не можна просто відрізнити, впізнати за каїновою печаткою просто на лобі.
Історія, як двох дівчат вбили у літньому селищі, куди приїжджають за сонцем, водою, прозорим повітрям та лісними хащами. Де стежками бродить невпокоєний дух мисливця-самогубці та ховаються іржаві смертоносні ведмежі капкани. Саме ця пронизлива атмосфера - найкраще, що є у романі.
Варто розуміти, що "Пограниччя" не є жанровим твором, як вже так подивитися, хоча є риси як детективу, так і трилеру, але вони не головні. Значно більше тут від роману-дорослішання, де юна Андре втрачає свою дитячу невинність, спостерігаючи, як зло паплюжить, опорочує, псує все світле, яскраве, л і т н є. Як знищує безтурботне літо року та літо її життя. Я спочатку не розуміла, чому під час читання "Пограниччя" постійно на згадку спадає Кінгівська The Body, повість, вибудувана навколо історії, як четверо підлітків знайшли труп. Вона звісно зовсім інакша, бо у Мішо її героїні не абстрактні мертві тіла, а живі дівчата із своїми надіями, смутком, вадами, словом, життям - але це відчуття невиправно зіпсованої чистоти дитячої наївності, віри в добро, воно відтворене дуже близько.
June 6, 2019
More a coming of age story than a murder mystery. Pretentious, repetitive and a hard slog to get through. I read another review that said this story "rewards the reader's patience" but I didn't feel that way at all. It felt like I did a lot of work for very little pay off. The author was very good at building an atmosphere, but the plot suffered significantly for this and what little plot we had was doubled up on and cycled through twice. The number of times the author described the long legs of Zaza and Sissy had me rolling my eyes only 30 pages in. The fact that she named two characters after herself, that of Andree Duchamp and Detective Michaud just added to the overall wanky, indulgent vibe of the whole thing. I wouldn't recommend reading this unless there was a murder at your childhood summer vacation spot and you can relate...
July 13, 2020
Comprado en visita a Montpellier, en una pequeña librería donde las dueñas escribían a mano pequeñas tarjetitas recomendando sus libros favoritos, y éste era uno de ellos. ¡Magnífica recomendación! La historia es sencilla pero la ambientación y la narración la hacen sublime. Me sorprendió - aunque me acostumbré rápidamente - al cambio de idioma (francés/inglés) en una misma línea de diálogo, un rasgo frecuente en la provincia de Québec, Canadá. Viví en Québec un tiempo y me emocionó "recuperar" este recuerdo.
Como Novela Negra, me encantó que el crimen, los sospechosos y la investigación pasan a un segundo término, dejando el protagonismo al impacto que tienen estos en las relaciones y en la dinámica de los habitantes de esa idílica población llamada Bondrée.
Como Novela Negra, me encantó que el crimen, los sospechosos y la investigación pasan a un segundo término, dejando el protagonismo al impacto que tienen estos en las relaciones y en la dinámica de los habitantes de esa idílica población llamada Bondrée.
May 13, 2018
Trigger warnings: murder, death of a dog, probably other stuff that happened after I DNFed it...
DNF on page 106. This was like wading through quicksand and I had zero motivation to actually pick it up. It wasn't that there was anything WRONG with the story. I was just expecting a thriller based on the blurb, and instead I got literary fiction about a crime. There were a lot of tangents and a lot of family drama and I gave zero fucks about any of it.
It took me like 5 days to get through that 106 pages, which for me? Is BONKERS. And when I realised I wasn't even a third of the way into the book, I decided it was time for this book to get out of my life. Sorry not sorry.
DNF on page 106. This was like wading through quicksand and I had zero motivation to actually pick it up. It wasn't that there was anything WRONG with the story. I was just expecting a thriller based on the blurb, and instead I got literary fiction about a crime. There were a lot of tangents and a lot of family drama and I gave zero fucks about any of it.
