History of Violence

by Édouard Louis, Lorin Stein (Translator)

I met Reda on Christmas Eve 2012. I was going home after a meal with friends, at around four in the morning. He approached me in the street, and finally I invited him up to my apartment. He told me the story of his childhood and how his father had come to France, having fled Algeria.

We spent the rest of the night together, talking, laughing. At around 6 o'clock, he pulled out a gun and said he was going to kill me. He insulted me, strangled and raped me. The next day, the medical and legal proceedings began.

History of Violence retraces the story of that night, and looks at immigration, dispossession, racism, desire and the effects of trauma in an attempt to understand, and to outline a history of violence, its origins, its reasons and its causes.

Genres: Fiction, Queer, France, LGBT, French Literature, Contemporary, Novels

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 7, 2016

About the author

Édouard Louis is a French writer born October 30, 1992. Édouard Louis, born Eddy Bellegueule, grew up in Hallencourt (Somme) before entering theater class at the Lycée Madeleine Michelis in Amiens. From 2008 to 2010 he was a delegate of the Amiens Academy to the National Council for High School Life, then studied history at the University of Picardy.

From 2011, he is pursuing sociology studies at the ENS in the rue d'Ulm. In 2013, he obtained a name change and became Édouard Louis.

The same year, he directed the collective work Pierre Bourdieu. Insubordination as a legacy to the PUF, a work in which Bourdieu's influence on critical thinking and on emancipation policies is analyzed. In March 2014, he announced that he would direct a collection, "Des mots", devoted to transcripts of conferences, interviews and short texts, for this publisher.

In February 2014, at the age of 21, he published En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule, a novel with a strong autobiographical influence. Very commented on in the media, and widely praised for its qualities, the book also gives rise to several controversies, notably on the way in which it depicts his family and his social background.

After the publication of the book, the themes it addresses are worth to Edouard Louis to receive in March 2014 the Pierre Guénin price against homophobia and for equal rights: the press release from the SOS homophobia association notes that “Édouard Louis makes you aware of the impregnation of homophobia in the daily lives of LGBT people.

Reviews

[Meike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now Shortlisted for the International DUBLIN Literary Award 2020
In this autobiographical novel, Édouard Louis tells the story of how he was assaulted, raped and almost strangled to death and the repercussions of this experience. It's already brave to share a story like that, but Louis goes even further by radically exposing and questioning every aspect of his behavior and the behavior of the aggressor, and by contrasting his own thoughts with those of his sister (who holds very different opinions) and his best friends Didier and Geoffrey (these are obviously French star sociologist Didier Eribon and sociologist and philosopher Geoffroy de Lagasnerie).

Apart from confronting his own near-death experience, Louis ventures into asking questions about the nature of violence in general and about the dynamics that lead to the escalation of violence: His assault started as a harmless one-night stand which slowly turned sour and then got out of control. How did this happen? And how did it change Louis?

The narrative is put together as a montage that combines the above-mentioned standpoints of the sister, Didier, Geoffrey and the author himself, but always told through the lense of Louis. It's cleverly done and manages to digress in several directions without losing grip of the main narrative thread.

This book was a huge sensation in France and Germany, and when reading some French articles about it, I learnt that the real aggressor was actually caught and convicted. He then sued Louis because of the book, but lost as it is impossible to identify him solely based on Louis' novel.

It is great to see how many fresh and daring books are currently coming out of France, and while I would not say that "History of Violence" is a success in every aspect, it is certainly brave, thought-provoking and intelligent.

[Flo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was strange. I never encountered someone talking so casually about rape. It was intriguing, but can't say I liked it.

[Korcan Derinsu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edouard Louis, Fransa’daki sınıf ayrımını, toplumsal ikiyüzlülüğün farklı boyutlarını ve homofobiyi kendini merkeze koyarak anlatan bir yazar. Üstelik hem gerçek hem basit hem de etkileyici şekilde yapıyor bunu. Şiddetin Tarihi de yazarın sevdiği temalar etrafında dönüyor ve bir şiddet olayını (aslında bir olay içerisinde birden fazla şiddet eylemini) odağına alınıyor. Üstelik olayın kurbanı da yazarın ta kendisi. Yine buram buram homofobi, ayrımcılık ve toplumsal şiddetle karşı karşıyayız. Yaşanan olayı kurbanın bakış açısından (başka anlatıcıların da devreye girmesiyle) kopuk kopuk öğreniyoruz. Bu da dehşetin tekrar tekrar hatırlamamızı (canlandırmamızı) sağlıyor ve verilen tepkilerle (hemen herkes tarafından kurbanın suçlanmasıyla/ayrımcılığa uğramasıyla) iş bir noktadan sonra boğucu bir hal alıyor. Yazar böylelikle şiddetin farklı yüzlerini kişisel bir yerden toplumsal bir noktaya götürmeyi başarıyor. Biraz daha kısa olsa çok daha vurucu olabileceğini düşünsem de amacına ulaşan iyi bir roman bence.

[Ana Cristina Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Homosexualidad, racismo, violencia... temas mayores que Édouard Louis examina a partir de un incidente cotidiano, una agresión, seguida de un estudio minucioso de cómo la vive la víctima y las reacciones de las instituciones sociales y las personas de su entorno.

Es un libro breve, pero que plantea muchas reflexiones interesantes, como la revictimización, la manera en que a la víctima se la hace sentir culpable de la agresión. Édouard Louis relata el incidente que sufrió en 2012, cuando fue asaltado y violado por un joven argelino que había conocido. El autor no cree en la literatura como ficción, sino como análisis de conflictos y traumas personales unidos a la denuncia contra una sociedad, que en su opinión está construida sobre la violencia. Gran parte del texto lo dedica a analizar las motivaciones de su agresor y los factores que le han conducido a ser violento.

Una obra diferente, que se encuadra en la literatura del yo de Svetlana Alexiévich o Karl Ove Knausgard.
3,5*

[enzoreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

c’est très cru mais une description très précise et réelle de ce qu’on ressent après un v*ol, c’était traumatisant à lire mais bon

juste des fois le côté un peu paternaliste blanc jsp mais j’entends son propos

[Jim Coughenour · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admired The End of Eddy but this book left me unmoved, cold. It’s the same story retold – a traumatic rape instead of a traumatic childhood – there’s the same analytical, vaguely masochistic intelligence, the same dead voice, echoed here by the narrator’s sister who recounts the story like a character in a play, delivering a monologue so staged and tedious it strains credulity. (The narrator hides behind a door, eavesdropping, commenting on the commentary, providing the book with its spare moments of inadvertent humor.)

