Marguerite

by Marina Kemp

In this haunting novel, a young nurse forms an unlikely connection with the elderly man she cares for, and finds herself confronting the guilt she carries from her past.

Marguerite Demers is twenty-five when she leaves Paris for the sleepy southern village of Saint Sulpice to take up a job as a live-in nurse. Her charge is Jerome Lanvier--once one of the most powerful men in the village, now dying alone in his large and secluded house surrounded by rambling neglected gardens. Manipulative and tyrannical, Jerome has scared away all of his previous caretakers.

It's not long before the villagers have formed opinions of Marguerite. Brigitte Brochon, pillar of the community and local busybody, finds her arrogant and mysterious and is desperate to find a reason to have her fired. Glamorous outsider Suki Lacourse sees Marguerite as an ally in a sea of small-minded provincialism. Local farmer Henri Brochon, husband of Brigitte, feels sorry for her and wants to protect her from the villagers' intrusive gossip and speculation (but Henri has a secret of his own that would scandalize his neighbors, if only they knew). The sudden arrival of Jerome's three sons will upend the rhythm of their days, changing their lives forever.

Set among the lush fields and olive groves of southern France, and written in clear prose of luminous beauty, Marguerite is an unforgettable novel that traces the ways in which guilt can be transformed, and how people can unexpectedly find a sense of redemption.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, France, Contemporary, Adult, Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 24, 2020

Reviews

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This is one of those under the radar books that turn out to be really good. It takes place in a sleepy village of sorts in France called Saint-Sulpice where everyone knows each other for years and rumors will spread fast. There is a nearby farm, forest-lined walking paths, and a quaint shopping district. I googled Saint-Sulpice and all that keeps coming up in the search results is a famous church in France, rather than an actual town. The grand but neglected house the story takes place in is called Rossignol. One Jerome Lanvier has taken over the former family room in the house transforming it into a hospice situation. His wife died years ago and his three adult sons moved elsewhere for business, so he's in the 24-hour care of a resident nurse. The problem is, his curmudgeonly and biting personality has driven away not only his sons, but his previous carers. That's why Marguerite was recently hired.

Marguerite is a hospice nurse in her early twenties who was interviewed and hired by one of Jerome Lanvier's sons in Paris, France. She's very reserved and attractive. Most people she encounters in the village are curious about her. Everyone knows how difficult dealing with Jerome is, and Marguerite is his latest potential victim. Because she's so young and attractive they are curious as to why she would want such a solitary and depressing job. Marguerite's alone with no one else in the house to help. However, she actually prefers it that way. There is a sense that she has left something behind in her life that she's running away from. In addition to administering medication and medical help to Jerome, she also must make all Jerome's meals, wash and dress him, change sheets, etc. She must walk to the shops to get groceries when needed, since she wasn't provided a car. Admittedly, at first Marguerite felt a bit scared and out of her element settling into Jerome's son Thibault's old bedroom.

Although they never specifically mention what ailment Jerome is dying from, he is often in pain, has a finicky appetite, is skin and bones, needs help getting into the bath and on the bedpan, and occasionally soils himself. I actually enjoyed the methodical descriptions of Marguerite handling various crises that would occur with Jerome, such as the messes. Cleaning his body, helping him step into clean pajamas, changing his sheets, carrying the soiled linens into the utility room to start a wash. I marveled at her compassionate and reliable care, running this household all by herself. When he needed Marguerite he would bang on his headboard.

Although Jerome was in the apex of his life and had to sacrifice his pride at the door as this young woman tended to his most basic needs, it didn't stop him from keenly assessing her and making her uncomfortable or even angry at some of his musings. Jerome would strip you right down with his investigative eye and say things to make you want to stomp out of his room and slam the door. That's why it made my heart melt when he would occasionally thank Marguerite and let her know how much he really appreciated her. He wanted to die under her care. The most special part in the book for me was when he had to be briefly hospitalized and she would never leave his side unless forced to. Then when he was released the following day, the joy they both felt to be going home together- that they didn't need or want anybody else...just the two of them.

Of course there is conflict in the story with the surrounding cast of characters. There's the town outcast "Suki" who is Iranian and wears a hijab, but is constantly drinking wine and smoking cigarettes and trying to make friends. She's also notorious for making a play for someone else's husband in town. Then there's the local farmer Henri who grew up being friends with Jerome's three sons, having wonderful memories of spending time at Rossignol. He's devastatingly handsome and married, but he has a huge secret he's been keeping. Marguerite has secrets of her own that slowly unfold throughout the book that explain why she became a hospice nurse.