It took me like 5 days to get through that 106 pages, which for me? Is BONKERS. And when I realised I wasn't even a third of the way into the book, I decided it was time for this book to get out of my life. Sorry not sorry.
November 27, 2024
Хто б мені розповів чому я так хотіла цю книгу. Дуже посередній детектив, трохи вайбу Де співають раки, яка теж не сподобалась. Ідея залишити англійські слова, а потім писати переклад прямо в тексті зовсім невдала і дивна. Мамі знову не пощастило, книгу доведеться забути десь на лавочці.
May 14, 2024
Assez scotchée par ce roman d’ambiance.
Et cette plume madame, CETTE PLUME. Absolument superbe
Et cette plume madame, CETTE PLUME. Absolument superbe
December 26, 2017
Now titled "The Last Summer"
Slow burning mystery set on the border of MAINE and QUEBEC
The novel is set on the border of the USA and Canada (Maine and Quebec) in 1967, in the resort of Bondrée. It’s 1967. It is the kind of rural and bucolic place that attracts regular summer holidaymakers. Yet there is a dark history here, it is a place full of legend and death, still echoing eerily as the summer unfolds. Two young girls, Zaza and Sissy are perceived as the “red and blonde Lolitas” of the Summer. Zaza however soon goes missing and the carefree holiday time turns to one of mistrust and fear.
Told through a couple of viewpoints, this is a slow-burning mystery where the setting is so much part of the story. The use of French words mixed with English gives it a rich feel. The reader can feel the cloying environment as the story unfolds which adds to the creeping pathos; the soundtracks of the Summer are Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and A Whiter Shade of Pale…
The writing is incredibly competent and it was this that kept me reading, there is clearly a lot of talent. The storyline however didn’t hook me in. I felt weirdly at times that I was watching a washing machine, with tumbling narrative and characters, and although colourful, it just kept tumbling along, glimpses of people and motives all in a gently whirling mass within different time frames. There is also a character who has the same name as the author which is a thought provoking device, although I couldn’t make up my mind quite what to make of it. The composition of the narrative felt perhaps just a little too over-worked for my taste.
Slow burning mystery set on the border of MAINE and QUEBEC
The novel is set on the border of the USA and Canada (Maine and Quebec) in 1967, in the resort of Bondrée. It’s 1967. It is the kind of rural and bucolic place that attracts regular summer holidaymakers. Yet there is a dark history here, it is a place full of legend and death, still echoing eerily as the summer unfolds. Two young girls, Zaza and Sissy are perceived as the “red and blonde Lolitas” of the Summer. Zaza however soon goes missing and the carefree holiday time turns to one of mistrust and fear.
Told through a couple of viewpoints, this is a slow-burning mystery where the setting is so much part of the story. The use of French words mixed with English gives it a rich feel. The reader can feel the cloying environment as the story unfolds which adds to the creeping pathos; the soundtracks of the Summer are Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and A Whiter Shade of Pale…
The writing is incredibly competent and it was this that kept me reading, there is clearly a lot of talent. The storyline however didn’t hook me in. I felt weirdly at times that I was watching a washing machine, with tumbling narrative and characters, and although colourful, it just kept tumbling along, glimpses of people and motives all in a gently whirling mass within different time frames. There is also a character who has the same name as the author which is a thought provoking device, although I couldn’t make up my mind quite what to make of it. The composition of the narrative felt perhaps just a little too over-worked for my taste.
May 6, 2020
Poignant
March 28, 2017
If you are looking for something different to read this summer then you should try Boundary. It is a great work of literary fiction; hugely evocative of summer and the lives of those in a small town during the holiday season.
Welcome to Bondree, a town on the border between Quebec and Maine.
"Bondree is a place where shadows defeat the harshest light, an enclave whose lush vegetation recalls the virgin forests that covered the North American continent three of four centuries ago. Its name derives from a deformation of the word "boundary" or frontier."