As novels have morphed into memoirs, there’s a sense of the suffering sweepstakes, that no unfortunate experience is too excruciating for confabulation. Call it reality literature. I’m still impressed by his talent but Louis needs a new subject. Eddy’s become a bore.

[Banu Yıldıran Genç · Rating 4 out of 5]

anadilimizde olmayan kitapları maalesef yayımlayan yayınevi paşa gönlüne göre hangi sırayla basarsa öyle okuyoruz. édouard louis’nin en iyi kitabını okuduktan sonra ilk romanını okumuştum. şimdi de aradaki “şiddetin tarihi”ni okudum. ve yine bir yazarın kalemini nasıl değiştirdiğine, nasıl geliştiğine şahit oluyoruz aslında.
“eddy’nin sonu” en klasik anlatısıydı. içeriğine değinmiştim zaten. “şiddetin tarihi”nin içeriği hakkında da ne diyebilirim ki kimsenin başına gelmemesini dilerim sadece. ki görece medeni bir ülkede polis, adli tıp ve olay yeri incelemeyle karşılaşıyor ana karakter. arada imalar olsa da kimse aranmışsın, ipne filan demiyor. kibar kibar düşündüklerini kendilerine saklıyorlar. avrupalı olmanın farkı bu zaten. sadece polisler araplara dair ırkçı yorumlar yapıyor.
olayın vahameti zaten ırkçı olmadığını, ezilenlerin yanında olduğunu düşünen ana karakterin başına gelenler sonrası içinde ikinci bir kişinin, ırkçı birinin doğduğunu hissetmesi. ve maalesef bu çok normal. anlatılan ayrıntılar, yok olmak istemesi, sonrasında girdiği depresyon, kendini suçlaması… çok hakiki ve çok samimi. hiçbir biçimde şiddet pornosuna döndürmüyor olayı.
neyse ben édouard louis’nin bu romanda kullandığı anlatıcı tekniğinden bahsetmek istiyorum. olayları ablası clara’nın da gözünden anlatarak (ki aranmış, ipne, hep böyleydi, ukala, kendini bi bok sanıyor cümleleri bakın doktordan, polisten değil öz abladan geliyor. mikemmel aile) nefis bir zenginlik katmış romana.
ablasının hiç sesi çıkmayan kocasına içerde odada olduğu halde inanılmaz bir kabalıkla “bu şöyle yapmış bu böyle yapmış” diye tüm olayı başından sonuna anlatmaya başlaması romanın temel olay örgüsünü oluşturuyor. romanda geçen süre ablanın bu saatler süren monoloğu. o arada anlatıcı duyduklarıyla kendi anılarını birleştiriyor. arada da (ablasının abartıp uydurduğu ya da bilmediği yerlerde) italik parantezlerle müdahale ediyor.
bence bu teknik louis’nin romanına çok canlandırmış çünkü abla çok doğal. tabii ayberk erkay bu kaba saba dili mükemmel çevirmiş. bu tekniğe rağmen roman biraz sünmüş hissi veriyor. tekrarlanan ayrıntılar, o sabah ve polis ifadeleri, arkadaş muhabbetleri daha kısa olsa daha vurucu olabilirdi bence.
yine de bizim halk hikayelerindeki “aldı kerem, aldı aslı” misali ablayla paslaşılan anlatım tekniği çok çok hoşuma gitti. romanın dümdüz olamaması için çok iyi bir çözüm ki arada ailenin berbatlığını da hiç anlatılmadan görmüş oluyoruz.
işte böyle böyle louis -şimdilik- başyapıtına , “babamı kim öldürdü”ye yaklaşıyor. anlatıcı sorununu çözmek isteyen tüm yazarlara bu romanı okumalarını öneririm.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

C'est dommage de lire un livre pour une raison extérieure à l'anticipation de la lecture elle-même. Je veux dire, on devrait ouvrir le livre en se disant que la lecture va nous apporter quelque chose (quoi, ça dépend de chacun). C'est donc dommage, selon moi, qu’Édouard Louis continue à rechercher une écriture du scandale. Peut-être qu'il ne sait pas faire autrement, peut-être qu'il ne peut pas faire autrement, mais lire les premiers résumés de ses deux premiers romans dans les journaux, rubrique Fait divers, ça me donne en tant que lectrice une désagréable impression de voyeurisme. Ça, c'est probablement fait exprès, mais c'est tellement courant dans la littérature française contemporaine (... Ernaux, Angot, Delaume... et même en littérature gay, Guibert, Dustan...) que je commence à trouver ça dommage. Dans le cas d’Édouard Louis, il a une très belle plume, et j'espère que ses romans à venir auront cette réputation : pas d'être choquants, ou à la véracité discutable, mais d'être un ensemble de belles pages.

Donc, vous le savez déjà, tout le monde le savait déjà : "Histoire de la violence" raconte l'agression, le viol et la tentative de meurtre qu'a subi l'auteur, une nuit de Noël, à Paris (et même que Reda, l'agresseur du livre, il a porté plainte contre Louis parce que soi-disant c'était une diffamation, etc, etc).
L'auteur fait un choix narratif intéressant : il alterne son récit à la première personne avec le récit de l'agression tel qu'il a été raconté par sa sœur Clara dans une conversation avec son mari, et ponctue le tout de passages en italiques qui apportent des précisions, ou des doutes, sur la véracité de la narration.

Cette narration à deux vitesses et demi fait débat chez les lecteurs, mais personnellement j'ai trouvé qu'elle donnait une grande force au livre, dans la mesure où elle lui permet de jeter à la face du lecteur trois des plus grandes thématiques du roman : la vérité, la lutte des classes, l'ambiguïté des sentiments ; tout cela rapporté à la violence.

La vérité, parce que la question ne se pose pas que dans les pages Faits divers de votre quotidien. L'auteur souligne la difficulté à se rappeler de l'enchaînement des actions, des violences, des pensées, lorsqu'on est victime d'un acte de violence. Peut-on croire l'agresseur quand il parle ? Et plus important, peut-on croire l'agressé ? Cette question de la vérité est soulignée par le récit de la sœur, qui est forcément différent, en raison de la distance qui la sépare de son frère. Elle est encore mise en valeur par les interventions en italiques, qui remettent en cause la propre narration. Il n'y a pas de vérité de la violence, juste le traumatisme.

