Laurent Mauvignier

This is the story of the four denizens of a hamlet and the terrible events that happened the night three of them threw a small birthday party for the fourth. There's Bergogne, the farmer, content with his cows, in love with his wife, but worried about money. There's his wife, Marion, who works in town and who is about to turn forty. There's their daughter, Ida, who is so excited about the planned celebration and who spends the day before carefully painting a picture for her mother. And there's Christine, who left the art world in Paris for this quiet backwater, and spends her day painting, with only her dog, Rajah and the neighbor's daughter for company. Lately she's been getting some threatening letters though.

What makes this novel so magnificent is the perfection of the pacing and how well the author creates an unbearable feeling of dread in the reader. The novel gives each character a chapter, following their thoughts and every minor preoccupation of their day. It's a style that takes effort to read, until the reader is immersed in each character's life. And, as events move from daily chores or preparation for the party, into the events that make this novel a thriller of sorts, this structure serves to amplify the tension. And by closely following the thoughts of each character in turn, this book is a wonderful collection of complex and conflicted character studies. I was astonished by how good this book was and I hope we see more of Mauvignier's novels translated into English.… (more)

This book started off strong, though it was too strong on the suspense for me personally. Also too much gory violence. Yet about 150 pages in the suspense turned to boredom as this book was just way too long and slow and there is just too much stuff that is irrelevant.

And then the last 50 pages gets moving, slowly and then quickly. Yet despite all of those extra pages, we still don't find out how everything resolves at the then end. What happens to everyone present?

Also, if I never read another male-authored book that is largely about violence against women, I am good.… (more)