What better setting for a mystery, for a crime, for a place full of legends and myths, for a place of ghosts who haunt the forest than somewhere with a deep forest and a lake? What better setting in which to explore themes of belonging, outsiders, coming of age and the dynamics operating in a small community than a town which hovers between two places, representing both a barrier and a frontier? Bondree is a "stateless domain, a no-man's land" and Michaud captures this fluidity between countries not just in her lyrical, flowing prose but also in her use of both French and English names and words.
We begin with a dramatic opening that suggests danger but then the story begins again with a new heading - Pierre Landry. The novel is written in several sections named after characters in the book and this helps create more intrigue and an interesting way in which to shape this story which unravels slowly and carefully.
I was immediately hooked by the story of Pierre Landry; a man who since his death had become a figure of fear. Stories of Landry revolve around words like savagery, madness, violence and grief. He is almost mythologised by the locals and the story of his unrequited love for Tanager is known by everyone- her haunting feared by all as they walk through the dense wilderness and lake's shoreline. The early introduction of the story of Landry is effective in establishing the atmosphere for the novel and creating a sense of malevolence, uncertainty, fear and perhaps most strikingly, dark fairy tales. I liked the etherial feel of the first pages and the poetic language which I felt myself becoming immersed in very quickly and very easily.
School's out, the summer has begun. Zaza Mulligan and Sissy Morgan, who have been friends "since always and for evermore, for life and 'til death do us part, for now and forever" are ready to spend the nights painting their faces and turning boy's heads. Young Andree Duchamp is fascinated - infatuated even - by them but the rest of the town is divided. Some say spoilt, some say obnoxious, some say heading towards a fall. But to Andree they are not "bad seeds, just wild plants." I loved the way Michaud writes about them at the beginning of the book; girls that "snigger", "seduce", girls that tease and girls that seem reckless and provocative. I also liked the fact that the fate of the girls is not hidden from the reader. This is a murder investigation but what makes this crime novel interesting is that it is as much about the impact the events have on the local community. Zaza and Sissy are missing - young, teenage girls that disappear yet the reactions from the other characters is that they are neither shocked nor surprised. They are all moved but mainly because of the brutality of the girls' fates. Or they "resent" them because of the "soul searching" it forces them to do as they consider their judgemental behaviour and pettiness.
I think I enjoyed the young voice of Andree the most. Written in first person it is very easy to feel empathy with her and her world perspective is full of insight and poignant observations. It's understated but weighted with meaning. I enjoyed her relationship with her mother and I also enjoyed the way she talked about her brother and the journey he finds himself on. Michaud's capturing of the tone, expression, thoughts and observations of this girl are extremely well conveyed and the balance between capturing a young voice and imparting more subtle information and characterisation to the reader are exquisitely managed. The use of the first person narrative is also a contrast with the third person narrative of the other characters.
I also enjoyed the passages about the investigation and the different characters involved in carrying out the police work. The medical examiner knows that dead bodies "talk" and leaves the detective alone with Sissy before he then begins his work and "she will reveal her secrets to him." Michaud's writing is contrary - it is beautiful, metaphorical, poetic and lyrical but also graphic, violent and brutal. Often there are lines which are complete juxtapositions. The writing does not shy away from words like "fetish", "carcass" and shocking descriptions of the bodies. Michaud's prose mimics the contrast of the clinical findings of the police investigation against the reality of the emotional horror of this crime.There is also much description of the violence Landry, Little Hawk and Tanager have either suffered themselves or are accused of causing to others.
This is quite a unique novel and one that is about so much more than just a terrible crime in a small town. It is a difficult novel to sum up in a few words and a difficult to novel to define or restrict to one genre. Michaud is clearly an incredibly talented and gifted writer and the most mesmerising thing about this book was the prose. I particularly enjoyed this sentence that plays with language:
"the insults she tried to hurl at there assailant turned into gurglings, arg, argil, gargul...."
And the following quote which describes the town after the discovery of Zaza's body was also one of my favourites:
"Boundary was cloaked in the kind of calm that follows on a drama, a numbness of days of mourning, when everyone feels compelled to whisper, to lower the radio's volume, to keep the children inside. That silence would last a day or two at the most, and then the noise would reassert itself. ........There was no role in this game for those who were no longer there."
