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Scham
Maries Leben ist perfekt. Sie ist jung und erfolgreich, ihr Mann ist Anwalt, jetzt wollen die beiden ein Kind. Da passiert das Unfassbare. Marie wird von ihrem Chef auf dem Heimweg brutal vergewaltigt. Und er setzt sie so unter Druck, dass sie niemandem, nicht einmal ihrem Mann, davon erzählt. Die junge französische Autorin Inès Bayard lässt in ihrem eindrucksvollen Debütroman keinen Zweifel: an dem, was geschehen ist, und daran, dass Marie keine Schuld trifft. Und doch müssen wir zusehen, wie Marie der Moment, in dem sie noch Hilfe suchen könnte, entgleitet, wie sie vom Opfer zur Täterin wird … "Scham" ist ein emotional fesselnder Roman, ein Leseereignis, dem man sich nicht entziehen kann.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2018
125 people are currently reading
2849 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 390 reviews
September 1, 2020
Whoa ....
This book is dark. This book will make you feel very uncomfortable. You WILL be horrified to read the words on these pages. But, it will also make you think. You will be thinking about things you would rather not think about but you will be thinking nonetheless.
Marie and Laurent are a happily married Parisian couple whose lives are only just beginning together. The time has come for them to consider children. Life couldn't be better.
While Marie leaves work one evening she notices that someone has vandalized her bike leaving her stranded. The CEO of her company is also leaving at the same time and offers her a lift home. What could go wrong? EVERYTHING.
Marie struggles to maintain her sanity and her silence after her attack. She couldn't possibly tell anyone about this. He threatened to destroy her marriage and career. It's best to wear a mask of happiness. It's best to maintain the illusion that all is well.
All is not well.
Marie is now pregnant. Laurent is over the moon in anticipation of their new arrival. Marie is convinced that her baby is the demon spawn of her rapist. The spiral down happens fast and furious.
I can't say that I "enjoyed" a story such as this one but I can't deny the sheer talent of the author for taking such an ugly topic and making such a compelling story from it. The translation was perfect. I got Leïla Slimani vibes from this so if you have read either of her books The Perfect Nanny or Adèle then you'll have an idea of what your about to put your heart and mind through and it isn't pretty. 4 stars!
This book is dark. This book will make you feel very uncomfortable. You WILL be horrified to read the words on these pages. But, it will also make you think. You will be thinking about things you would rather not think about but you will be thinking nonetheless.
Marie and Laurent are a happily married Parisian couple whose lives are only just beginning together. The time has come for them to consider children. Life couldn't be better.
While Marie leaves work one evening she notices that someone has vandalized her bike leaving her stranded. The CEO of her company is also leaving at the same time and offers her a lift home. What could go wrong? EVERYTHING.
Marie struggles to maintain her sanity and her silence after her attack. She couldn't possibly tell anyone about this. He threatened to destroy her marriage and career. It's best to wear a mask of happiness. It's best to maintain the illusion that all is well.
All is not well.
Marie is now pregnant. Laurent is over the moon in anticipation of their new arrival. Marie is convinced that her baby is the demon spawn of her rapist. The spiral down happens fast and furious.
I can't say that I "enjoyed" a story such as this one but I can't deny the sheer talent of the author for taking such an ugly topic and making such a compelling story from it. The translation was perfect. I got Leïla Slimani vibes from this so if you have read either of her books The Perfect Nanny or Adèle then you'll have an idea of what your about to put your heart and mind through and it isn't pretty. 4 stars!
January 2, 2022
This book gave me so much anxiety. Oh my.
It didn't help that I was suffering through migraine during the whole time that I was reading this. The plot revolves around Marie and Laurent, a happily married Parisian couple on top of their games--until one fateful night changed everything for Marie. She was viciously attack on the way from work. Everything went downward spiral as Marie tries to maintain her sanity and deal with the consequences of her silence.
Depressing and mentally exhausting. I mean, this is a very sensitive topic and with the #METOO movement going on right now, this is completely relevant and timely. We get to catch a glimpse of the repercussions of such abuse from a victim's point of view. How a victim would rather suffer in silence than to seek justice. A brilliant novel, a hard one to finish but nevertheless, brilliant.
It didn't help that I was suffering through migraine during the whole time that I was reading this. The plot revolves around Marie and Laurent, a happily married Parisian couple on top of their games--until one fateful night changed everything for Marie. She was viciously attack on the way from work. Everything went downward spiral as Marie tries to maintain her sanity and deal with the consequences of her silence.
Depressing and mentally exhausting. I mean, this is a very sensitive topic and with the #METOO movement going on right now, this is completely relevant and timely. We get to catch a glimpse of the repercussions of such abuse from a victim's point of view. How a victim would rather suffer in silence than to seek justice. A brilliant novel, a hard one to finish but nevertheless, brilliant.
October 19, 2020
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Very difficult for me to put this in any one genre. It’s also difficult to write a review because of the subject matter.
Rape.
This book is very well translated from French to English. It’s a superbly written book and totally.....totally twisted to the point of being bonkers. Very hard to read, very dark. So dark it’s black.
Just who am I?
Because I was so engrossed in this.
Let me explain.
The opening of the book is where this little family is dead.
Now I’ve said this I’m sure you are saying.....
WHAT
And you’d be absolutely right!
June 10, 2020
The stewed apples are still sitting on the table but this little family is no longer there to eat them. Death has claimed them all. Maybe it was the mother who did it. The newspapers will say it is so. But maybe it is society that is to blame instead, for driving her so far to the edge that the only escape left was to jump off. Once and for all.
This is by far the darkest, most disturbing, and most harrowing story I have ever read. The book opened with a scene depicting the above events in a horror of minute detail. This almost confrontational narrative style continued throughout. Nothing was spared the reader - not the rawness of emotion, not the almost vulgar use of wording, and certainly not the evil that humans are capable of inflicting upon one another.
Whilst this was certainly a very difficult and traumatic reading experience, I can only applaud Bayard for making it so. This will not be a story for everyone, but those who are able to traverse their way through the horrors detailed are rewarded to an insight about the flawed society we reside in and a subtle undertone of how we can do better, ourselves.
This was reminiscent of Leila Slimani's Lullaby, in the tragic opening and concluding scenes that bookended the history of one woman's life and all that was inflicted upon her. Both are stories of unimaginable violence, but also reveal, through these horrific events, the true horror that resides in the society that housed these women.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Inès Bayard, and the publisher, Random House, for this opportunity.
This is by far the darkest, most disturbing, and most harrowing story I have ever read. The book opened with a scene depicting the above events in a horror of minute detail. This almost confrontational narrative style continued throughout. Nothing was spared the reader - not the rawness of emotion, not the almost vulgar use of wording, and certainly not the evil that humans are capable of inflicting upon one another.
Whilst this was certainly a very difficult and traumatic reading experience, I can only applaud Bayard for making it so. This will not be a story for everyone, but those who are able to traverse their way through the horrors detailed are rewarded to an insight about the flawed society we reside in and a subtle undertone of how we can do better, ourselves.
This was reminiscent of Leila Slimani's Lullaby, in the tragic opening and concluding scenes that bookended the history of one woman's life and all that was inflicted upon her. Both are stories of unimaginable violence, but also reveal, through these horrific events, the true horror that resides in the society that housed these women.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Inès Bayard, and the publisher, Random House, for this opportunity.
April 30, 2020
This Little Family is talented French writer Ines Bayard’s debut novel, and whilst both the title and cover art don’t illustrate quite how different this domestic thriller is from the usual genre fare the synopsis does a great job in differentiating it. It is undoubtedly one of the best, most accomplished and highly thought-provoking literary thrillers of the past few years. A word of warning, however; this is a profoundly dark, harrowing and haunting read that should be avoided by faint-hearted readers. That said, I feel it will make one consider things differently as the narrative unfolds and as it twists and warps in several directions it poses many interesting questions to readers. As it moves along we are pushed to consider that even those incidents that appear to be easy to categorise as terrible may have underlying causes that may take the idea of a black and white morally good/bad decision into the grey area.