This was what I sometimes call a good "quiet read". It's not one of those blockbuster books that create a lot of buzz. It's just a low-key engaging story that swept me away for awhile, and I enjoyed it.

Thank you to the Viking / Penguin Publishing Group who provided an advance reader copy via Edelweiss.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually devoured this slow burner of a read within a day or so. I'd bought it a year ago in Great Malvern, and I really just bought it for the sake of buying something, so honestly, I wasn't expecting much from it. This was an extraordinary experience, and I was sad to have finished it.

With a slow start, I wasn't sure this was going to work out, but within a chapter or so, I was very intrigued with how the story was developing. The novel covers the themes of love, sexuality, death and racism, and I thought these were all dealt with and were included amicably.

A young nurse arrives in a sleepy French village to a grand old house in order to take care of an irascible and somewhat difficult dying old man called Jerome. It is with these scenes in particular that I think the author shone. It did cross my mind that she may have had an experience caring for a dying individual, as this was so beautifully and tragically done that it took my breath away. The slow decline of Jerome's physical and mental health was interesting, but still painful to witness.

My only quibble were the constant sex scenes from around the halfway point. I mean, I know we all have needs here, but I felt like the character in question was only just recovering from her last episode, quietly reading a book, and by the next page, she was on her back again. It wasn't written in a sleazy manner, but for me, it was a little excessive, and added little to the already wonderful plot.

Overall, this was a surprisingly beautiful read, which I'm glad I picked up. I will wait in anticipation for Kemp's next release.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rural French setting (“lush fields and olive groves of Southern France”) and a mysterious nurse as a main character made this book an irresistible combination for me – and it turned out to be one of my favourite reads of 2020!

A few pages into the story I already knew that this book would be everything I had hoped for. Charming, quaint, wonderfully observed and with a gorgeous rural French setting, it immediately drew me into its world. Marguerite was such a relatable, enigmatic character – I felt her loneliness, her guilt, her attempts to escape into sleep to avoid the darkness that threatens to take her over. The dynamics between her and Jerome, the lonely old dying man she is looking after, were well presented, as was the small town’s prejudices against the newcomer. Being young and beautiful and yet choosing a quiet, lonely life as the private nurse for an old tyrant immediately raises suspicions among the townsfolk. Except for Henri, who recognise her loneliness as the same sort of void he feels in his own heart. The tender friendship developing between these two characters touched me deeply, and I wanted so much for them to be able to shed their past burdens and move on into a bright, happy future.

There are a lot of themes in this book that prompted reflection, and not only because I too have cared for dying people and pondered some of the questions and dilemmas that Marguerite and Henri face. Each character, no matter how peripheral to the plot, added another layer to the story, until it shimmered as rich and golden as the Southern French sun. And yet there was a shadow side, a constant sense of foreboding, that kept me reading late into the night.

MARGUERITE was a beautifully written, brilliantly observed, atmospheric, raw and thought provoking story about two lonely people that deeply touched my heart and is definitely among my favourite books of 2020. Days after turning the last page I still found myself reflecting on this melancholic and yet hopeful story and the many topics it touched on. Aren’t those the best kind of books?


Thank you to Edelweiss and Viking for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

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[Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young nurse, running from a troubled past, comes to an isolated mansion in the French countryside to care for a foul-tempered old man. In a nearby village, seething with watching eyes and gossiping tongues, a young farmer lives a secret life. A bored outsider and trouble-maker causes the two worlds to collide.

What a treat this debut novel was, with its complex and interesting characters, its slightly ominous setting and its great, soulful storytelling. I found myself both gripped and moved by the characters and their complex and all-too-realistic dilemmas (though I didn't like one aspect of the ending, finding it dated and cliched). Nonetheless, a fine debut and one I can highly recommend to fans of Tessa Hadley and Rose Tremain.

I look forward to reading more by this author. (I see the book is also being published under the title "Nightingale.")

[Bonnie Brody · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Marguerite', by Marina Kemp, is a character based novel that caught me from the very first pages. When Marguerite Demers, a 25 year old nurse, arrives in a small French town to care for Jerome, a misanthropic old man, the tension builds relentlessly and continues until the very end of the book.

Marguerite is met at the train stop by Brigitte Brochon, ostensibly the caretaker for Jerome's estate. Brigitte does not offer a smile or assistance to Marguerite and she appears to perceive Marguerite's presence with resentment and suspicion. Brigitte is quick to gossip and attempts to turn the townspeople against Marguerite.