La lutte des classes, la question qui se pose forcément pour l'auteur d'En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule. J'avais pris ce premier livre en grippe pour plusieurs raisons : je trouvais notamment que Louis était dans un rapport violent avec la famille qu'il avait décidé d'abandonner. Son ton méprisant ne faisait pas écho, selon moi, à la réalité du transfuge social, et je préfère mille fois Retour à Reims de Didier Eribon, qui est l'une des influences majeures de Louis (et peut-être la guest star d'Histoire de la violence).
Donner la parole à Clara ici, c'est symboliquement donner la parole à cette famille qu'il avait privée de parole dans un premier roman. Son discours est certes empreint de préjugés, mais celui du narrateur ne l'est pas moins. Et surtout, on ressent la tendresse du parler, du souvenir commun, de la classe sociale. Cette autre approche, c'est définitivement ce qui manquait à Eddy Bellegueule.
Il y a de très belles digressions sur le changement de camp qu'a constitué l'embourgeoisement de l'auteur et son changement de nom, le tout dans un lexique guerrier. J'ai vraiment été sensible à cette prise de recul.

Troisièmement (ensuite je me tais), l'ambiguïté des sentiments face à la violence. Car ce n'est pas un livre sur la honte, ni sur la culpabilité, ni sur la haine, non, c'est un texte qui sait saisir avec précision le mélange d'émotions qui surgit au moment du viol. Entre la honte et la fierté, le malheur et la complaisance, l'innocence et la culpabilité, le pardon, la haine, le sens des responsabilités. Le parallèle avec Sanctuaire de Faulkner était infiniment juste.

Au-delà de l'exorcisme de l'auteur et du voyeurisme du lecteur, Édouard Louis signe un texte sensible et aux dimensions multiples, qui accroche et met mal à l'aise.

[Eylül Görmüş · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genç Fransız yazarların -haklı olarak- en heyecan verici olanlarından biri kabul edilen Edouard Louis'le yolculuğum, Şiddetin Tarihi ile devam etti, geriye bir tek sona sakladığım Eddy'nin Sonu kaldı böylece. Büyük bir merakla bekliyorum ona varmayı.

Bir Noel gecesi arkadaşlarıyla yediği yemekten eve dönerken sokakta tanıştığı ve evine götürdüğü adamla yaşadığı korkunç bir şiddeti anlatıyor yazar - şiddetin bir gecelik tarihi yani, ya da değil, zira babası Cezayir'den Fransa'ya gelmiş ve şiddetin binbir türlüsünün içinde büyümüş bir adam eve davet edilen, aslında kitabın adı bir anlamda meselenin bu kitaba konu edilen tek gecelik şiddetten ibaret olmadığını söylüyor bize.

Louis her zamanki gibi son derece yalın, çıplak, biçimde anlatıyor öyküsünü - daha doğrusu anlattırıyor, birazdan değineceğim. Bence biraz uzatıyor da, yaşadığı travmanın etkisiyle o geceye sürekli geri dönüp aynı ayrıntıları zihninde çevirip durduğu muhakkak ancak kitaba bu biçimde aktarılınca biraz tekrara düşüyor anlatı.

Fakat bu kitapta teknik olarak müthiş bir iş yapıyor ki bu tercih kitaba duyduğum saygıyı katladı resmen; o da şu: öyküyü başkasına anlattırmak. Louis, kendi evinde uğradığı saldırıdan tam bir sene sonra olayı, sonrasını, polisi, hastaneyi, bürokrasiyi ablasına anlatıyor. Ablası onun kaçıp gittiği taşrada yaşamaya devam eden bir kadın, kardeşiyle ilişkisinin çok da iyi olmadığını önceki kitaplarından biliyoruz. İşte biz öyküyü Louis'den değil, ablasından dinliyoruz. Ablası kocasına anlatıyor, Louis bir kapı aralığına saklanıp dinliyor. Ablanın anlatımında olayı daha da korkunç kılan çok şey var; kardeşine duyduğu öfke, cümle aralarına sinmiş "oh olsun" duygusu, o müstehzi acımasızlık... Dolaylı ve mesafeli anlatıcıdan dinlemek bambaşka bir hale getiriyor öyküyü.

Toplumsal şiddet, bürokratik şiddet, ırkçılıktan doğan şiddet, homofobinin ürettiği şiddet, aile içi şiddet, psikolojik şiddet... Hepsi var kitapta. Dolayısıyla evet, Şiddetin Tarihi resmen... Tüm sertliği ve tüm sinsiliğiyle her yerde beliriveren şiddetin tarihi. Şu ana kadar okuduğum Louis romanları arasında en zayıf bulduğum kitabı oldu aslında ama yanlış olmasın, asla kötü değil, epey güçlü bir kitap yine.

[How About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Η «Ιστορία της βίας» είναι ένα μεγαλειώδες βιβλίο.
Η λογοτεχνική φωνή του Εντουάρ Λουί είναι μεγαλειώδης και κραυγάζει.
Είναι, για μένα, η πιο καίρια λογοτεχνική παρέμβαση στο σύγχρονο δυτικοευρωπαϊκό πολιτισμό.

Ο Εντουάρ Λουί έχει φαινομενικά αποσχιστεί από τον Εντύ Μπελγκέλ. Μένει στο Παρίσι, γράφει, ζει απελευθερωμένος με ανθρώπους που τον αποδέχονται. Επιστρέφοντας από την έξοδο των Χριστουγέννων στο σπίτι μόνος, γνωρίζει έναν τριαντάχρονο άντρα, τον Ρεντά, αλγερινής καταγωγής. Πηγαίνουν σπίτι. Περνούν το βράδυ μαζί. Το πρωί όμως ο Ρεντά προσπαθεί να τον ληστέψει, μαλώνουν. Εκείνος τον απειλεί με πιστόλι, τον βιάζει και φεύγει.
Ο βιασμός δεν έχει φύλο. Η βία δεν έχει φύλο.

Ο αβάσταχτος πόνος δεν έχει φύλο.
 
Η αφήγηση είναι πρωτοπρόσωπη με τους αφηγητές να εναλλάσσονται. Ο ένας είναι ο Εντουάρ. Ο άλλος, η αδερφή του. Εκείνη, η υποτιθέμενη οικογένεια, αλλά όχι η αγκαλιά, εκείνη που «ξέρει καλύτερα», η «στα έλεγα εγώ».
Εκείνος δεν μπορεί να αποδώσει ευθύνες.  Βγαίνοντας εικονικά από τον απύθμενο πόνο του (κάνει μπάνιο εμμονικά, τρίβει το δέρμα του εμμονικά, για να διώξει τον πόνο που έχει ταυτιστεί με την ανάσα του), προσπαθεί να πιστέψει ότι είναι ζωντανός, χωρίς να ξέρει αν το θέλει, και ψάχνει την πηγή αυτής της βίας που εναπόθεσαν στο σώμα του, το διασκορπισμένο στον αέρα.