It's a heartbreakingly emotional exploration of abuse, trauma and the unknowns that can be perpetrated behind closed doors and away from view as well as the legacy these experiences can have going forward. This is at once a tough yet compulsively readable thriller with deft touch and acute observations. A brutal, disturbing and shocking story, this is one read I will NEVER forget. It successfully burrows underneath your skin and messes spectacularly with your psyche and for that, I cannot praise it enough. A true tale of horror and unspeakable violence which manages to show the terror and despair felt by those who are caught between a rock and a hard place feeling as though they have no alternative way out.
Also, a note of recognition goes to translator Adriana Hunter as often books written originally in a foreign language and later translated into English can many times have their success depend on the accuracy of the person appointed. Kudos as this was excellent in this case and I didn't feel anything major was lost. Highly recommended. Many thanks to 4th Estate for an ARC.
It's a heartbreakingly emotional exploration of abuse, trauma and the unknowns that can be perpetrated behind closed doors and away from view as well as the legacy these experiences can have going forward. This is at once a tough yet compulsively readable thriller with deft touch and acute observations. A brutal, disturbing and shocking story, this is one read I will NEVER forget. It successfully burrows underneath your skin and messes spectacularly with your psyche and for that, I cannot praise it enough. A true tale of horror and unspeakable violence which manages to show the terror and despair felt by those who are caught between a rock and a hard place feeling as though they have no alternative way out.
Also, a note of recognition goes to translator Adriana Hunter as often books written originally in a foreign language and later translated into English can many times have their success depend on the accuracy of the person appointed. Kudos as this was excellent in this case and I didn't feel anything major was lost. Highly recommended. Many thanks to 4th Estate for an ARC.
February 23, 2025
یکی از تأثیرگذارترین رمانهایی که دربارهٔ تجاوز خوندهم… صفحه به صفحهٔ این کتابْ وحشتناک اما حقیقیه.
چقدر حیف که بعضی کتابها اگر به فارسی ترجمه شن معناشون رو از دست میدن. توصیفهای جنسی از مهمترین بخشهای این کتابه. میدونم بعضی صحنههاش رو هرگز فراموش نمیکنم.
۴/۵
چقدر حیف که بعضی کتابها اگر به فارسی ترجمه شن معناشون رو از دست میدن. توصیفهای جنسی از مهمترین بخشهای این کتابه. میدونم بعضی صحنههاش رو هرگز فراموش نمیکنم.
۴/۵
February 14, 2024
Nichts für schwache Nerven! Das Buch ist eine einzige Triggerwarnung und beschreibt sehr explizit!
Trotzdem sehr empfehlenswert und zum Nachdenken anregend, denn das Buch lässt einen in sachlichem Stil - und doch ganz nah an Marie - hinter die Kulissen schauen und man sieht das, was verborgen bleiben soll durch die Scham. Alles soll so schön bleiben, wie es ist und keiner möchte etwas merken..
Trotzdem sehr empfehlenswert und zum Nachdenken anregend, denn das Buch lässt einen in sachlichem Stil - und doch ganz nah an Marie - hinter die Kulissen schauen und man sieht das, was verborgen bleiben soll durch die Scham. Alles soll so schön bleiben, wie es ist und keiner möchte etwas merken..
July 31, 2020
One of the best, twisted books I've ever read. There is some issue-sensitive content that is explained at length, but it overall adds to the storyline. Excellent character development and fascinating glimpse into the deranged human psyche. This is one haunting story that will stay with me a long time. Only downside is the lack of an epilogue. Highly recommend!!
June 29, 2025
J'ai eu beaucoup de mal avec le personnage, elle m'a dérangée tout au long du livre. C'est vraiment dommage, le sujet est tellement important...
February 2, 2023
Warum haben eigentlich die Bücher, die es wirklich nötig hätten, oft keine Triggerwarnung?
Dieses hier war für mich auf jeden Fall eine enorme Herausforderung und ich bin nicht von der zart besaiteten Sorte.
Das Buch beschreibt über 200 Seiten das Worst-Case-Szenario einer Vergewaltigung und ist damit noch nicht einmal unrealistisch. Ich denke sogar, dass ähnliche Geschichten auf der ganzen Welt existieren. Das Buch hat mich schon zum Nachdenken gebracht, aber dafür hätte ich auch einen Zeitungsartikel lesen können. Stattdessen hat dieses Buch über Monate meinen Männerhass geschürt und mich emotional teilweise sehr zerrüttet. Ich hatte einfach kein bisschen gute Zeit mit dem Buch. Der Aufbau ist althergebracht, auch der Stil der Übersetzung ist nichts Besonderes. Im Nachhinein habe ich durch diese Lektüre nichts gewonnen, wenn ich darüber nachdenke. Ich komme eher zu dem Schluss, dass ich es besser nicht hätte lesen sollen. Ich würde es auch wirklich niemandem ans Herz legen wollen.
Vielleicht habe ich einfach zu lange keine moderne Literatur mehr gelesen, aber das hatte abgesehen von den drastischen Schilderungen nichts Besonderes für mich und ich sehe einfach den Mehrwert nicht. Naja.
Dieses hier war für mich auf jeden Fall eine enorme Herausforderung und ich bin nicht von der zart besaiteten Sorte.
Das Buch beschreibt über 200 Seiten das Worst-Case-Szenario einer Vergewaltigung und ist damit noch nicht einmal unrealistisch. Ich denke sogar, dass ähnliche Geschichten auf der ganzen Welt existieren. Das Buch hat mich schon zum Nachdenken gebracht, aber dafür hätte ich auch einen Zeitungsartikel lesen können. Stattdessen hat dieses Buch über Monate meinen Männerhass geschürt und mich emotional teilweise sehr zerrüttet. Ich hatte einfach kein bisschen gute Zeit mit dem Buch. Der Aufbau ist althergebracht, auch der Stil der Übersetzung ist nichts Besonderes. Im Nachhinein habe ich durch diese Lektüre nichts gewonnen, wenn ich darüber nachdenke. Ich komme eher zu dem Schluss, dass ich es besser nicht hätte lesen sollen. Ich würde es auch wirklich niemandem ans Herz legen wollen.
Vielleicht habe ich einfach zu lange keine moderne Literatur mehr gelesen, aber das hatte abgesehen von den drastischen Schilderungen nichts Besonderes für mich und ich sehe einfach den Mehrwert nicht. Naja.
Read
December 30, 2024Das ist mit Abstand das hässlichste Buch was ich jemals gelesen habe. Schockierend, brutal, eiskalt und sehr sehr finster. Wie ein pechschwarzer, niemals endender Tunnel voller Angst, Gewalt und Hoffnungslosigkeit. Nüchtern betrachtet ist Inès Bayard eine großartige Schriftstellerin und auch die gesellschaftskritischen Spitzen wurden wirkungsvoll gesetzt, aber in Summe war mir das alles einfach zu viel!
Sehr sehr harte Kost! Lest das Buch bitte nur wenn ihr ein starkes Nervenkostüm und ein stabiles "Mindset" habt.
Sehr sehr harte Kost! Lest das Buch bitte nur wenn ihr ein starkes Nervenkostüm und ein stabiles "Mindset" habt.
August 24, 2020
The stewed apples are still sitting on the table but this little family is no longer there to eat them. Death has claimed them all.
A dark, disturbing and somewhat harrowing story, THIS LITTLE FAMILY by Ines Bayard opens with the disturbing scene depicting a family of three - Marie, Laurent and baby Thomas - all dead at the table depicted in horrific detail, having been poisoned by Marie herself. But why? What would lead a mother to take not only her life but that of her husband and baby son? What demons drove her to the edge until she could see no way other way out?
What unfolds is the story is Marie's story, beginning prior to the birth of Thomas who was a toddler at the time of his death. A career woman working as a financial advisor in a bank while her husband Laurent was a successful lawyer, Marie has come to the decision that it is time for her and Laurent to try for a baby and therefore stops taking the pill almost immediately. This is welcome news for her husband who would love nothing more than to share the joys of parenthood with his wife.
