Un avenir radieux ("A Bright Future"), by Pierre Lemaitre
I feel a little bad saying this, but what a ridiculous book!
I picked it up because it was one of the most popular books on leslibraires.ca a few weeks ago, and I have to admit I’m a little taken aback by it.
The book isn't bad at all, but it feels like it's made up of three or four different, unfinished pieces that have been cobbled together as best as possible.
Here are the stories that have been started but not yet finished, which make up this novel
- A little girl is sexually assaulted by her disgusting old neighbor
- A man of pathetic shyness and spinelessness commits two sordid murders
- A journalist is persuaded to take part in a spy mission in Czechoslovakia
There were many frustrating aspects, especially those involving the crazy woman who is the mother of the assaulted little girl and the wife of the pathetic murderer. She walks all over everyone, constantly quoting the latest astrological predictions she’s gleaned from her favorite magazine. She’s a danger to her daughter, whom she despises because she wanted a boy, and the whole family mopes in silence rather than doing anything to protect the poor girl.
Her murderous husband never gets caught for his crimes.
The little girl who was attacked didn't tell anyone about her attacker, and he eventually died in an accident.
At least the spy story has a conclusion. That was actually my favorite part of the book.
All the chapters are titled with a sentence taken—seemingly at random—from that same chapter. So they don’t really tell us much.
In the end, we’re left with a very vague and vague teaser about a possible upcoming book. And why would I be interested in that?
Actually, I never understood why the book was called "A Bright Future". I’m not entirely innocent; I suppose that’s ironic, but I still dont get it. When did this book ever mention the future? It seems like the author just threw two words together that he thought sounded cool.
In short, I wasn't very impressed. But then again, maybe I just didn't get it.