Suki LaCourse, a bohemian-dressed Muslim is considered a village outsider despite having lived there for 15 years. Her husband is rarely around and she attempts to befriend Marguerite who is somewhat wary of Suki's attempts. Suki appears glamorous but conflicted and Marguerite can't make up her mind of whether she'd like to pursue their friendship or not.

At some point, Jerome's sons visit him despite a multi-year estrangement. Havoc ensues and Marguerite's relationship with them crosses professional boundaries. As Brigitte gets wind of some of this, along with Marguerite's relationship with Suki, she begins spreading poisonous gossip about Marguerite to the townspeople.

Henri, Brigitte's husband, attempts to be supportive of Marguerite. He has secrets to bear and senses that Marguerite is also dealing with secrets and the weight of her past.

The interconnection of these dark and weighted characters, along with their secrets, form the heart of the novel and give it both its complexity and beauty. The writing is stellar and each character comes alive with Ms. Kemp's pen. It is difficult to believe that this is a debut novel.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Marguerite was a Netflix mini-series, I suspect I’d be spellbound. This debut has everything it takes to grab and hold attention: a young and very guarded Parisian traveling nurse Marguerite, her elderly and tyrannical charge Jerome Lanvier, his three errant adult sons, and a classically handsome man named Henri, who is hiding a secret that could destroy him. Add to that Henri’s plain and bitter wife Brigette and an exotic and toxic neighbor Suki, and you have all the makings of a potboiler.

And that is, perhaps, the problem. Marena Kemp, definitely a talented debut novelist, makes plot choices that, from time to time, left me questioning. It is hard to write this review without spoilers but I am going to try my best. Marguerite, we find out soon enough, has blamed herself mightily for her younger sister’s death as a result of meningitis. But the level of her self-blame suggests an almost masochistic approach to life and a susceptibility to Jerome’s tongue-lashings and emotional abuse.

I get it: if Marguerite can minister to Jerome and give him a good death, she can redeem her past. But there were a number of redundancies that slowed down the narrative: the many scenes of a caustic Jerome, the obsequious Suki who is always crossing boundaries – literally and figuratively – the three resentful sons (to me, two of the sons were superfluous in plot development) and the somewhat predictable unfolding of the narrative.

While I recognize that the time frame and milieu compelled certain characters – notably, Marguerite and Henri – to live out their lives in predestined ways, I could not quite understand the one solution that would have enabled each of the to reach a more fulfilled conclusion. The theme – when does life not become life but instead, punishment and when does one get to choose a property-lived life is certainly an intriguing one. But despite fine writing, I couldn’t help but feel that the author erred towards melodrama over nuance. Overall, it’s a good debut and I suspect Marena Kemp’s sophomore book will be better still.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marguerite Demers, a 24-year-old nurse, has escaped Paris to be a live-in carer for elderly Jérôme Lanvier in southern France. From the start, she senses she’s out of place here – “She felt, as always in this village, that she was being observed”. She strikes up a friendship with a fellow outsider, an Iranian émigrée named Suki, who, in this story set in 2002, stands out for wearing a hijab. Everyone knows everyone here, and everyone has history with everyone else – flirtations, feuds, affairs, and more. Brigitte Brochon, unhappily married to a local farmer, predicts Marguerite will be just like the previous nurses who failed to hack it in service to the curmudgeonly Monsieur Lanvier. But Marguerite sticks up for herself and, though plagued by traumatic memories, makes her own bid for happiness. The novel deals sensitively with topics like bisexuality, euthanasia, and family estrangement, but the French provincial setting and fairly melodramatic plot struck me as old-fashioned. Still, the writing is strong enough to keep an eye out for what Kemp writes next. (U.S. title: Marguerite.)

Readalikes: French-set novels by Joanne Harris and Rose Tremain; The Hoarder by Jess Kidd

Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.

[Aoife Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book on a whim earlier in the week after reading a description of it and being captivated by the gorgeous cover.

The author Marina Kemp was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and I can see why - her writing is glorious: clear dazzling prose and wise and deft storytelling. The book was evocative and entrancing.

24 year old Marguerite Demers arrives in the sleepy village of Saint-Sulpice in the South of France to take up a live-in nursing job taking care of Jerôme Lanvier, an elderly bed-bound tyrant, in his sprawling and secluded house (called “Rossignol” - hence the title) surrounded by rambling gardens.