However, almost as soon as this decision is made, the power is then brutally taken from Marie when she accepts a ride home from her CEO boss. Driving her to within a walking distance from her front door he parks in a dark car park, locks the doors and brutally and mercilessly rapes her in every way possible. The narrative of the event is that descriptive that the reader can feel Marie's pain as well as her shame. Before driving off, he threatens her with losing her job and her husband if she mentions what took place.
Marie's life from then on spirals downward. She loses interest in anything and everything. She doesn't take part in conversations or makes any effort to connect with Laurent, who is oblivious to his wife's pain. Her emotions unravel as she goes through the motions of a life she now feels disconnected from until she stops altogether. The nausea she has felt since the attack has not subsided but if anything has gotten worse as she sees everything as related to her rape. But Laurent, who is blind to her pain, has the nous to suspect what he believes to be plainly obvious. That she is pregnant. He presents her with a testing kit and to her horror, it shows positive. Marie is that absorbed in her own pain that she sees no other outcome than this child is the spawn of that evil attack. But how can she tell Laurent that now when she never told him of the attack in the first place?
What transpires is Marie's continual downward spiral as she convinces herself that the baby growing inside her is the result of her rape and is not Laurent's child. Meanwhile everyone is thrilled for Marie, throwing her parties and celebrating the happy news...which she thinks is anything but. She tries to think up ways to get rid of the child. She even throws herself down the stairs, but the baby survives, although she is left with a broken leg. When the baby is born, she cannot even look at him. The sight of his nakedness horrifies her. She feels so alienated from everyone as they come to first see the baby, and then her. She was just an incubator for a child that she loathes.
Most women at the birth of their child, would bond with them as soon as they look at them. But Marie didn't. She hated Thomas. She hated the sight of him, the smell of him, the look of him and all he reminded her of. She found she couldn't escape him as Laurent went back to work and she was stuck at home with him. He would scream and she would ignore him until she she decided to see to him. She would not let another man - albeit a baby - dictate her life to her. And so she left him unchanged and unbathed so she would have as little to do with him as possible. She did not talk to him, she did not sing to him, she did not play with him. She pretty much ignored his existence for most of the day. Until attention was drawn to the fact that she had been neglecting him when he ended up in hospital with an infection. After that, Marie did only as much as was needed to keep Thomas clean and fed so as to not raise the issue of neglect again. But she found it difficult not to put her hands around his throat and squeeze...or to let him fall from their fourth floor balcony.
Marie's journey into a downward spiral of depression that is both harrowing and heartbreaking to read, is only compounded by the existence of her baby son whom she is convinced is the child of her rapist. From the moment he was born she vowed to make him pay...despite the fact he is an innocent baby. She didn't see him that way. He was the reminder of something so horrific and so brutal that she decided there was no way she could ever love something borne from such an abhorrent act. Her self absorption and self loathing was merely a mirror as to how she felt about herself since that night. How could Laurent love her now? How could anyone love her? Look at her...fat and stretched out of shape thanks to the spawn of evil that came out of her. Her self destruction only gets worse when she discovers that Laurent may have discovered her secret. And it is then that she makes that final decision...
THIS LITTLE FAMILY is an extremely difficult and harrowing read. It explores abuse and the trauma it leaves behind, as well as the emotions of self loathing and ultimately the self destruction of oneself as Marie drives herself to madness. This will not be a story for everyone, and while I thought it was a clever debut, I was also shocked by some of Marie's actions which I really didn't understand. And the sometimes vulgar narrative I found a little unnecessary and uncomfortable. I didn't understand why it was there, given Marie's experience it just didn't make sense to me. And I abhor vulgar expressions used so flippantly as it was here occasionally. To me, there is no need for such expressions.
THIS LITTLE FAMILY is a dark and disturbing read with hardly any dialogue (not one of my favourite styles) being as it is more narrative driven. The narrative is extremely powerful whilst also incredibly brutal and shocking. As the author is French, this book has been translated into English and I have to wonder if some things were lost to translation.
A haunting story that will definitely not leave you in a hurry, THIS LITTLE FAMILY is a fast read (if you can put yourself through the harrowing tale for long enough) and I read it in one sitting.
I applaud the author for the coup-de-grace in the final chapter. That final lines sent chills through me for the words that Laurent will never hear. A good ending.
Again, I must reiterate that this book WILL NOT be for everyone. It is incredibly descriptive, dark, disturbing and extremely harrowing.
I would like to thank #InesBayard, #NetGalley and #4thEstate for an ARC of #ThisLittleFamily in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
A dark, disturbing and somewhat harrowing story, THIS LITTLE FAMILY by Ines Bayard opens with the disturbing scene depicting a family of three - Marie, Laurent and baby Thomas - all dead at the table depicted in horrific detail, having been poisoned by Marie herself. But why? What would lead a mother to take not only her life but that of her husband and baby son? What demons drove her to the edge until she could see no way other way out?
What unfolds is the story is Marie's story, beginning prior to the birth of Thomas who was a toddler at the time of his death. A career woman working as a financial advisor in a bank while her husband Laurent was a successful lawyer, Marie has come to the decision that it is time for her and Laurent to try for a baby and therefore stops taking the pill almost immediately. This is welcome news for her husband who would love nothing more than to share the joys of parenthood with his wife.
However, almost as soon as this decision is made, the power is then brutally taken from Marie when she accepts a ride home from her CEO boss. Driving her to within a walking distance from her front door he parks in a dark car park, locks the doors and brutally and mercilessly rapes her in every way possible. The narrative of the event is that descriptive that the reader can feel Marie's pain as well as her shame. Before driving off, he threatens her with losing her job and her husband if she mentions what took place.
Marie's life from then on spirals downward. She loses interest in anything and everything. She doesn't take part in conversations or makes any effort to connect with Laurent, who is oblivious to his wife's pain. Her emotions unravel as she goes through the motions of a life she now feels disconnected from until she stops altogether. The nausea she has felt since the attack has not subsided but if anything has gotten worse as she sees everything as related to her rape. But Laurent, who is blind to her pain, has the nous to suspect what he believes to be plainly obvious. That she is pregnant. He presents her with a testing kit and to her horror, it shows positive. Marie is that absorbed in her own pain that she sees no other outcome than this child is the spawn of that evil attack. But how can she tell Laurent that now when she never told him of the attack in the first place?
What transpires is Marie's continual downward spiral as she convinces herself that the baby growing inside her is the result of her rape and is not Laurent's child. Meanwhile everyone is thrilled for Marie, throwing her parties and celebrating the happy news...which she thinks is anything but. She tries to think up ways to get rid of the child. She even throws herself down the stairs, but the baby survives, although she is left with a broken leg. When the baby is born, she cannot even look at him. The sight of his nakedness horrifies her. She feels so alienated from everyone as they come to first see the baby, and then her. She was just an incubator for a child that she loathes.
Most women at the birth of their child, would bond with them as soon as they look at them. But Marie didn't. She hated Thomas. She hated the sight of him, the smell of him, the look of him and all he reminded her of. She found she couldn't escape him as Laurent went back to work and she was stuck at home with him. He would scream and she would ignore him until she she decided to see to him. She would not let another man - albeit a baby - dictate her life to her. And so she left him unchanged and unbathed so she would have as little to do with him as possible. She did not talk to him, she did not sing to him, she did not play with him. She pretty much ignored his existence for most of the day. Until attention was drawn to the fact that she had been neglecting him when he ended up in hospital with an infection. After that, Marie did only as much as was needed to keep Thomas clean and fed so as to not raise the issue of neglect again. But she found it difficult not to put her hands around his throat and squeeze...or to let him fall from their fourth floor balcony.
Marie's journey into a downward spiral of depression that is both harrowing and heartbreaking to read, is only compounded by the existence of her baby son whom she is convinced is the child of her rapist. From the moment he was born she vowed to make him pay...despite the fact he is an innocent baby. She didn't see him that way. He was the reminder of something so horrific and so brutal that she decided there was no way she could ever love something borne from such an abhorrent act. Her self absorption and self loathing was merely a mirror as to how she felt about herself since that night. How could Laurent love her now? How could anyone love her? Look at her...fat and stretched out of shape thanks to the spawn of evil that came out of her. Her self destruction only gets worse when she discovers that Laurent may have discovered her secret. And it is then that she makes that final decision...
