New Acquisitions Autumn 2023

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Jean-Baptiste Andrea

Prix Goncourt Prix Goncourt

A young boy, born poor and raised in a sculptor's workshop, met a girl of his age but of a completely different background; she was the descendant of a prestigious family.

They made an impossible couple, linked with a passionate platonic relationship, in a turbulent world: Italy in the two Wars and a place ravaged by fascism and totalitarianism. A history of the country, a voyage into art and a poetry between two innocents.

Triste tigre
Neige Sinno

Prix Femina Prix Femina

It's a haunting autobiographical work about an unspeakable trauma. Unspeakable yet the author managed to deliver a heartbreaking account of what happened to her: as a kid she had been systematically raped by a close family member.

It's a sensitive, intelligent and sharply sincere reflection on the possibility to speak of - and listen to - the unspeakable. The text also takes us to a radical reading of notable works tackling the subject of rape and incest (Nabokov, Woolf, Despentes, etc). A courageous endeavour. 

Les Insolents
Anne Scott

Prix Renaudot Prix Renaudot

Three inseparable close friends. One of them, the main protagonist, decided to leave, settle in nowhere and live in solitude - that is her dream.

Speaking of dreams, they are often shattered; by the randomness and the absurdity of the world, of life. In this intimate novel, the three friends had to learn to deal with their wounds, disillusions, and their future in reality where fewer and fewer possibilities remained.

Sarah, Susanne et l'Écrivain
Eric Reinhardt

The author once again experiments the literary devices of mirror effects and mise en abyme with his latest work: Sarah asks a writer to write a story based on her life, in which the protagonist, now named Susanne, will also be the narrator.

In this book, Reinhardt - or the fictional writer, or Sarah/Suzanne - explores the conditions of women: a woman relegated to "just a housewife", and the psychological manipulation and financial exploitation involved in this cruel process. A work that tries to give a voice to a woman while offering us a glimpse into the backstage of literary creation. 

Le Vieil incendie
Elisa Shua Dusapin

With French and Korean origins, Dusapin grew up in France and Switzerland. Her previous novels all have a very multicultural background - Japan, Korea and Russia; with emotional stories she explores themes such as belonging, exile, and language and cultural barriers. 

With her latest novel she returns to the Périgord, the region where she is born, and tells a story of a pair of sisters who meet again after long years of separation on the occasion of the sale of their family house. A dialogue of pain, regret and grief, or rather the impossibility to communicate these feelings?

L'Enragé
Sorj Chalandon

Previous laureat of le prix Médicis (2006), le Grand prix de roman de l'Académie française (2008) and le prix Goncourt des lycéens (2013), renowned writer Chalandon returns this year with a historial novel on the penal colony for children (a correctional facility) of Belle-île-en-mer.

The story follows a revolt and escape of 56 child inmates in 1934, and the subsequent hunt for them by the institution. All but one are recaptured, and through this sole escapee, Chalandon offers his fiercest denunciation of the institutionalised violence and humiliation towards children.

L’Affaire Alaska Sanders
Joël Dicker

The new book from the best-selling Swiss author of detective and crime fiction was the second most sold book in France in 2022.

Dicker goes back to his second novel "La Vérité sur l'affaire Harry Quebert" (2012) which brought him le Grand prix de roman de l'Académie française and le prix Goncourt des lycéens. The protagonists - the investigative writer and policer detective - will partner once again to look into the mystery of a dead body discovered in New Hampshire, USA. And the ghosts and memories of the previous Harry Quebert's case which traumatised the town will resurface to haunt them.

Ghost Town
Kevin Chen (陳思宏)

After receiving critical acclaim from the foreign press, including The New York Times, the book hit the headline of literature review of Le Monde.

A Taiwanese young gay man is recently released from prison in Berlin for killing his boyfriend. He is to return to his family's village, from which he fleed in search of his identity, and find his parents deceased, his seven sisters married, mad, or dead. 

Told with multiple voices and moving through time, Ghost Town, with the appearance of a fantastical tale, digs deep into the power of family secrets and countryside superstitions, and the search of personal and cultural identity.

Les Cahiers d’Esther (T. 8) : Histoire de Mes 17 ans
Riad Sattouf

A new volume of the comic series Les cahiers d’Esther, documenting the growth journey of the teenage girl Esther. Just like ordinary teenagers, Esther is getting confused about her future while facing the pressure of a public exam.

“Should I continue to study?” “What do I want to do in my life after the end of school life?”... These are the common questions that every youth must face when growing up. Along Esther’s journey into adulthood, we may find resonance in her struggle from finding self-identity and personal goals.

L’Arabe du futur (T. 6) :
Une Jeunesse au Moyen-Orient (1994-2011)
Riad Sattouf

The last volume of the comic series L’Arabe du Futur. The whole series retraces the childhood and adolescence of the author, as the son of a Syrian father and Breton mother living through a dramatic family history.

Covering the years from 1994 to 2011, the story takes us through the whole immigration journey of the French-Syrian family, starting from Libya to Syria, via Rennes to Cap Fréhel in Britanny. 

Lastman (T. 10-12)
Bastien Vivès, Balak and Michaël Sanlaville

The latest issues of a popular fight comic series in France, shooting to fame with its intricate fantasy setting and heart-pounding action sequences.

Taking place in a world where magic is acknowledged as reality, a young ambitious boy Adrian is eager to win the annual grand tournament after training all year in the combat school. With the reference of martial arts and magical elements, the exciting fight scenes and plot will make you unable to resist reading it.

Elles (T. 1-3)
Kid Toussaint and Aveline Stokart

A new imaginative comic series featured with Pixar-esque art. The story centres on a seemingly-ordinary teenage girl Elle, starting a new life at a new school. With a charismatic and good-natured personality, she finds no difficulty in making friends on her first day of school. But she has a secret: she is brought with a colourful mix of personalities…

Who is the real Elle? Will her new friends still stand by her when her secret is revealed? With an engaging story filled with moments of real emotion, mystery, intrigue and humour, this series is worth reading for readers of all ages.

Astérix : L’Empire du Milieu
René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo

A new illustration album of the classic comic series Astérix, based on the original screenplay of the film Astérix & Obélix: The Missing Kingdom (2023).

This time, Astérix and Obélix start their adventures with a guest from China, princess Fu Yi. Witnessing the imprisonment of the Empress of China after a coup d’etat, the only princess flees to Gual, seeking help from the duo.

Mortelle Adèle (T. 1) :
Tout Ça Finira Mal
Mr Tan and Miss Prickly

As one of the most successful French comic series, the story follows the adventures of an unsympathetic 8-year-old girl named Adèle, who spends her time dreaming up diabolical plans to make those around her suffer.

The whole series is made up of various short stories, featuring Adèle's tumultuous relationships with her family, friends, enemies and life at school. Each story is told with humour and derision, and the colourful illustrations add a playful touch to the whole.