L'enfant des terres rouges

by Cécile Drouin

The tale of a 7 year old girl growing up in war-torn Hanoi and her eventual escape to France, where the freedom to find her own way brings her to a decision which separates her from her family and her previous life for ever. The book is a story of lost innocence and the solace of the imagination. Cecile Drouin's family emigrated to Hanoi where she lived until the age of seven and the novel is highly autobiographical. It is winner of Europe 1's First Novel Prize and is a bestseller in France.

205 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

my first year in college, while helping a newfound friend met move into her new dorm room, we fond this little book under her mattress. With nothing else to do during those first few days I took it back to my own still empty room and began reading. A child's tale of loneliness, rejection and love, from the hot, primeval universe of Asia to the cold and sterile environment of European capitals.