THIS LITTLE FAMILY is an extremely difficult and harrowing read. It explores abuse and the trauma it leaves behind, as well as the emotions of self loathing and ultimately the self destruction of oneself as Marie drives herself to madness. This will not be a story for everyone, and while I thought it was a clever debut, I was also shocked by some of Marie's actions which I really didn't understand. And the sometimes vulgar narrative I found a little unnecessary and uncomfortable. I didn't understand why it was there, given Marie's experience it just didn't make sense to me. And I abhor vulgar expressions used so flippantly as it was here occasionally. To me, there is no need for such expressions.
THIS LITTLE FAMILY is a dark and disturbing read with hardly any dialogue (not one of my favourite styles) being as it is more narrative driven. The narrative is extremely powerful whilst also incredibly brutal and shocking. As the author is French, this book has been translated into English and I have to wonder if some things were lost to translation.
A haunting story that will definitely not leave you in a hurry, THIS LITTLE FAMILY is a fast read (if you can put yourself through the harrowing tale for long enough) and I read it in one sitting.
I applaud the author for the coup-de-grace in the final chapter. That final lines sent chills through me for the words that Laurent will never hear. A good ending.
Again, I must reiterate that this book WILL NOT be for everyone. It is incredibly descriptive, dark, disturbing and extremely harrowing.
I would like to thank #InesBayard, #NetGalley and #4thEstate for an ARC of #ThisLittleFamily in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
May 17, 2022
"Scham" von Inès Bayard stand lange auf meiner Wunschliste. Allein das Cover hat mich gefesselt und lange nicht losgelassen - jetzt habe ich es endlich gekauft und direkt gelesen.
Die Geschichte habe ich besonders bewusst und langsam gelesen. Für mich waren es viele Eindrücke, viele Emotionen zu verarbeiten, und auch ein wichtiges, packendes Thema.
Wir begleiten Marie und ihren Mann, und ihr zunächst perfektes Leben. Den Kinderwunsch, eine Vergewaltigung und ihre Folgen. Lügen, Loyalität und ein besonderes Familiendrama.
Inès Bayard hat einen tiefgründigen und ehrlichen Schreibstil, das Lesen, trotz der Schwere, fiel mir auf keiner Seite schwer. Die Geschichte der jungen Familie ist bedrückend, fesselnd und wird mich ziemlich sicher lange Zeit beschäftigen. Die Geschichte kommt sachlich daher, löst aber so viele Emotionen in mir aus.
Von mir gibt es eine eingeschränkte Leseempfehlung. Es ist sicherlich nicht für jede:n das richtige Buch, mir hat es sehr viel gegeben und es hat mich begeistert und zugleich sprachlos zurückgelassen.
Aus dem Französischen übersetzt von Theresa Benkert.
TW: Vergewaltigung
Die Geschichte habe ich besonders bewusst und langsam gelesen. Für mich waren es viele Eindrücke, viele Emotionen zu verarbeiten, und auch ein wichtiges, packendes Thema.
Wir begleiten Marie und ihren Mann, und ihr zunächst perfektes Leben. Den Kinderwunsch, eine Vergewaltigung und ihre Folgen. Lügen, Loyalität und ein besonderes Familiendrama.
Inès Bayard hat einen tiefgründigen und ehrlichen Schreibstil, das Lesen, trotz der Schwere, fiel mir auf keiner Seite schwer. Die Geschichte der jungen Familie ist bedrückend, fesselnd und wird mich ziemlich sicher lange Zeit beschäftigen. Die Geschichte kommt sachlich daher, löst aber so viele Emotionen in mir aus.
Von mir gibt es eine eingeschränkte Leseempfehlung. Es ist sicherlich nicht für jede:n das richtige Buch, mir hat es sehr viel gegeben und es hat mich begeistert und zugleich sprachlos zurückgelassen.
Aus dem Französischen übersetzt von Theresa Benkert.
TW: Vergewaltigung
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January 11, 2023
Verlag: Wie viele Content Warnings sollen wir für den Titel angeben?
Inès Bayard: JA!
Finger weg, wenn ihr nichts zu den folgenden Themen lesen wollt: Rape, explizite Gewalt, Gewalt an Kindern, (Wochenbett)Depressionen, Suizid(gedanken), übermäßig detaillierte Beschreibung diverser Körperzustände und -flüssigkeiten.
Dieses Buch ist ähnlich heftig wie "My Dark Vanessa", phasenweise (nach meinem Empfinden) sogar noch krasser und noch schwerer auszuhalten.
Inès Bayard zeigt am Beispiel ihrer 32jährigen Protagonistin, wie fatal es ist, wenn Opfer von Vergewaltigungen das Gefühl haben, schweigen zu müssen.
Die Autorin hat für diesen Roman nach eigener Aussage intensiv in Online-Foren recherchiert, in denen sich betroffene Frauen untereinander austauschen. Die tabulose Genauigkeit, mit der sie nicht nur das Verbrechen selbst, sondern auch seine Langzeitfolgen schildert, wirkt allerdings dermaßen authentisch, dass man sich als Lesende*r durchaus manchmal fragt, wie Inès Bayard so ein Buch schreiben konnte, ohne selbst betroffen zu sein.
Inès Bayard: JA!
Finger weg, wenn ihr nichts zu den folgenden Themen lesen wollt: Rape, explizite Gewalt, Gewalt an Kindern, (Wochenbett)Depressionen, Suizid(gedanken), übermäßig detaillierte Beschreibung diverser Körperzustände und -flüssigkeiten.
Dieses Buch ist ähnlich heftig wie "My Dark Vanessa", phasenweise (nach meinem Empfinden) sogar noch krasser und noch schwerer auszuhalten.
Inès Bayard zeigt am Beispiel ihrer 32jährigen Protagonistin, wie fatal es ist, wenn Opfer von Vergewaltigungen das Gefühl haben, schweigen zu müssen.
Die Autorin hat für diesen Roman nach eigener Aussage intensiv in Online-Foren recherchiert, in denen sich betroffene Frauen untereinander austauschen. Die tabulose Genauigkeit, mit der sie nicht nur das Verbrechen selbst, sondern auch seine Langzeitfolgen schildert, wirkt allerdings dermaßen authentisch, dass man sich als Lesende*r durchaus manchmal fragt, wie Inès Bayard so ein Buch schreiben konnte, ohne selbst betroffen zu sein.
May 2, 2020
>>Jeder ist Kapitän seines eigenen Boots und steuert sein Geheimnis, so behände er kann. ...<<
„Scham“ von Ines Bayard ist ein Roman, der mich tief bewegt hat. Hier wird die Geschichte von Marie erzählt, die vom Opfer zum Täter wird und Ines Bayard nimmt hier kein Blatt vor den Mund. Sie holt den Leser hier ganz klar und deutlich, roh, kalt und doch bis ins Mark erschütternd aus seiner Komfortzone. Das ist für mich teilweise gar nicht so leicht zu verdauen gewesen aber umso wichtiger war es einmal den Spiegel vorgehalten zu bekommen, wie sehr doch der Einzelne ignoriert und übergangen werden kann. Maries Ausweglosigkeit und die damit verbundenen Folgen haben für mich Spuren hinterlassen...
„Scham“ von Ines Bayard ist ein Roman, der mich tief bewegt hat. Hier wird die Geschichte von Marie erzählt, die vom Opfer zum Täter wird und Ines Bayard nimmt hier kein Blatt vor den Mund. Sie holt den Leser hier ganz klar und deutlich, roh, kalt und doch bis ins Mark erschütternd aus seiner Komfortzone. Das ist für mich teilweise gar nicht so leicht zu verdauen gewesen aber umso wichtiger war es einmal den Spiegel vorgehalten zu bekommen, wie sehr doch der Einzelne ignoriert und übergangen werden kann. Maries Ausweglosigkeit und die damit verbundenen Folgen haben für mich Spuren hinterlassen...