The village greets her with suspicion and as she begins to settle in and get to know some of its inhabitants, she discovers that many of them harbour secrets and grudges of their own. When Jerôme’s three sons come to visit, those secrets begin to surface.

If it sounds superficial, it’s really not. It’s beautifully done - well developed characters, quietly impactful writing, an atmospheric setting and some weighty topics (sexuality, euthanasia, racism, guilt, grief) fuse together to make this a super read. Loved it and excited to see what she does next. 4-4.5/5 ⭐️

[Lisa Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love France and was so hoping this book would transport me there but disappointingly, apart from place and people’s names, there is nothing French about the book- it is really English- complete with English garden fête and English people’s characteristics. I cannot understand why this book has had such good reviews.

[Sarah]

DNF @ 28%

[Addie BookCrazyBlogger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into Marguerite but once I got a feel for the story, I quickly got drawn in. Marguerite is a young nurse with a past in France who moves into a small village to take care of the local Scrooge. You know the type: wealthy, mean, old Jerome, whose sons hate him because of how horrible he was to everyone around him. A stereotypical vision of the town arises with local busybodies trying to get Marguerite fired, simply because she’s quiet and kind, fellow outsider Suki attempting to make friends with Marguerite but coming across as way too intense and local farmer, Henri, married to the queen of the busybodies, Brigitte. Henri struggles with his sexuality, having led an affair with a gay man for years and a sense of antipathy towards his wife. Eventually the novel reaches its crescendo, where everyone’s secrets come loose and people’s lives find their new railroad track. Ultimately, it was a good novel but it’s also not a novel I would reread. I think it would make a gorgeous indie film with the scenery of rural France, along with Henri’s deliberations over his sexuality but visually speaking, the novel didn’t play out that way for me. It felt tired, like I’ve seen bits and pieces of this story before.

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marguerite is about the ways in which we try to cover up and/or escape the worst parts of our lives and ourselves. It never quite works, does it? Everything comes out in the end. This is the lesson which a community learns collectively, when a stranger comes to live among them and unintentionally upsets their carefully constructed façade. The small French village is absolutely fizzy with secrets and the hostility which keeps them corked . . . for a while. This is a cathartic story which makes you want to embrace some characters and strangle others.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so sad, melancholic and beautiful. Everyone in it is struggling, suffering, dying, but somehow the story is uplifting and full of light. There are flowed characters, destroyed childhoods, family resentment, but there is light in many characters, they are so humane. As one man life is coming to its end, something unexpected and fragile starts at the same time. Life goes in circles.

[Francesca A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich, poignant debut. The characters elbow themselves off the page in their lifelikeness, there is a heady, claustrophobic atmosphere throughout and a plot with pace and balance. Highly recommend. Can’t wait to see where the writer goes next...

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a slow go. There were more than a few time where I considered just being done and returning the book. I'm glad I stuck with it.

I could have done without all of the bathroom talk. I know everyone does it. I'm a mom. I get it. I've seen it. I just don't need to read about it on every other page. I just don't really understand how the constant poo references added to the story. Because they didn't.

And the ending? Let's just say I saw that coming but I didn't see that coming. The wrap up to one of the story lines in particular seemed fitting for April 1st as I thought maybe it was a joke.

[Karyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I started this book, I wasn’t sure I wanted to finish it. It’s a lesson I’ve only recently learned, that I don’t have to finish every book I start, and it’s a lesson I’m still working on implementing. The novel starts out so slowly that it feels as though it’s going to go nowhere, but then somehow the prose gets under your skin and you just can’t put it down.

This is not a very exciting book; there is no major action to keep the reader turning pages. It’s a slow burn, very character-driven. But once the book gets its claws into you, it’s difficult to put down.

Marguerite is a nurse who has been hired for palliative care at an estate in rural France. It’s quite a ways outside the nearest town, so she spends most of her time at the estate, caring for the curmudgeonly owner Jérôme, as he slowly withers away towards death. His nasty attitude has caused other carers to quit, and because he was so hard on his sons growing up, they don’t want much to do with him either. Somehow, Marguerite is able to withstand most of his nastiness, though it sometimes gets to her, and provide Jérôme the very best care she can.

But there are secrets in that little town. Henri used to be a dear friend of Jérôme’s sons as they grew up, but grew apart once they all moved to Paris while Henri took over his father’s farm. His loveless marriage is acceptable to him, mainly because he feels he deserves nothing better as he struggles with his inclinations for men. Suki, a native Iranian, married a Frenchman years ago, and while she is desperate for a friend, she tends to be overly demanding once she meets someone. She is also rather judgmental, something she criticizes in the “provincial” village folks around her.