Καταφέρνει –επειδή είναι ιδιοφυής- να δει και να γράψει, πως είναι η βία που γεννά τη βία.  Και ο Ρεντά ως μετανάστης στην Ευρώπη έχει δεχθεί ταξική, ψυχική και σωματική βία, από το κράτος που ήταν, από το κράτος που πήγε, από την οικονομία που προσποιείται πως εκείνος δεν υπάρχει και από όλους τους μεμονωμένους ανθρώπους που συνάντησέ στην πορεία.

Και έτσι Η ιστορία της βίας, δεν είναι πια η ιστορία του Ρεντά, δεν είναι η ιστορία του Λουί. Γίνεται δυστυχώς η ιστορία μας, ένας κύκλος που τους περιβάλλει όλους.

Δεν μπορώ να διανοηθώ πόση δύναμη απαίτησε η συγγραφή του: «Ιστορία της βίας». Για μένα αποτελεί θυσία και θεωρώ πως του οφείλουμε ένα ευχαριστώ
Ένα ευχαριστώ γιατί γράφει βιβλία που ποθούν με θάρρος να κάνουν αυτή την κοινωνία καλύτερη.
Και αυτός είναι ο πυρήνας της τέχνης.
Η λογοτεχνία του Λουί είναι η λογοτεχνία που απαιτεί το σήμερα. 

[Bart Moeyaert · Rating 4 out of 5]

In de kerstnacht van 2012 ontmoet Edouard Louis op nog geen vijfhonderd meter van zijn deur een jongeman die fijn gezelschap lijkt. Eenmaal thuis, na prettige gesprekken en vrijpartijen, verandert de man in een verkrachter, om niet te zeggen: een moordenaar.

Ik moet je waarschuwen: ‘Geschiedenis van geweld’ is met een scalpel geschreven. Na de feiten heeft Louis zijn verhaal verschillende keren moeten doen, aan vrienden, politieagenten, dokters, terwijl hij eigenlijk het liefste wilde zwijgen.

In het boek laat hij zijn zus Clara het woord voeren, bij wie hij zijn toevlucht op het platteland heeft gezocht om even weg te zijn van alles. Hij luistert stiekem vanuit een andere kamer af hoe zij het verhaal aan haar echtgenoot doorvertelt, wat Louis de mogelijkheid geeft haar versie met zijn versie aan te vullen, commentaar te leveren, te verklaren.

Hij is van zijn eigen zus vervreemd — hij woont in Parijs, zij is in Louis’ geboortestreek Picardië gebleven, en bijgevolg sijpelt ook hun opvoeding door in haar en zijn taal, in haar en zijn gedachtengoed. Op die manier dissecteert hij nauwgezet de feiten van de kerstnacht, en de gevolgen ervan. Het hoe en waarom van acties en reacties. De sporen die geweld nalaten.

Vandaar dat ik je waarschuw: je leest ‘Geschiedenis van geweld’ alsof je samen met Edouard zijn zus staat af te luisteren en af en toe door de schrijver wordt onderbroken, die jou dan het relaas op een andere manier doet. Zonder dat je er erg in hebt kruipen de gebeurtenissen meer en meer onder je vel. Alsof je langzaam vergiftigd wordt en pas op het einde van het boek ondervindt hoe vlijmscherp papier is. Of nee: hoe een paperback van 206 bladzijden je kan raken als een moker.

‘Geschiedenis van geweld’ is uit het Frans vertaald door Reintje Ghoos en Jan Pieter van der Sterre.

Deze bespreking en andere tips vindt u onder BLOG op www.bartmoeyaert.com.

[marta (sezon literacki) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pogubiłam się odrobinę w chaotycznej narracji, choć zgadzam się z głosami, że idealnie pasuje ona do opowiadanej historii. Historii, która nie jest o samej przemocy, a raczej jej konsekwencjach. Z czym mierzy się ofiara po tak traumatycznych doświadczeniach? Jak przebiega proces składania zeznań? Jak zwykle u Louisa jest bardzo osobiście i przejmująco, a sama książka na długo pozostaje w głowie i poddaje się wielu interpretacjom. 

Edouard Louis to świetny pisarz młodego pokolenia, ale literacko jednak dla mnie wygrywa Koniec z Eddym. Choć Historia przemocy to bez wątpienia dobra książka.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written with more skill and impact than "The End of Eddy", this time we find Edouard a victim of a brutal rape and attempted murder.

The narration is much stronger, emotionally arresting than "The End of Eddy", which sometimes is unreliable and ambiguous.

The book shifts point of views that belong to Eddy, to that of his experiences with Reda, the man who assaulted and attempted to murder him; from what was supposed to be a fun one-night stand to harrowing and brutal encounter.

Eddy shifts from rationalization to guilt, to anger, and denial which is evident from his horrifying ordeal. The book's point of view also belongs to Eddy's sister Clara, whom he tells about the assault.

With shifting narratives that run from the gamut of rationalization, guilt, and anger, the book explains the complexities of having experienced a violation that one hopes will not happen to them.

What also makes the book arresting is its relentless and heartstopping pace that rape is indeed a crime that will linger as long as the victim is alive- and it makes the book all the more unsettling and heartbreaking at the same time.

[DoGoryKsiazkami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok. To najlepsza Pauza jaką czytałam. Na ten moment nie jestem w stanie nic więcej z siebie wydusić. Sorry.

[Tomasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mam mieszane uczucia w związku z „Historią przemocy". Z jednej strony jest to wstrząsający opis traumy ofiary, bardzo osobisty, ale jednocześnie uniwersalny, z drugiej jednak „nie czuję” tej historii. Być może jest to kwestia narracji, która opiera się na relacji siostry głównego bohatera i przez to momentami jest dość fragmentaryczna i przerywana dygresjami, co okazało się dla mnie lekko zbyt przytłaczające. Kluczowy jest wymiar autoterapeutyczny książki, przez który przebijają się elementy związane z homofobią, różnicami społecznymi czy rasizmem. Zdecydowanie warto przeczytać.

[Zuzanna Kowalczyk (dziewczynazbiblioteki) · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Dlaczego ofiary Historii zmusza się, by zostały jej świadkami - jakby samo bycie pokonanym nie wystarczyło - dlaczego pokonani muszą jeszcze dodatkowo zaświadczać o stracie, dlaczego muszą jeszcze opowiadać o niej do upadłego, do całkowitego wyczerpania, to niesprawiedliwe, nie jestem niczyim aniołem stróżem. Wciąż siedząc uparcie z zasznurowanymi ustami myślałem: Nie, powinno być odwrotnie, powinno ci przysługiwać prawo do milczenia, ofiarom przemocy powinno się przyzwolić milczeć, tylko im powinno być wolno zachować milczenie a innym powinno się wyrzucać, że nie powiedzieli wszystkiego.”

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am hidden on the other side of the door, I listen, and she says that several hours after what the copy of the report I keep twice-folded in my drawer calls the attempted homicide, and which I call the same thing for lack of a better word, since no other term is more appropriate for what happened, which means I always have the anxious nagging feeling that my story, whether told by me or whomever else, begins with a falsehood, I left my apartment and went downstairs.

There is no doubt in my mind that Edouard Louis, who is 25 years of age, is quickly becoming a major author, one who already is influencing our thinking about violence as well as the creation of literature. He is one of the most exciting contemporary authors I have read. Amazingly, he did not read his first novel until he was 17 then wrote his first book when he was 19.

That first book, The End of Eddy, explains much about the intersection of poverty, identity, and politics. At the end of my comments for that novel, I gave The End of Eddy 4 1/2 stars. If it were possible, I would give this second auto-biographical novel many more than the top rating of 5 stars. History of Violence is one of the most disturbing, fascinating, important books I have read in a long time.

“When I started writing History of Violence, I realized that there seemed to be almost no literature, almost no film, no speeches on male-rape. And when I wrote about my own rape, I was faced with this difficulty in saying it, putting it into words. Since the rape, it has felt like I’ve faced an unimaginable battering – first in going to the police, being in front of officers who don’t understand you. Then when you say it publicly, there are people who don’t believe you, who mock you. Or there are people who believe it but say it’s your own fault. Before this, I had heard a lot of women talking about the fact they weren’t believed. And when History of Violence was published, I realized the full extent of what those women had gone through.”
--Edouard Louis in an interview

Both The End of Eddy and History of Violence are autobiographical while still being fictional. Both explore the nature, origins, and consequences of violence—physical as well as emotional, individually and institutionally caused. The author’s experience of growing up gay in a poor, homophobic, brutal, rural area of France shape the first novel while issues of class, immigration, and homophobia in Paris shape the second. In both books, however, Louis finds it almost impossible to escape the cultural, economic, and social shackles of life that control our actions and thoughts.

At the beginning of The End of Eddy, Louis writes that “suffering is all-consuming: it somehow gets rid of anything that doesn’t fit into its system.” Louis continues this theme in History of Violence as he recounts through multiple voices how the violence of rape and attempted murder shapes his life and how the “lie” of fiction gives him the freedom to confront the horror and suffering that began Christmas Eve in 2012 when he walked home from a dinner, met a man along the way, struggled with whether or not he should invite the man to his room, then brought him in for companionship and consensual sex.

The night was full of pleasure, comfort, and sensuality, but as morning approached, this man, Reda, an immigrant from Algeria, perhaps out of his own shame of being gay in a homophobic society, unexpectedly turned violent, raped, strangled, and pulled a gun on Edouard Louis.

Though both men had opportunity to flee the unraveling horror, neither does. Louis writes that “‘I believe that each decision made that evening, on my part as well as his, rendered all other decisions impossible the very moment afterwards; that each choice destroyed all other possible choices, and that the more he chose, the less free he became.” Trapped by class, racism, family, homophobia, and even desire, both men must then pay for their decisions with long-standing consequences.

Louis tries to erase the violence from his apartment and life, but such violence can never be erased. After going to the police, Louis writes that “when I read the police report, I didn’t recognize my own experience at all, because it had been filtered by police language – homophobic, racist language. I wanted to reclaim my story.”

Shattered by the event, the author confronts the violence and suffering by recounting the factual story but using the tools of fiction. With different points of view and narrative voices including those of sister and his own internal dialogue, Louis looks to reclaim the story. However, because the story is largely told in the words of Louis’s sister while he eavesdrops, the reader understands that to confront the truth of the events head-on is almost impossible to endure.

The use of his sister, who still lives in the poor rural village in which Louis was born, also serves to remind the reader that both Louis and Reda were victims of poverty and the humiliation the working class. Both were victims of internalized homophobia. Both were victims of a society that had oppressed, bullied, and forgotten those who are on the margins.

It is the use of these many voices and the manipulation of time that make this a novel to read slowly and with patience. In fact, I often read passages aloud to better grasp the events and to experience the power of language to shape lives and bring us to some understanding of the world.

This deliberate pace also helped me better know that there are times when our own voice may fail us as we confront the suffering and violence of life. However, in writing “if language is the essence of being human, then for those fifty seconds when he was killing me I don’t know what I was,” Louis also reminds us we must find the way back to our voice if we hope to recover our humanness.

Reda, the attacker, was eventually arrested for a petty crime. Police say the DNA matches what was found in Louis’s apartment. The case has not yet come to trial, though Louis has said in an interview that “my grandfather and my cousin were in prison. I’ve seen the inhumanity of putting someone in a cage. When they get out they can be much more violent. So there is a double violence. He raped me, he tried to kill me. I hate him, I detest him, he destroyed things inside me that will probably never be rebuilt … And yet I will never understand the idea of rejoicing at the imprisonment of someone else.”

In that same interview, Louis says “After I was attacked, I became hypersensitive to all forms of violence. I’ve never told anyone this before, but I remember a few days afterwards, I watched an animal documentary where a group of fish were captured in a huge net, and I started crying and cried for two hours. And I thought to myself: frankly, when you see the violence of the world – the migrants who die, the working class who are persecuted by people like Macron or Theresa May as they insult them, make them out to be lazy, cut the little they have …When you see that and the transphobia, the black people killed by police, I just think it would be indecent these days for writers to talk of anything else but violence.”