The reviews have been mixed for this book as it's literary prose will not be for everyone but I would recommend it. I was swept along by it. I did reread sections and I would like to reread it again in the future to fully acknowledge the skill and language that has created something so atmospheric and evocative. It is not an overly long read and the storyline is gripping but the language is intense and requires time to absorb and appreciate it.
Boundary has been awarded several literary prizes and I am not at all surprised.
Welcome to Bondree, a town on the border between Quebec and Maine.
"Bondree is a place where shadows defeat the harshest light, an enclave whose lush vegetation recalls the virgin forests that covered the North American continent three of four centuries ago. Its name derives from a deformation of the word "boundary" or frontier."
What better setting for a mystery, for a crime, for a place full of legends and myths, for a place of ghosts who haunt the forest than somewhere with a deep forest and a lake? What better setting in which to explore themes of belonging, outsiders, coming of age and the dynamics operating in a small community than a town which hovers between two places, representing both a barrier and a frontier? Bondree is a "stateless domain, a no-man's land" and Michaud captures this fluidity between countries not just in her lyrical, flowing prose but also in her use of both French and English names and words.
We begin with a dramatic opening that suggests danger but then the story begins again with a new heading - Pierre Landry. The novel is written in several sections named after characters in the book and this helps create more intrigue and an interesting way in which to shape this story which unravels slowly and carefully.
I was immediately hooked by the story of Pierre Landry; a man who since his death had become a figure of fear. Stories of Landry revolve around words like savagery, madness, violence and grief. He is almost mythologised by the locals and the story of his unrequited love for Tanager is known by everyone- her haunting feared by all as they walk through the dense wilderness and lake's shoreline. The early introduction of the story of Landry is effective in establishing the atmosphere for the novel and creating a sense of malevolence, uncertainty, fear and perhaps most strikingly, dark fairy tales. I liked the etherial feel of the first pages and the poetic language which I felt myself becoming immersed in very quickly and very easily.
School's out, the summer has begun. Zaza Mulligan and Sissy Morgan, who have been friends "since always and for evermore, for life and 'til death do us part, for now and forever" are ready to spend the nights painting their faces and turning boy's heads. Young Andree Duchamp is fascinated - infatuated even - by them but the rest of the town is divided. Some say spoilt, some say obnoxious, some say heading towards a fall. But to Andree they are not "bad seeds, just wild plants." I loved the way Michaud writes about them at the beginning of the book; girls that "snigger", "seduce", girls that tease and girls that seem reckless and provocative. I also liked the fact that the fate of the girls is not hidden from the reader. This is a murder investigation but what makes this crime novel interesting is that it is as much about the impact the events have on the local community. Zaza and Sissy are missing - young, teenage girls that disappear yet the reactions from the other characters is that they are neither shocked nor surprised. They are all moved but mainly because of the brutality of the girls' fates. Or they "resent" them because of the "soul searching" it forces them to do as they consider their judgemental behaviour and pettiness.
I think I enjoyed the young voice of Andree the most. Written in first person it is very easy to feel empathy with her and her world perspective is full of insight and poignant observations. It's understated but weighted with meaning. I enjoyed her relationship with her mother and I also enjoyed the way she talked about her brother and the journey he finds himself on. Michaud's capturing of the tone, expression, thoughts and observations of this girl are extremely well conveyed and the balance between capturing a young voice and imparting more subtle information and characterisation to the reader are exquisitely managed. The use of the first person narrative is also a contrast with the third person narrative of the other characters.
I also enjoyed the passages about the investigation and the different characters involved in carrying out the police work. The medical examiner knows that dead bodies "talk" and leaves the detective alone with Sissy before he then begins his work and "she will reveal her secrets to him." Michaud's writing is contrary - it is beautiful, metaphorical, poetic and lyrical but also graphic, violent and brutal. Often there are lines which are complete juxtapositions. The writing does not shy away from words like "fetish", "carcass" and shocking descriptions of the bodies. Michaud's prose mimics the contrast of the clinical findings of the police investigation against the reality of the emotional horror of this crime.There is also much description of the violence Landry, Little Hawk and Tanager have either suffered themselves or are accused of causing to others.