Simmering under the surface is something terrible that happened with Marguerite’s sister Cassandre, after she suffered a stroke that took much of her mobility and ability to speak away from her, a secret that Marguerite spends much of her time trying to keep buried.

Finally all of these secrets come to a head near the end of the book, and Marguerite has to decide whether to fight the consequences head on or to continue to bury them.

As a romantic of sorts, I was really disappointed that Henri decided to take his life instead of running away with Marguerite, especially since all of the suspicions about her earlier life were going to come out, regardless of whatever his wife Brigitte threatened.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I really didn’t think I would until I realized that the book had taken hold of my imagination and it wasn’t going to let go until I finished it. Well done, Ms. Kemp. My only objection to the novel is that I don’t think it feels like it takes place in France, other than that we’re told there are olive groves nearby and there are French names and words sprinkled about. Another reviewer felt the characters were more English than French, which makes sense as I believe the author is English. But it is a small quibble.

[Emily Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We shouldn’t live at the expense of life. Once we’ve got past the point of where life is being lived, we shouldn’t have to cling on it as if it has absolute value, in and itself. When someone has come to their end, their real end, then it’s no longer life we’re giving them by keeping it going. It’s not life, it’s not death…It’s punishment.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5)

A beautiful debut novel about human connection set in Southern Rural France. Marguerite, a young nurse, moves from Paris to sleepy little Saint-Sulpice to care for the village hermit & tyrant, Jerome Lanvier. Faced with tribulations and suspicions from members of the village, Marguerite, just wants a solitary life and focus on her work & care for her patient. Henry Brochon, local farmer, begins to feel concern for her as he tends to the grounds at Jerome’s home. However, as speculation grows in the village about Marguerites past & Henry’s lifestyle, their unlikely connections begins to grow, leaving them both feeling a little less alone than they did before…

This book had me in tears for the last five chapters. It explores not only compassion and freedom, but also sexuality, death & prejudices outsiders face in a rural community.

From the moment you meet Marguerite’s character, there’s a sense of ethereal-ness to her, yet she also feels like the most realistic & grounded person, as though she’s walking about the world around you now.

To be honest, all characters that Kemp has created have an earthiness to them, each one feels real & each one has their own rich & complex personality.

That brings me to the beautiful painting with words that Marina Kemp also creates when describing the stunning setting and surroundings of Marguerite’s journey in Southern France. You can almost feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, the scents of Marguerite’s cooking and the lavender in the garden seeping through the pages.

For me, Henry Brochon’s character, stands a head of the rest. Wow, is all I can say without spoiling anything. His sense of duty & compassion he feels for all things is emitted throughout. A ‘real’ farmer, I’d dare to say. His interactions with Marguerite & Jerome are simply beautiful to read about…

This is a stunning, slow-burn novel with ounces upon ounces of character and beauty which will make you stop and think about the richness of life and the connections you forge throughout it. Definitely a story that I shall be carrying with me for years to come.

[Domino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the style of the writing and the book evoked such a strong sense of place. I felt I really got to know the characters and it definitely got me thinking as well.

[Onceinabluemoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the type of book I should have loved, but I just didn't connect early and dnf...

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

When I first encountered this book, my mind ran to the assumption that it was going to be a very ‘high brow’ read. Don’t get me wrong, I love intelligent and more serious novels from time to time but I also enjoy just escaping into a trashy romance too, so it just depends on my mood.

But this novel continued to stand out and intrigue me. I loved the cover and thought it was elegant and eye catching, but I also thought the story sounded compelling and smart. By the time I was ready to pick it up, my interest in it was well and truly caught.

The book had been sitting on my bookshelf calling my name for the better part of two months so it was with great anticipation that I cracked it open.

While my attention to the larger story was caught early on in this book, it was admittedly a slow start for me. This isn’t the kind of book that I was able to just jump right into and start reading with vigor. It was more of a slower paced read which was ok, but the story itself was very compelling and interesting with a lot of introspection. Though I have to say that I read a couple of other reviews that pointed out that this book was a little on the darker side and I agree, it was a little darker than I was expecting but I thought that’s what made this book all the more compelling because it was darker and a little more intense. It is definitely a worthwhile read.

I love introspection and reflection in novels such as this. I thought it really made the reader pause and consider the characters and their situations. I was very impressed with the writing style of this book, especially considering this was the author’s debut novel! I couldn’t believe that, it was incredibly well written and engaging even if it was slower to start.