[Magdalith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pozornie książka zupełnie inna niż "Koniec z Eddym" tego autora, ale już po lekturze widzę jedno bardzo ważne podobieństwo: Louis jest mistrzem w opisywaniu własnego cierpienia. Piszę "własnego", a nie "cierpienia bohaterów", bo obie te powieści są autobiograficzne i po prostu dotyczą życia i przeżyć autora. Jest to chwilami trudne do zniesienia, ta lektura jest przygnębiająca, brudna i nieprzyjemna (to samo dotyczyło "Eddy'ego"), ale trudno nie bić braw za to, jak technicznie zostało to zrobione. Narracja jest bardzo oryginalna i nie chodzi tu tylko o zwykłe popisywanie się kunsztem literackim - ten sposób konstrukcji powieści ma głęboki, również moralny, sens. Ta książka faktycznie pomaga w zrozumieniu "historii przemocy" i tego, jak działa zespół stresu pourazowego.
Genialna, dogłębna i laboratoryjna wręcz introspekcja, coś czego ja nie potrafiłabym zrobić nigdy, nie w przypadku opisywania takiej traumy. Ale bohaterowi to pomaga - autorowi to pomaga (choć jednocześnie też go "zjada"). W jasny sposób tłumaczy nam to w zakończeniu powieści.
Louis jest bardzo zdolny!

[Tala (mrs.skywalker.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ciężki, trudny zapis napaści, perspektywy ofiary i prób poradzenia sobie z traumą. „Historia przemocy”, skupiając się na tym konkretnym akcie i zmaganiach bohatera/autora, kreśli równie autentyczną i uniwersalną historię błędnego koła przemocy w ogóle, przemocy rozciągającej się od jednostki do całych społeczności.

Jeśli chodzi o formę, to pewnie nie każdemu podpasuje, ale mnie ta fragmentaryczność, zmiany w narracji i głosy z offu ogromnie przypadły do gustu, dopełniają tego, o czym mówi sam bohater — jego historia nie jest już tylko jego, zawłaszczana i przeinaczana przez innych.

Polecam czytać z pierwszą książką autora - „Koniec z Eddym” - bo doskonale się uzupełniają, chociaż lektura pozostawia czytelnika niemal brudnym i z większą jeszcze niechęcią do świata.

[teach_book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ta książka boli i rozdziera od środka. Myślę również, że nie jest dla każdego. Nie wszystkim ten nietuzinkowy sposób pisania się spodoba. Styl i dopowiedzenia spodobają się temu, kto zrozumie ich sens.

"Dlaczego ofiary Historii zmusza się, by zostały jej świadkami - jakby samo bycie pokonanym nie wystarczyło - dlaczego pokonani muszą jeszcze dodatkowo zaświadczać o stracie, dlaczego muszą jeszcze opowiadać o niej do upadłego, do całkowitego wyczerpania, to niesprawiedliwe, nie jestem niczyim aniołem stróżem."

[Repellent Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Segunda novela que Édouard Louis publicó, segunda que leo y segunda que me encanta. En este caso, basándose nuevamente en una etapa de su vida y en un suceso traumático que vivió, Louis plasmará los múltiples estados por los que pasa la mente humana al sufrir una situación así. El día de nochebuena, Louis conoce a un chico con el que acaba subiendo a su casa, después de unas horas donde todo parece ir bien, descubre que el chico quería robarle y este, al ser descubierto, acabará agrediendo y violando a Louis.

Toda esta situación se muestra aquí desde el punto de vista de la víctima y la manera en la que nos va contando los diferentes estados por los que pasa, me ha parecido espectacular. Tras la verguenza inicial, llegará la culpabilidad. Pero pronto, esta pasará a un deseo compulsivo de tratar de justificar a su asaltante, necesitando encontrar un porqué que justifique tal acto. Se debatirá entre el deseo constante de acallar en su mente la historia que acaba de vivir, y las ganas de gritarlo para que todo el mundo se entere.

Además, el libro hace una análisis bastante interesante de como las personas que rodean a la víctima, presionan a esta para que haga lo que cada uno juzga mejor. Amigos, médicos, familiares, policía... También me parece un acierto que parte de la historia esté contada a través de la hermana de Edouard. Típica persona que finge respetar al diferente, pero a través de su discurso en apariencia respetuoso, veremos a una persona intolerante, que crítica y juzga a Édouard y que, hasta cierto punto, lo culpabiliza.

Además de la verguenza de tener que repetir una historia tan vulnerable muchísimas veces, los procesos se alargan constantemente, desprotegiendo a la víctima, y en la mayoría de los casos, están plagadas de comentarios destinados a humillar más aún a esta, cuestionándola una y otra vez. Louis es gay y sube a su casa a un hombre que acaba de conocer, por tanto: se lo estaba buscando. La historia más antigua del mundo. ¿Cuándo aprenderá la sociedad a cuestionar al violador, no a la víctima?

Se tocan otros temas como el racismo, a través de esa justificación policial con extranjeros de otras etnias cuando el delito es sexual. La solución fácil. En definitiva, una novela dura y cruda y bastante crítica, que te hace sentir la opresión que siente (o sintió) el autor, pero que es importante leer. Espero seguir a este señor por muchos años.

[Jakub · Rating 3 out of 5]

A harrowing depiction of rape and violence in general - of how it influences an individual in the short and long run. Louis does not use cheap tricks but has a great eye for detail. But it all gets muddled up in childhood stories, political themes and other marginally connected elements. And the protagonist was just so hard to like.

[Roula · Rating 3 out of 5]

... Είχαν κολλήσει σε κάτι μπλαβια σημάδια γύρω από το λαιμό μου, εκείνος μου ειπε: "πράγματι, επιβεβαιώνω πως πρεπει να σας στραγγαλιζε πολύ δυνατά και για πολλη ώρα". Βρήκα τη φράση του γελοιωδώς σοβαρή, αλλά είπα από μέσα μου "δεν χρειάζονται δάκρυα, το σώμα μου αρκεί"

Αυτό ήταν το 2ο μέρος της τριλογίας του εντουαρ Λουί. Και αν κάποιος διαβάζοντας το πρώτο μέρος, τόλμησε να πιστέψει-έστω στο τέλος του-πως τα πράγματα θα πήγαιναν καλύτερα στη ζωή του Έντι από τη στιγμή που έφυγε από το άρρωστο περιβάλλον του χωριού και της οικογένειας του, δυστυχώς αυτό το δεύτερο μέρος έρχεται να τον διαψεύσει. Οι κακοτυχίες του συνεχίζονται και το βιβλίο αυτό είναι εξίσου σκληρό με το πρώτο. Θαύμασα τον ώμο ρεαλισμό των περιγραφων και τον πόνο που έβγαζε. Ήταν ένα βιβλίο που απαιτεί θάρρος και για να το γράψεις και για να το διαβάσεις..