September 24, 2020
This was a very dark, disturbing read and oh so believable. Whilst I predicted the ending, it was still a very tense and fast paced thriller. The ordeal was extremely uncomfortable to read and I felt the trauma throughout.
I did feel frustrated at her silence but understood the reasons for her silence, and how many people feel unable to speak out after an assault.
Her declining mental health was incredibly difficult to read and was very well written.
I did feel frustrated at her silence but understood the reasons for her silence, and how many people feel unable to speak out after an assault.
Her declining mental health was incredibly difficult to read and was very well written.
February 19, 2023
Το θέμα του βιβλίου αυτού δε θα μπορούσε να είναι να είναι πιο δυσάρεστο, πιο σκληρό, πιο βαρύ.
Οι περιγραφές προκαλούν ναυτία, αηδία, σχεδόν σωματικό πόνο.
Είναι ταυτόχρονα τόσο όμορφα γραμμένο.
Είναι σα να βλέπει κανείς μια ταινία σαν το τέρας του Φρανκενστάιν: σκηνές από το "Αμελί" και το "Μη αναστρέψιμο", μπλεγμένες μεταξύ τους σαν ιστός και ο αναγνώστης, εγώ εν προκειμένω, παγιδευμένος σαν τη μύγα....
Διάβασα σε μια κριτική του βιβλίου, ότι ο τρόπος με τον οποίο η συγγραφέας επιλέγει να ξεκινήσει την ιστορία, είναι λάθος. Ότι σε βάζει απέναντι στην πρωταγωνίστρια, ότι δε μπορείς να τη συμπαθήσεις κλπ κλπ. Για εμένα, ο τρόπος που ξεκινά το βιβλίο, σηκώνει ένα μεγάλο βάρος, βάζει μια απόσταση ανάμεσα στον αναγνώστη και στην ιστορία και κάνει την ανάγνωση σχεδόν υποφερτή. Σχεδόν...
Θίγει πολλά θέματα η Bayard σε αυτό το βιβλίο, κυρίως όμως το να ανοίξουμε τα μάτια μας στους ανθρώπους που έχουμε δίπλα μας και να καταλάβουμε. Το να σου λέει κάποιος ότι είναι καλά, δε σημαίνει ότι όντως είναι καλά...
Το βιβλίο με διέλυσε, δεν υπάρχει κάθαρση, δεν υπάρχει τίποτα, μόνο πόνος... Εκτός αν...
Οι περιγραφές προκαλούν ναυτία, αηδία, σχεδόν σωματικό πόνο.
Είναι ταυτόχρονα τόσο όμορφα γραμμένο.
Είναι σα να βλέπει κανείς μια ταινία σαν το τέρας του Φρανκενστάιν: σκηνές από το "Αμελί" και το "Μη αναστρέψιμο", μπλεγμένες μεταξύ τους σαν ιστός και ο αναγνώστης, εγώ εν προκειμένω, παγιδευμένος σαν τη μύγα....
Διάβασα σε μια κριτική του βιβλίου, ότι ο τρόπος με τον οποίο η συγγραφέας επιλέγει να ξεκινήσει την ιστορία, είναι λάθος. Ότι σε βάζει απέναντι στην πρωταγωνίστρια, ότι δε μπορείς να τη συμπαθήσεις κλπ κλπ. Για εμένα, ο τρόπος που ξεκινά το βιβλίο, σηκώνει ένα μεγάλο βάρος, βάζει μια απόσταση ανάμεσα στον αναγνώστη και στην ιστορία και κάνει την ανάγνωση σχεδόν υποφερτή. Σχεδόν...
Θίγει πολλά θέματα η Bayard σε αυτό το βιβλίο, κυρίως όμως το να ανοίξουμε τα μάτια μας στους ανθρώπους που έχουμε δίπλα μας και να καταλάβουμε. Το να σου λέει κάποιος ότι είναι καλά, δε σημαίνει ότι όντως είναι καλά...
Το βιβλίο με διέλυσε, δεν υπάρχει κάθαρση, δεν υπάρχει τίποτα, μόνο πόνος... Εκτός αν...
September 4, 2018
Ce que je ressens après cette lecture ? Une énorme incompréhension. Et surtout, beaucoup de colère.
J'ai du mal à comprendre comment on peut écrire une vision aussi inutilement trash, aussi peu représentative de la réalité et aussi gratuite des violences sexuelles et sexistes subies par les femmes. Je veux, j'exige qu'on écrive de la fiction et de la non-fiction sur le viol, le harcèlement, le sexisme, mais pitié, ne faites pas des femmes victimes des meurtrières et des psychopathes. Notre société n'a pas besoin de ce genre de romans pour se réconcilier et se construire autrement. C'est même tout le contraire.
J'ai du mal à comprendre comment on peut écrire une vision aussi inutilement trash, aussi peu représentative de la réalité et aussi gratuite des violences sexuelles et sexistes subies par les femmes. Je veux, j'exige qu'on écrive de la fiction et de la non-fiction sur le viol, le harcèlement, le sexisme, mais pitié, ne faites pas des femmes victimes des meurtrières et des psychopathes. Notre société n'a pas besoin de ce genre de romans pour se réconcilier et se construire autrement. C'est même tout le contraire.
November 17, 2021
Excellent excruciating banal feminist horror
December 16, 2020
This book was SO SAD, SO MORBID but oh so gut wrenchingly REAL.
I HAVE NEVER READ ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
It gave me the GOOSEBUMPS while still making me pensively SAD.
Its a short read but one which will take you on a rollercoaster ride which you will NEVER FORGET.
Its not an easy one as it talks vehemently of TRAUMA, RAPE, CHILD ABUSE, DEPRESSION.
Its still a BRILLIANTLY SAD BOOK, a SAD BOOK I COULDN'T STOP READING.
I don't want to make you sad but I would like you to read this book, its DIFFERENT.
Thankyou #NetGalley and Fourth Estate for sending me an e ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I HAVE NEVER READ ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
It gave me the GOOSEBUMPS while still making me pensively SAD.
Its a short read but one which will take you on a rollercoaster ride which you will NEVER FORGET.
Its not an easy one as it talks vehemently of TRAUMA, RAPE, CHILD ABUSE, DEPRESSION.
Its still a BRILLIANTLY SAD BOOK, a SAD BOOK I COULDN'T STOP READING.
I don't want to make you sad but I would like you to read this book, its DIFFERENT.
Thankyou #NetGalley and Fourth Estate for sending me an e ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 30, 2020
Who would understand her nightmare? Who'll be there to help her, to get her out of this dead end? The answer suddenly stabs at her stomach. It's all so clear: she's on her own. She'll be alone from start to finish, she'll battle relentlessly against her child unaided. If she is to take action, the only thing she can rely on is her own instinct. The long-awaited anger she's been anticipating finally takes hold of her.
A quick read, but a raw, painful and heartbreaking one. It's strange because the book takes on a mostly detached tone (Marie's POVs) and initially, for the most of the book, I found it difficult to empathise with Marie despite what she has gone through because of how horribly she treats her child. But somehow along the way, I started to feel for her without really being fully aware of it.
I love how the book started and ended - it definitely had the desired effect. As disturbing and dark this book was, I liked it.
This is an all too realistic take of what a woman goes through following a violent assault and how she copes with it. It's sad and heartbreaking to know that there are people who live like this, who feel so isolated and cornered and alone.
Some good quotes:
Most people think secrets can be kept more easily with passing time, but that's not true. In the early days, a liar stays alert, vigilant, attentive to the tiniest thing that might destroy the whole construction. Usually no one notice anything, but the logic of the setup is gradually established in people's minds. They reconstruct the narrative piece by piece, grasp its incoherence, and eventually assemble the rest with elements from their own imagination, elements that inevitably prove them right. Marie drives these thoughts from her mind. She's not watching one of those films where the viewer has no idea from start to finish. She's the leading lady. She's the victim who knows everything. She'll never let her story be completely revealed. She doesn't deserve to lose everything now.
The lost memories, the buried passion, and the forgotten promises. But there is palpable doubt in the unbreathable air in this household. Something has been broken, as when the first fights break out. Love is fresh and happy. The man and the woman adore each other, make love several times a day, promise each other not only eternity but the impossible. Then comes the first raised voice, a tiny harbinger of separation in a flash of anger or judgment. And the other person's impetuous character is gradually revealed in all its vices and idiosyncrasies, the surface image is shattered. The lovers no longer have the same energy in their passionate embraces, they stop making love, distance themselves a much as possible from each other. It's happening to them too. Laurent suspects his wife, Marie loathes her husband for not understanding anything even though she herself is doing her utmost to hide the biggest crisis of their lives.
The facts were enough. The consequences visible and irreparable. Ever cautious, they're all acting in silence. The rape is vanishing under the weight of more recent events. Its gnawing, degraded violence is called into question in various ways and simply eclipses itself from the surface of this torment and sorrow. And they each start out on their lives again.
June 18, 2020
A woman kills herself, her husband and their small son. What has led her to poison their dinner? They are a well-off Parisian family with a successful husband and lovely kid living in a beautiful apartment. What people cannot see is the inside, the inside of the family home and especially the inside of Marie who has been struggling for years to keep her secret well shut behind a friendly facade: she was raped by her CEO after work one evening and is convinced that Thomas is the result of the assault and not her husband’s son. Every day, she has to look in the eye of the small boy and is confronted again with what happened and what she cannot share with anybody. It is not the tragic story of a family, but the heart-breaking story of a woman not just suffering once from the humiliation and attack, but suffering every single day of her life.
Inès Bayard’s novel is one of the most moving and highly disturbing books I have ever read. She starts with the final step of Marie’s desolate and lonely voyage, no surprise where it all will end up, but the way there could hardly be more painful, more emotionally challenging and nevertheless easy to understand and follow.
Marie feels ashamed for what has happened to her, for her body after giving birth, for her behaviour towards her husband. She does not see herself as the victim she is, immediately, after the assault, she has taken the decision to comply with her assailant’s threat not to tell anybody and thinks she now has to stick to it. Her mental state is gradually deteriorating and Bayard meticulously narrates the downwards spiral. Looking at her from the outside, you can see that she is trapped in an unhealthy mental state that she has established and which is completely wrong but yet, it is so understandable how she comes to those conclusions and this almost paranoid view of her situation.
She does not get help or support, nobody even seems to notice her suffering, only when the signs become too obvious is suspicion raised. There might have been ways out of her depression and misery, but she cannot take these roads and thus needs to face her ultimate fate which does not entail living an option.
Without any doubt, Marie is a victim in several respects. But so is her son Thomas and he is the poor boy without any chance to escape or change his fate, he is exposed helplessly to his mother’s hatred which seems unfair, but I think it is not difficult to understand what she sees in him. Is her husband Laurent to blame? Hard to say, the same accounts for Marie’s mother who didn’t do anything other than just cover the traces of her daughter’s state when she becomes aware of it, she does not offer help when it was most needed.
The novel is a wonderful example for what such an event can do to people, how they struggle to survive and hide what has happened. It is deeply moving and frightening to observe which is also due to the author’s style of writing.
Inès Bayard’s novel is one of the most moving and highly disturbing books I have ever read. She starts with the final step of Marie’s desolate and lonely voyage, no surprise where it all will end up, but the way there could hardly be more painful, more emotionally challenging and nevertheless easy to understand and follow.
Marie feels ashamed for what has happened to her, for her body after giving birth, for her behaviour towards her husband. She does not see herself as the victim she is, immediately, after the assault, she has taken the decision to comply with her assailant’s threat not to tell anybody and thinks she now has to stick to it. Her mental state is gradually deteriorating and Bayard meticulously narrates the downwards spiral. Looking at her from the outside, you can see that she is trapped in an unhealthy mental state that she has established and which is completely wrong but yet, it is so understandable how she comes to those conclusions and this almost paranoid view of her situation.
She does not get help or support, nobody even seems to notice her suffering, only when the signs become too obvious is suspicion raised. There might have been ways out of her depression and misery, but she cannot take these roads and thus needs to face her ultimate fate which does not entail living an option.
Without any doubt, Marie is a victim in several respects. But so is her son Thomas and he is the poor boy without any chance to escape or change his fate, he is exposed helplessly to his mother’s hatred which seems unfair, but I think it is not difficult to understand what she sees in him. Is her husband Laurent to blame? Hard to say, the same accounts for Marie’s mother who didn’t do anything other than just cover the traces of her daughter’s state when she becomes aware of it, she does not offer help when it was most needed.
The novel is a wonderful example for what such an event can do to people, how they struggle to survive and hide what has happened. It is deeply moving and frightening to observe which is also due to the author’s style of writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2021
HOLY SMOKEY MALONEY. As you may know, I go into every single book blind. The reason I chose to read this book is because It was described as; DARK and UNCOMFORTABLE. Now let me tell you something, this was incredibly DARK and UNCOMFORTABLE to read. Picture The Push x1000 on the dark and uncomfortable scale. There's a scale right? This Little Family, is filled with basically ALL the possible trigger warnings, so be prepared.
.
The very first page of this book starts off with a bang, and you really get a good feeling of the type of book you're about to read. It starts off incredibly uncomfortable and we work back in time to discover just how we got to this place. Honestly, if you actually read the synopsis of this book, it gives you a very good idea on what this is about. I don't think it's appropriate if I say that I enjoyed this book but what I can say is this; although this is incredibly hard to read, the writing is absolutely amazing, you're not going to want to put it down. Your heart will ache, you'll be shocked what you just read, but you won't put it down until you reach that shocking ending.
.
The very first page of this book starts off with a bang, and you really get a good feeling of the type of book you're about to read. It starts off incredibly uncomfortable and we work back in time to discover just how we got to this place. Honestly, if you actually read the synopsis of this book, it gives you a very good idea on what this is about. I don't think it's appropriate if I say that I enjoyed this book but what I can say is this; although this is incredibly hard to read, the writing is absolutely amazing, you're not going to want to put it down. Your heart will ache, you'll be shocked what you just read, but you won't put it down until you reach that shocking ending.
April 19, 2023
Le sujet abordé est hyper intéressant et rarement aborder (enfin j'ai l'impression ?) mais clairement Ines Bayard n'a pas du tout maitrisé la chose pour moi...
Le côté cru et violent aurait pu être un énorme plus en étant utilisé différemment (ou mieux ?), malheureusement ça a finalement enlevé à la qualité du roman pour moi... Dommage.
Le côté cru et violent aurait pu être un énorme plus en étant utilisé différemment (ou mieux ?), malheureusement ça a finalement enlevé à la qualité du roman pour moi... Dommage.
January 22, 2024
Και έρχεται η στιγμή που νιώθεις έναν πόνο βουβό που σε παραλύει και σ'εμποδίζει στο να κάνεις το οτιδήποτε, παρά να περιφέρεσαι άσκοπα με θολωμένο μυαλό κ "διαμελισμένο" σώμα ... Πόσο όμως θα αντέξεις πριν κάνεις μία βίαιη έκρηξη?
Το βιβλίο ξεκινάει από τις πρώτες σελίδες του παρουσιάζοντας τον βιασμό της Μαρί...εικόνες σκληρές που θα σου φέρουν δάκρυα ,οργή μέχρι κ αναγούλα. Μία πράξη που ξαφνικά την κάνει να νιώθει χυδαία αναίσχυντη ,καταρρακωμένη και γεμάτη ενοχές που δεν θα πρεπε ποτέ να υπήρχαν στο μυαλό της...
Η Μαρί είχε έναν όμορφο γάμο ,ή έτσι τουλάχιστον πιστεύε μέχρι πρότινος,με τον Λοράν , ήταν και οι δύο άνθρωποι εμπιστοσύνης που δεν είχανε απογοητεύσει στιγμή ο ένας τον άλλον και μοιράζονταν ένα κοινό πλάνο ζωής το οποίο υφίσταντο που και πού ελαφριές μεταβολές προσαρμοζόμενο στις συνθήκες...