The characters and the setting take center stage in this book. I loved the setting in the French countryside. I thought the setting really added to the complex themes of grief and regret as well as secrets. The small village setting was perfect for that.

This novel had a lot to unpack and enjoy. It was a different type of read for me but one that I found myself enjoying page by page and it did make me think and reflect on the characters so I would say that makes it a great read! This one is going to be one you don’t want to miss!

See my full review here

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A debut novel that doesn't read like one. The blurb describes it as haunting and I would 100% agree with that description. This is dark, much darker than I anticipated. The blurb doesn't give away much but I was expecting a feel-good type of story like The Untouchables (the french movie - possibly based on a book??). And it's not that. In many ways it reminded me of Anne Tyler's novels: family dynamics, dysfunctional families, relationships between different people, nature of loyalty and friendship, regrets and secrets in the past, difficult choices - it's all there.

Even three quarters of the way through I had no idea what kind of ending it would have, though I suspected something close to what ended up being the case. I'd suggest going into this one as blind as possible and enjoying the ride. I took my time reading it and I think that worked well - it is an emotionally intense read and sometimes raw, I need time to process that sort of thing.

The charters felt very real to me. Perhaps not always realistic but definitely so real that I could picture them in my mind. Quite an accomplishment as there were quite a few characters but all but the very minor ones had quite distinct personalities.

I've seen some readers complain about the novel touching on too many hot topics, like racism, homophobia, euthanasia. It felt well handled to me but yeah, perhaps one too many issues for one novel. This is kind of why it's 4 and not 5 stars: I felt like the ending was a bit overcooked. Too much going on. A simpler one would have been more effective, I feel

Overall, it's an odd and dark novel. Not sure if I'd want to ever reread it and revisit this world or these characters but it was captivating all the way through.

[Natali · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not love this story but I did enjoy the writing. I can see what she is going for with this: two people with self loathing offer one another a bright respite from their lives in a tragic love story. Or was it really a love story? I never really bought into it because I don't think that the author establishes trust in her character development. She uses the tool where an author gives you cryptic snippets of a flashback to their past without a full explanation of it so you're always guessing about their motivations. Sometimes that works but most of the time I find it annoying. THis is one of those cases. Nothing would have been lost if she had just given us a character's full "story" and then developed the story around it.

Despite these places where I felt there were holes, it's still a long book where not much happens in the first half. I think this would be a stronger book if she'd dispensed with the cryptic storytelling and got on with it.

That said, I did like the characters and her writing style.

[Steph Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply observant, beautifully written novel which I had never heard of until I read The Unwilding from this author which I loved so then looked for other books by the author and found this debut. I’m surprised it hasn’t had more acclaim and that’s a pity. The setting is in southern France in a rural village with all its pettiness and gossip among residents, and the writer portrays the loneliness of outsiders coming in hauntingly. It also covers themes of end of life care, lack of belonging and forbidden love, along with racism and homophobia, so quite a scope! It’s thought provoking and heart wrenching and having read both this author’s books now, I’m very much looking forward to what she writes next.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another reviewer wrote “a few pages into this book and I already knew it was going to be everything that I hoped for.“ I feel just the opposite. A few pages into the book and I know it would not be what I hoped it would be. I just found it dark and depressing from beginning to end, with no light or let up. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters except with Henri, and the connection I felt there was sad and poignant. I found the majority of the characters vile and mean-spirited, and there was no sense of anyone getting what they deserved, whether good or bad. Read this if you feel like slogging through 400+ pages of angst, fear, anger, repulsion, and despair.

[Caroline Lau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was good, but at some points it just dragged on until i got to the end. For a first novel this was awesome and the writing is really cool, but I would recommend reading this when you have a lot of time to get through it as opposed to just before you go to bed over multiple nights.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Very much enjoyed. Strong characters that engage reader from outset set in a rural village SW France amongst the bigotry and pettiness of some of it’s residents. La France Profonde. A great first novel with beautiful writing.

[Bella Weetch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unputdownable

[Megan Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love being a nosey neighbour getting to know everyone in a lil village and the gossip , slow burner but much needed refreshing ugh love love love

[Lauren Olmeda Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marina Kemp if you’re reading this please write a hundred books

[Jonathan Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad, melancholic and beautiful.

“He got to know her face when they talked. When she smiled, the top lip was and entirely straight line. It shouldn’t have been pretty but it was.”