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Το δεύτερο βιβλίο της αυτοβιογραφικής τριλογίας του Εντουάρ Λουί το οποίο μας περιγράφει μία βραδιά της ενήλικης πλέον ζωής του που τον στιγμάτισε ψυχολογικα αλλά και σωματικά. Το ύφος του είναι απλό,οι περιγραφές ωμές και σκληρές,έτσι όπως μας συστήθηκε άλλωστε ο συγγραφέας και στο πρώτο του βιβλίο. Η βία που κυριαρχεί,τον "ισοπεδώνει",τον "παραλύει". Παρ'ολα αυτά ο Εντουάρ Λουί μου δίνει την αίσθηση πως δεν θυματοποιεί τον εαυτό του ούτε ζητά τον οίκτο του αναγνώστη. Θέλει απλά να πει την ιστορία του. Και ειμαι σιγουρη πως ήταν μια πολύ δύσκολη απόφαση για εκεινον να βρει τελικά τη δύναμη να μιλησει. Γιατί πολλές φορές είναι προτιμότερο να λέμε ψέματα ακόμα και στον ίδιο μας τον εαυτό προκειμένου να ξεχάσουμε ένα τόσο βαθύ τραυμα. Το συγκεκριμένο ανάγνωσμα το βρήκα περισσότερο απαιτητικό από το πρώτο, αρκετά εσωστρεφες και σίγουρα βαθια μελαγχολικό. Έπεται συνέχεια...

[Liviu Szoke · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stele
Nu m-a prins stilul. Subiectul e extrem de interesant și s-ar fi putut țese o poveste foarte interesantă pe marginea îngrozitoarei traume prin care trece autorul cu o zi înainte de Crăciun: tentativă de ucidere și viol, după ce invitase în casă, complet inconștient, un străin întâlnit pe stradă. Prilej de divagații, amintiri și introspecții nesfârșite. Mă așteptam la un „Joc al lui Gerald” sau chiar la o istorie a violenței, dar n-a fost să fie.
Singurul lucru care mi s-a părut interesant a fost modul ingenios în care s-a detașat de povestea oribilă, lăsând-o pe sora lui să povestească mare parte a întâmplării: Clara, sora lui, îi povestește soțului ei ce-a pățit Edouard, protagonistul, luând parcă de pe umerii acestuia povara și amintirea îngrozitoare, pentru a nu-l mai sili pe el să mai treacă o dată prin acea întâmplare marcantă.
Mai multe, pe FanSF: https://wp.me/pz4D9-2ZN.

[Hulyacln · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Arendt şöyle diyor: ^Bir başka deyişle, gerçeğin kasten reddedilmesi-yalan söyleyebilme becerisi- ve olguları inkâr edebilme yetisi- eyleme geçebilme becerisi- derinden ilişkilidir; ikisi de aynı kaynaktan doğar: Hayal gücünden. Yağmur yağarken ‘güneş parlıyor’ diyebilmek doğal sürecin parçası değildir..; bu durum, daha ziyade, dünyayla ilişkilenmek bakımından hem duyusal hem zihinsel anlamda kusursuz bir donanıma sahip olsak da onun ayrılmaz parçalarından biri gibi içine sabitlenmediğimizi ya da onunla bütünleşmiş olmadığımızı ifade eder. İnsan dünyayı değiştirmek ve onun içinde yeni bir şey başlatmakta özgürdür. ^ İyileşmem böyle başladı. İyileşmem gerçeği inkar edebilme ihtimaliyle başladı.’
.
Edouard Louis 2012 yılının Noel yemeğini arkadaşlarıyla yer, ardından gelen hediye kitaplarına duyduğu heyecanla evinin yolunu tutar.
Biri çıkar karşısına: Reda. Sohbet etmeye başlarlar, birlikte gülmeye ve anılarını paylaşmaya.
Gecenin karanlığı bir anlığına rengarenk olur.
Sonra.. Sonrası zifiri..
.
Yaşadığı geceyi önce büyük bir öfkeyle anlatmaya başlıyor Louis. Ablasına veriyor sözü, belki de kendi kelimelerinden bile korkuyor. Öfkesi korkuya, korkusu nefrete, nefreti de dağılmaya dönüşüyor. Un ufak parçalanıyor sanki hisleri.
Sıklıkla duyduğumuz hikayelerden, üçüncü sayfa haberlerinden biri bu çoğumuz için. Cinayete teşebbüs, tecavüz. Fail ve mağduru dinlemeden okuyup geçtiğimiz türden. Ama Louis daha önce defalarca anlattığı şeyleri yazıya da dökmüş, yine büyük bir içtenlikle. Cesurca, kendini de eleştirmekten çekinmeden.
Yazarın, özellikle eril şiddetten, ırkçılıktan bahsetme biçimi çok etkiledi beni.
Yaşadığı gece ve sonrasını uzunca kurdum zihnimde. Onun aklından geçenleri okurken, ona hak verdim, bencillik de yaptım, kendimi düşündüm, kızdım. Yaşanılan kötülüklerin çoğunun takip edilememesini, defalarca dillendirmek zorunda kalışlarımızı, güven duygumuzun giderek örselenmesini, tedirginliğin gün geçtikçe tenimize işlenmesini düşünüp; içerledim.
Bitene kadar elimden bırakamadım bu yüzden Şiddetin Tarihi’ni.
Bir gecelik şiddetin oluşturabileceği ve içinde barındırdığı tarihi..
.
Ayberk Erkay çevirisi, Ezgi Arslan kapak tasarımıyla ~
 

[Steffi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gut geschrieben ist dieser stark autobiografisch gefärbte Text auf jeden Fall. Die Nacht einer Vergewaltigung zu schildern, ohne dass es im Geringsten voyeuristisch wird, erlebt man selten. Auch die Beschreibung des Gefühls des Gefangenseins, des Nichtanders können, das nicht Schreien, sich nicht Wehren, nicht Weglaufen, das Vergewaltigungsopfern dann oft zum Vorwurf gemacht wird, beschreibt Louis sehr eindringlich.

Auch finde ich die Konstruktion zum Teil sehr gelungen: Ein großer Teil der Geschichte wird erzählt, indem man Edouard dabei beobachtet, wie er heimlich seine Schwester belauscht, die das vom Bruder Erfahrene ihrem Mann erzählt. Diese Erzählung ist nicht nur eine extrem detailgetreue und lange Wiederholung des Gehörten, sondern wird auch immer wieder unterbrochen von Meinungen und Erinnerungen der Schwester. Damit wirft sie auch ein entlarvendes Licht auf die engen, einfachen, dörflichen Verhältnisse, denen Edouard entstammt und denen er entkommen wollte. Ich kann nicht sagen, dass mir diese Schwester dabei sympathisch wurde, allein der Umgang mit Edouards Homosexualität, seinem Leben in der Großstadt, seiner von Bildung geprägten Redeweise zeigen die Kluft, die zwischen Land und Stadt herrscht.

Auch die Beschreibung des Täters ist höchst ambivalent: Mal sympathisch, dann laut und gewalttätig. Und Edouard zeigt mal fast Verständnis, auch für die dunklen Seiten, dann aber stellt er in Folge der Vergewaltigung fest, dass er dunkelhäutige Männer fürchtet (der Täter war Kabyle) und hasst sich dafür, weil dieser Rassismus in völligem Gegensatz zu seinem Selbstverständnis steht.

Ein kluges, gut geschriebenes Buch. Kleiner Abstrich: Die Erzählkonstruktion mit der Schwester erfüllt zwar ihren Zweck, war mir aber oft zu künstlich, zu realitätsfern. So langatmig und mäandernd würde niemand in Wirklichkeit niemand erzählen.

[Pečivo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Co sem to zase koupil. To tak čekám v Dublinu a nemám knížku a pám si, hele knihkupectví! Třeba tam bude Pali! Palivo tam bohužel nebyl, ale i tak jsem si koupil knihu podle titulu - Historie násilí. Kdo by taky od podobného titulu čekal autobiografii znasilněného homosexuála, že jo.

Takže o co jde: Eda si to štráduje lehce ovíněn na Vánoce 2012 v noci Paříží domu. Cestou ho osloví arabsky vyhlížející mladík Reda, který se ho po chvíli zeptá jestli nechce mečovat, což vede k noci plné vášně. Ta se obejde v knize bez detailů. Čtenář se doví jen, že kluci meče zkřížily pětkrát. Pak se Eda a Reda jdou osprchovat a Reda, potomek imigrantů z Alžíru, sebere Edovi iPad a iPhone. Eda vyjde ze sprchy a chce věci zpátky, načež se Reda naštve a vytáhne bouchačku (nemyslím penis) a začne Edovi nadávat, proč ho uráží a srazí ho na postel a pak ho znásilní.

Znásilní ho. Potom co se před tím pětkrát udělal. Vážně? Reda je buď kůň a nebo si tady někdo vymejšlí!

Eda je pochopitelně rozrušen a snaží se vyhodit Redu s bouchačkou, což se mu povede tak, že mu řekne ať jde pryč nebo začne křičet. Vážně? A aby toho nebylo málo, tak potom co zavře dveře, přijde Reda ke dveřím a pošeptá: “Seš si jist, že mám odejít? Cítím se blbě, promiň.” VÁŽNĚ?

Eda vypráví jak měl těžké dětství a jak je těžký se teď vypořádat s tím co mu udělal Reda, protože mu rodina, přátele, policie a doktoři nerozumí. A tak se rozhodl napsat o tom knihu. Tudle knihu. Kterou jsem si bohužel koupil. Kdybych si mohl vybrat, tak bych si radši koupil stroj času abych se mohl vrátit a koupit si místo tohohle savo a nalejt si ho do očí. 2/10

[od1_40reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably Édouard Louis’ most layered and complex work yet, ‘A History of Violence’ tells of his horrific rape and attempted murder. Told mostly through his sister’s voice.

I’ve been a fan of Louis’ work for quite sometime now, and his writing really is at the height of it’s power here. He carefully takes us through this traumatic experience using prose that is raw, deeply (sometimes uncomfortably) honest, and not in the least hyperbolic. In fact his matter-of-fact coldness in describing the events is one of the most uncomfortable elements.

There is certainly a trace of Annie Ernaux, even Truman Capote in here.

If you already like/admire Louis’ work then you’ll get a lot out of this book, and if you’re new to it this is a damn good place to start.

My only sadness is that I think I’ve now read all his current works translated into English.

[Tasos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Το "Ιστορία της Βίας" είναι το δεύτερο βιβλίο του Εντουάρ Λουί που διαβάζω μετά το Ποιός Σκότωσε τον Πατέρα μου, σε αντίστροφη χρονική σειρά μέχρι να φτάσω στο πρώτο που τον έκανε αυτομάτως διάσημο και τον έχρισε ως το νέο λογοτεχνικό αστέρι στη Γαλλία.
Η ληστεία και ο βιασμός που υπέστη ο συγγραφέας από ένα τυχαίο ψωνιστήρι μια παραμονή Χριστουγέννων μετατρέπεται σε μια συγκλονιστικά (και σοκαριστικά) κατακερματισμένη και πολυπρισματική αφήγηση, στην οποία η τραυματική εμπειρία αποδομείται, ανατέμνεται κι επανασυντίθεται, με τον ίδιο τον συγγραφέα να προσπαθεί στο τέλος να αποκτήσει τον έλεγχο πάνω στο βίωμά του και σε ένα αφήγημα που αναπόφευκτα ξεφεύγει από αυτόν και κακοποιείται εκ νέου, αφού διαστρεβλώνεται από την οικογένειά του, τους γιατρούς, την αστυνομία.
Είναι αριστοτεχνικός ο τρόπος με τον οποίο επιτυγχάνεται η αποστασιοποίηση μέσα από την λαθρακρόαση της ανασύστασης των γεγονότων από την αδερφή του θύματος σε αντίστιξη με τις αναμνήσεις του ίδιου του συγγραφέα που παρεμβάλλονται μέσα στο κείμενο, δημιουργώντας έναν μεταμοντέρνο σπαραγμό, στον οποίο κάθε διατύπωση της ιστορίας είναι και μια σταδιακή απομάκρυνση από την αλήθεια και κάθε βίαιη πράξη διαιωνίζεται μέσα από τις λέξεις που θα προσπαθούν περιοριστικά να την περιγράψουν.
Αλλά όπως είχε πει κάποτε και μια σοφή συγγραφέας, στο τέλος όλα γίνονται μία ιστορία. Ο Λουί είπε τη δική του με τον καλύτερο τρόπο.