Ξαφνικά όμως τίποτα δεν φαντάζει το ίδιο, το σώμα της πονάει, η ψυχή της είναι διαλυμένη και προσπαθεί να επιβιώσει μέσα στην απελπιστική ερημοποιημένη ένταση πόνου που βιώνει...
Ζούσε μία ζωή γεμάτη πραότητα και συστολή, ξαφνικά όμως αρνείται το ρόλο που είχε μέχρι χθες αρνείται να καμουφλάρει τις ατέλειες της και να χαλιναγωγεί την αναίδεια της,απαρνείται να υποδύεται τη συνετή κόρη, σύζυγό κ αδερφή... Αρχίζει να απογυμνώνεται από όλα τα πρέπει που ένιωθε μέχρι χθες ,μίσος γεμίζει την καρδιά της βγάζοντας σιγά σιγά στην επιφάνεια τις πρώτες κηλίδες της δυσλειτουργίας της και των βασανιστικών διλημμάτων που έχει μετα από αυτό ...
Δεν είναι ένα εύκολο βιβλίο, δεν είναι ένα βιβλίο που θα πρότεινα αβίαστα λόγο της ωμότητας του κ σίγουρα δεν είναι ένα βιβλίο που τελειώνει με το έζησαν κ αυτοί καλά ,γιατί αυτά συμβαίνουν μόνο στα παραμύθια η πραγματική ζωή είναι γεμάτη σφαλιάρες που κανείς δεν σε προετοιμάζει γι'αυτές...Ενα βιβλίο που με γέμισε ένταση και θα μείνει για πάντα χαραγμένο μέσα μου ...
Το βιβλίο ξεκινάει από τις πρώτες σελίδες του παρουσιάζοντας τον βιασμό της Μαρί...εικόνες σκληρές που θα σου φέρουν δάκρυα ,οργή μέχρι κ αναγούλα. Μία πράξη που ξαφνικά την κάνει να νιώθει χυδαία αναίσχυντη ,καταρρακωμένη και γεμάτη ενοχές που δεν θα πρεπε ποτέ να υπήρχαν στο μυαλό της...
Η Μαρί είχε έναν όμορφο γάμο ,ή έτσι τουλάχιστον πιστεύε μέχρι πρότινος,με τον Λοράν , ήταν και οι δύο άνθρωποι εμπιστοσύνης που δεν είχανε απογοητεύσει στιγμή ο ένας τον άλλον και μοιράζονταν ένα κοινό πλάνο ζωής το οποίο υφίσταντο που και πού ελαφριές μεταβολές προσαρμοζόμενο στις συνθήκες...
Ξαφνικά όμως τίποτα δεν φαντάζει το ίδιο, το σώμα της πονάει, η ψυχή της είναι διαλυμένη και προσπαθεί να επιβιώσει μέσα στην απελπιστική ερημοποιημένη ένταση πόνου που βιώνει...
Ζούσε μία ζωή γεμάτη πραότητα και συστολή, ξαφνικά όμως αρνείται το ρόλο που είχε μέχρι χθες αρνείται να καμουφλάρει τις ατέλειες της και να χαλιναγωγεί την αναίδεια της,απαρνείται να υποδύεται τη συνετή κόρη, σύζυγό κ αδερφή... Αρχίζει να απογυμνώνεται από όλα τα πρέπει που ένιωθε μέχρι χθες ,μίσος γεμίζει την καρδιά της βγάζοντας σιγά σιγά στην επιφάνεια τις πρώτες κηλίδες της δυσλειτουργίας της και των βασανιστικών διλημμάτων που έχει μετα από αυτό ...
Δεν είναι ένα εύκολο βιβλίο, δεν είναι ένα βιβλίο που θα πρότεινα αβίαστα λόγο της ωμότητας του κ σίγουρα δεν είναι ένα βιβλίο που τελειώνει με το έζησαν κ αυτοί καλά ,γιατί αυτά συμβαίνουν μόνο στα παραμύθια η πραγματική ζωή είναι γεμάτη σφαλιάρες που κανείς δεν σε προετοιμάζει γι'αυτές...Ενα βιβλίο που με γέμισε ένταση και θα μείνει για πάντα χαραγμένο μέσα μου ...
June 9, 2023
Marie là người phụ nữ có một cuộc sống hạnh phúc, có một công việc tại ngân hàng và có một người chồng luật sư sự nghiệp đang lên, mọi thứ hoàn hảo và họ đang đợi có một đứa con. Nhưng Marie đã bị giám đốc mới của mình cưỡng hiếp và hắn đe dọa cô không được nói ra, nếu không hắn sẽ làm cho gia đình Marie mất tất cả. Mọi chuyện trở nên căng thẳng khi Marie phát hiện mình mang thai, và cô tin rằng cha đứa bé chính là kẻ đã cưỡng hiếp mình.
Qua từng trang sách mình cảm thấy căng thẳng và sốc, những điều Marie trải qua đã ám ảnh cô ấy, kinh khủng hơn mỗi ngày làm việc phải đối mặt với kẻ đã cưỡng hiếp mình. Marie không nói với ai vì lo sợ mình bị coi thường, bị ghê tởm, và sợ cuộc hôn nhân của cô sẽ đổ vỡ. Marie bắt đầu có những suy nghĩ tiêu cực và dần bỏ bê đứa con mới sinh của mình.
Ta thấy Marie đã từng là người vợ và đáng lẽ cô sẽ là người mẹ hạnh phúc, nhưng giấc mơ đó đã tắt, khi cô dần rơi vào trầm cảm và mệt mỏi. Không chỉ nói về hậu quả của vấn nạn cưỡng hiếp, mà nó còn là cái nhìn của người phụ nữ về chính họ, Marie tự ti với cơ thể sau sinh, ghen với những người phụ nữ ở gần chồng, Marie đôi khi phải làm những điều mình không muốn để duy trì cuộc sống tốt đẹp, cô còn phải chịu những áp lực về tuổi tác.
This Little Family là một trong những cuốn sách nặng nề về tâm lý nhất mình từng đọc. Mọi thứ trong sách được viết nặng nề và đen tối, những suy nghĩ về tình dục, sự đau khổ của người phụ nữ và gia đình phải chịu. Mình thấy không khí ngày càng căng thẳng và nặng nề, chẳng còn gì có thể cứu vãng khi bi kịch đã đến một gia đình nhỏ
Qua từng trang sách mình cảm thấy căng thẳng và sốc, những điều Marie trải qua đã ám ảnh cô ấy, kinh khủng hơn mỗi ngày làm việc phải đối mặt với kẻ đã cưỡng hiếp mình. Marie không nói với ai vì lo sợ mình bị coi thường, bị ghê tởm, và sợ cuộc hôn nhân của cô sẽ đổ vỡ. Marie bắt đầu có những suy nghĩ tiêu cực và dần bỏ bê đứa con mới sinh của mình.
Ta thấy Marie đã từng là người vợ và đáng lẽ cô sẽ là người mẹ hạnh phúc, nhưng giấc mơ đó đã tắt, khi cô dần rơi vào trầm cảm và mệt mỏi. Không chỉ nói về hậu quả của vấn nạn cưỡng hiếp, mà nó còn là cái nhìn của người phụ nữ về chính họ, Marie tự ti với cơ thể sau sinh, ghen với những người phụ nữ ở gần chồng, Marie đôi khi phải làm những điều mình không muốn để duy trì cuộc sống tốt đẹp, cô còn phải chịu những áp lực về tuổi tác.
This Little Family là một trong những cuốn sách nặng nề về tâm lý nhất mình từng đọc. Mọi thứ trong sách được viết nặng nề và đen tối, những suy nghĩ về tình dục, sự đau khổ của người phụ nữ và gia đình phải chịu. Mình thấy không khí ngày càng căng thẳng và nặng nề, chẳng còn gì có thể cứu vãng khi bi kịch đã đến một gia đình nhỏ
March 25, 2020
Marie ist Anfang dreissig, zufrieden mit ihrer Karriere und mit dem perfekten Mann verheiratet – um ihr Glück komplett zu machen, wünschen sich die beiden jetzt ein Kind. Doch dann geschieht das Unfassbare: Marie wird auf ihrem Nachhauseweg von ihrem neuen Chef brutal vergewaltigt. Danach setzt er sie dermassen unter Druck, dass sie niemandem davon erzählt. Immer tiefer stürzt sie in die Depression – bis sie sich verliert und selbst zur Täterin wird.
Das Ende nimmt Inès Bayard vorweg: Auf der ersten Seite des Romans schildert sie, wie Marie ihren Mann, ihren Sohn und sich selbst vergiftet. Erst in den Folgekapiteln setzt sich die Geschichte zusammen. Dieses Konstrukt ist leider auch eine Schwäche des Buches, trotz hohem Tempo vermag kaum Spannung aufzukommen. Dazu kommt eine extrem brutale Wortwahl (mir wurde nicht nur einmal übel beim Lesen), die nicht so recht zur anfänglichen «Wutlosigkeit» Maries passen will. Allgemein ist die Sprache recht knapp und lieblos. Ich rechne es der Autorin auf der anderen Seite aber hoch an, dass sie auch die Abneigung Maries gegenüber ihrem eigenen Kind – von dem sie überzeugt ist, dass es von ihrem Vergewaltiger stammt – knallhart ausformuliert. DAS ist ja wirklich ein Tabuthema.
Darum bin ich ein wenig gespalten – ich finde solche Bücher wichtig, aber wirklich gut geschrieben ist «Scham» nicht. Ich würde es auch nur dann empfehlen, wenn man keine Mühe hat mit sehr bildlicher und ausführlicher Darstellung von Gewalt.
Das Ende nimmt Inès Bayard vorweg: Auf der ersten Seite des Romans schildert sie, wie Marie ihren Mann, ihren Sohn und sich selbst vergiftet. Erst in den Folgekapiteln setzt sich die Geschichte zusammen. Dieses Konstrukt ist leider auch eine Schwäche des Buches, trotz hohem Tempo vermag kaum Spannung aufzukommen. Dazu kommt eine extrem brutale Wortwahl (mir wurde nicht nur einmal übel beim Lesen), die nicht so recht zur anfänglichen «Wutlosigkeit» Maries passen will. Allgemein ist die Sprache recht knapp und lieblos. Ich rechne es der Autorin auf der anderen Seite aber hoch an, dass sie auch die Abneigung Maries gegenüber ihrem eigenen Kind – von dem sie überzeugt ist, dass es von ihrem Vergewaltiger stammt – knallhart ausformuliert. DAS ist ja wirklich ein Tabuthema.
Darum bin ich ein wenig gespalten – ich finde solche Bücher wichtig, aber wirklich gut geschrieben ist «Scham» nicht. Ich würde es auch nur dann empfehlen, wenn man keine Mühe hat mit sehr bildlicher und ausführlicher Darstellung von Gewalt.
February 19, 2020
Was für ein Buch... gerade eben habe ich es beendet und versuche nun, meine Gedanken etwas zu ordnen und zu strukturieren, um sie halbwegs nachvollziehbar niederzuschreiben.
Die Verkäuferin in der Buchhandlung hat mir das Buch ans Herz gelegt mit der Aussage, es sei ein echtes ‚Aufreger-Buch‘. Nun ja, die Prämisse des Buches alleine beinhaltet ein Thema, das einfach unangenehm ist. Nie zuvor war die Autonomie der Frau so wichtig und wurde derart großgeschrieben, die VerfechterInnen der ‚Me-Too-Kampagnen‘ gefeiert und das Thema Vergewaltigung so offen thematisiert wie derzeit. Was nicht nur gut, sondern notwendig ist.
Trotzdem ist es für Betroffene oder auch für den Umkreis von betroffenen Personen dadurch keineswegs einfach geworden, sobald ein derartiger Fall persönliche Dimensionen annimmt.
Inès Bayard erzählt in ‚Scham‘ von einer jungen Frau, der ebensolches widerfahren ist und die auf allen Wegen versucht, nach dieser Tat nicht nur zu überleben, sondern auch weiterzuleben und dabei von einer allesumfassenden Ohnmacht begleitet wird.
Es ist die Geschichte eines Opfers, das zum Täter wird, wobei dieser Weg schonungslos ehrlich beschrieben wird und die Autorin ihren Finger nicht nur auf, sondern in die Wunde der LeserInnen legt.
Riesengroße Empfehlung meinerseits!
Die Verkäuferin in der Buchhandlung hat mir das Buch ans Herz gelegt mit der Aussage, es sei ein echtes ‚Aufreger-Buch‘. Nun ja, die Prämisse des Buches alleine beinhaltet ein Thema, das einfach unangenehm ist. Nie zuvor war die Autonomie der Frau so wichtig und wurde derart großgeschrieben, die VerfechterInnen der ‚Me-Too-Kampagnen‘ gefeiert und das Thema Vergewaltigung so offen thematisiert wie derzeit. Was nicht nur gut, sondern notwendig ist.
Trotzdem ist es für Betroffene oder auch für den Umkreis von betroffenen Personen dadurch keineswegs einfach geworden, sobald ein derartiger Fall persönliche Dimensionen annimmt.
Inès Bayard erzählt in ‚Scham‘ von einer jungen Frau, der ebensolches widerfahren ist und die auf allen Wegen versucht, nach dieser Tat nicht nur zu überleben, sondern auch weiterzuleben und dabei von einer allesumfassenden Ohnmacht begleitet wird.
Es ist die Geschichte eines Opfers, das zum Täter wird, wobei dieser Weg schonungslos ehrlich beschrieben wird und die Autorin ihren Finger nicht nur auf, sondern in die Wunde der LeserInnen legt.
Riesengroße Empfehlung meinerseits!
December 4, 2021
Χμ, το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι αυτό το βιβλίο δεν θα το διαβάσει κανείς για να περάσει ευχάριστα την ώρα του ή για να απολαύσει τη γραφή και την ατμόσφαιρα της ιστορίας. Είναι ένα αρκετά σκληρό, ωμό και ασφυκτικό κοινωνικό δράμα, σκοτεινό και μάλλον καταθλιπτικό, που περιγράφει καταστάσεις δύσκολες και τρομακτικές, με κλινική ακρίβεια και μεθοδικότητα. Η συγγραφέας θίγει κάποια δύσκολα θέματα που απασχολούν τη γυναίκα (αλλά και γενικά την κοινωνία) στις μέρες μας, όπως είναι ο βιασμός, ο έγγαμος βίος, η θέση της γυναίκας στην οικογένεια, και πάει λέγοντας. Δεν μπορώ να πω ότι είναι από τα βιβλία που συνήθως διαβάζω, δεν ανήκει δηλαδή στα είδη που επιλέγω συχνότερα, πάντως κατάφερε να με κρατήσει στην τσίτα μέχρι το τέλος, αλλά και να μου δημιουργήσει ποικίλα συναισθήματα, όπως για παράδειγμα θυμό και εκνευρισμό. Αν μη τι άλλο, αξιόλογο και δυνατό συγγραφικό ντεμπούτο. (7.5/10)
August 4, 2020
Thank you to netgalley and 4th Estate and William Collins for the arc of this sensational book.
This follows a family which includes the wife husband and their son, the woman ends up killing herself, her husband and EVEN their small son. In which she poisoned all of their food.... They are a well-off Rich Parisian family with a successful husband and lovely kid living in a beautiful apartment! why would she want to kill herself and them....
4 stars very dark, mysterious and thrilling love this! great one i read quickly and would highly recommend.
This follows a family which includes the wife husband and their son, the woman ends up killing herself, her husband and EVEN their small son. In which she poisoned all of their food.... They are a well-off Rich Parisian family with a successful husband and lovely kid living in a beautiful apartment! why would she want to kill herself and them....
4 stars very dark, mysterious and thrilling love this! great one i read quickly and would highly recommend.
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