This is quite a unique novel and one that is about so much more than just a terrible crime in a small town. It is a difficult novel to sum up in a few words and a difficult to novel to define or restrict to one genre. Michaud is clearly an incredibly talented and gifted writer and the most mesmerising thing about this book was the prose. I particularly enjoyed this sentence that plays with language:
"the insults she tried to hurl at there assailant turned into gurglings, arg, argil, gargul...."
And the following quote which describes the town after the discovery of Zaza's body was also one of my favourites:
"Boundary was cloaked in the kind of calm that follows on a drama, a numbness of days of mourning, when everyone feels compelled to whisper, to lower the radio's volume, to keep the children inside. That silence would last a day or two at the most, and then the noise would reassert itself. ........There was no role in this game for those who were no longer there."
The reviews have been mixed for this book as it's literary prose will not be for everyone but I would recommend it. I was swept along by it. I did reread sections and I would like to reread it again in the future to fully acknowledge the skill and language that has created something so atmospheric and evocative. It is not an overly long read and the storyline is gripping but the language is intense and requires time to absorb and appreciate it.
Boundary has been awarded several literary prizes and I am not at all surprised.
August 1, 2017
I have only good things to say about this novel, so I wish I had liked it more. I had some difficulty getting into it, but once I realized it was translated from French it made more sense and flowed easier somehow. It's all slow and literary and has gruesome murders and a touch of the old coming-of-age, i.e. all good things, but apparently I can never be happy when I get what I wish for. It's not really character- or plot-driven, and I'm afraid I ended up overdosing on atmosphere.
December 24, 2025
J’ai beaucoup aimé Baignade donc j’avais beaucoup d’attente pour ce livre et j’ai été déçue… Je n’ai malheureusement pas «embarquée» dans l’histoire.
February 28, 2026
2.5 ⭐️ le roman est bien écrit, mais j’ai trouvé qu’il y avait beaucoup de longueurs. L’histoire aurait gagné à être davantage resserrée, j’ai malheureusement souvent perdu le fil à quelques reprises. Cela dit, la fin vient rattraper en partie mon appréciation, en permettant de mieux rattacher les éléments de l’intrigue et de donner un certain sens à l’ensemble.
July 14, 2025
Écouté en audio sur la route
Je reste neutre… c’était divertissant, les personnages étaient intéressant mais ça reste que j’étais pas captivée ni shooked par la révélation de fin comme j’aime habituellement dans les romans policiers
Je reste neutre… c’était divertissant, les personnages étaient intéressant mais ça reste que j’étais pas captivée ni shooked par la révélation de fin comme j’aime habituellement dans les romans policiers
July 27, 2025
C’est un livre à l’atmosphère chargée, qui nous transporte dans les denses forêts qui longent les frontières de la Beauce et du Maine.
J’ai aimé les contrastes français/anglais. Les descriptions merveilleusement écrites permettent de réellement s’immerger dans l’univers de Bondrée.
C’est lourd, c’est fascinant, c’est surprenant. Un de mes livres favoris à vie.
J’ai aimé les contrastes français/anglais. Les descriptions merveilleusement écrites permettent de réellement s’immerger dans l’univers de Bondrée.
C’est lourd, c’est fascinant, c’est surprenant. Un de mes livres favoris à vie.
June 2, 2025
Mais quelle plûme, quelle humanité! J'en avais des frissons tout au long de ma lecture. Une intersection parfaite entre la fiction littéraire et le polar. Hâte de lire d'autres oeuvres de cette autrice qui mérite un nobel en analogies!!
June 28, 2024
horrendous french bs
pray for a 4+ on my independent study tho
pray for a 4+ on my independent study tho
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews