Delighted to host today's Blog Tour stop
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| World Editions Ltd 20 February 2020 My thanks to the author and random Things Tours for my copy of this book and the invitation to be part of the blog tour. |
At home there are four rooms: one for her, one for her brother, one for her parents … and one for the carcasses. The father is a big game hunter, a powerful predator; the mother is submissive to her violent husband’s demands. The young narrator spends the days with her brother, Sam, playing in the shells of cars dumped for scrap and listening out for the chimes of the ice-cream truck, until a brutal accident shatters their world.
The uncompromising pen of Adeline Dieudonné wields flashes of brilliance as she brings her characters to life in a world that is both dark and sensual. This breathtaking debut is a sharp and funny coming-of-age tale in which reality and illusion collide.
What did I think about it..
An unnamed narrator, a traumatised small boy, a submissive wife, a violent hunter, and a house with four rooms, all add up to a story which is as sinister as the four people who occupy its spaces.
Right from the start of Real Life I was completely drawn into this very dark, contemporary story, which is unlike any coming-of-age story I have ever read before. Raw, visceral and quite challenging there is never a moment when the narrative doesn't entice you into its secret places, drawing you further and further into the narrator's frightening world.
Real Life is not going to be to everyone's taste, as its thought provoking themes are really very dark, however, that's where the appeal of the novel lies, in that the story, so cleverly manipulated by the author makes you sit up and take notice of everything the young narrator is experiencing in her troubled home life. Thankfully, Real Life has some really special moments, with flashes of brilliance which linger and allow the lyricism of the language to flow seamlessly.
Written by a Belgian author, and beautifully translated, this story has rightfully won several French literary awards, and after finishing this powerful story, in one sitting, I can well understand why such high praise has been heaped upon it.
An unnamed narrator, a traumatised small boy, a submissive wife, a violent hunter, and a house with four rooms, all add up to a story which is as sinister as the four people who occupy its spaces.
Right from the start of Real Life I was completely drawn into this very dark, contemporary story, which is unlike any coming-of-age story I have ever read before. Raw, visceral and quite challenging there is never a moment when the narrative doesn't entice you into its secret places, drawing you further and further into the narrator's frightening world.
Real Life is not going to be to everyone's taste, as its thought provoking themes are really very dark, however, that's where the appeal of the novel lies, in that the story, so cleverly manipulated by the author makes you sit up and take notice of everything the young narrator is experiencing in her troubled home life. Thankfully, Real Life has some really special moments, with flashes of brilliance which linger and allow the lyricism of the language to flow seamlessly.
Written by a Belgian author, and beautifully translated, this story has rightfully won several French literary awards, and after finishing this powerful story, in one sitting, I can well understand why such high praise has been heaped upon it.
About the Author
ADELINE DIEUDONNÉ was born in 1982 and lives in Brussels. A playwright and short-story writer, her first novella, Amarula, was awarded the Grand Prix of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. Two further booklets were published by Editions Lamiroy in 2017: Seule dans le noir and Bonobo Moussaka. Real Life was recently awarded the prestigious Prix du Roman FNAC, the Prix Rossel, the Prix Renaudot des Lycéens, and the Prix Filigrane, a French prize for a work of high literary quality with wide appeal. Dieudonné also performs as a stand-up comedian.
ROLAND GLASSER is an award-winning translator of French literature, based in London.
ROLAND GLASSER is an award-winning translator of French literature, based in London.
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Thanks so much for this blog tour support Jo x
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleausure to be involved, Anne. Thanks for the invitation x
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