Challah la danse by Dalya Daoud

When journalist write literature, literature is ennobled because they bring to the imagination the counterweight of the experience, helping to reveal realities of the everyday life they only knew better. Dalya Daoud is the founder of Rue98 Lyon where she worked as a journalist for 12 years. Her debut novel Challah la danse, published last year, made sensation for her depiction of France périphérique, that space between big cities and no man´s lands.

This area, situated at the periphery of Lyon, is not seen however as a lost place, of social failure, but as a world in itself, worth to write a book about. With fine sociological and anthropological observations, it opens the gate to a micro-space on the move. 

Written as a succession of dated entries, from locations around the areas - including the parking lot - it covers the end of the 1980s. A time when the first generation of France-born immigrants, for instance, were making France their home. The humour and the natural way of being of the characters may remind of Discretion but the characters from Challah la danse do gather from different parts of the world and social status. Their interactions are more genuine and their stories go though beyond an ethnical narrative of any kind. The story of the place is part of the French history in the making from the 1970s onwards. 

The journalistic simplicity may be also the curse of this book, as it does not have necessarily a plot. and when the reporting starts, the reality is also cut. There is no autonomous story.

It is a relatively short book but so enjoyable both in terms of characters, interactions but, last but not least, the colourful vocabulary. If you need to update your everyday French slang, this is the right book to start it.

This was just another good French read, and stay tunned for even more recommendations in the coming days and weeks.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Rachel´s Random Resources: Dirty Business by Evie Hunter

Evie Hunter is no new name for my blog readers, and I am always enjoying her better than life characters and their unexpected turns of events.

Her latest, Dirty Business, has a story that brings to the forefront the usual mixture of human greeds, with a detective-like twist. When Gavin, Callie´s husband, disappears without a trace, the comfortable everyday life in the posh  Frenchurch Falls is under threat. Gavin´s whereabouts may jeopardize not only Callie´s situation, but also other people lives, hence her determination to find the truth. 

What follows, is an intricate encounter of misplaced trust, naivity and acknowledgement of tracheary. Everyone is vulnerable and there are no heroes, but way too many villains. Instead, we are faced with a panopticon of human imperfections. It feels less as a novel but as a daily adventure in the real life of the rotted rich and fabulous.

In this book, women do play a very important role, as even abadoned by their unfaithful men, they do raise and find out new reasons to thrive. Together, and using their smart survival skills, they can overcome any difficulties, be it drug dealers or corrupt policemen. 

The book starts in a very direct way, taking us instantly into the chore of the story. No time to introduce the story and the characters, there are more urgent things to deal with. The language is also very colourful, a good introduction to regional British English if you are trying to upgrade your everyday life vocabulary.

Dirty Business looks like a good inspiration for a movie, as it has the kind of emotions and characters that always do very well on screen. I was very pleased reading this book and I cannot wait to get into her next one. She always delivers what she promises and sometimes, even a bit more.

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own

Random Things Tours: No Precious Truth by Chris Nickson

 

Set in the 1941 Leeds, No Precious Truth by historical fiction Chris Nickson is a well-researched historical spy thriller. 

I am lately delving into the literary representations of WWII in various geographical contexts and this book added some eventful layers to my perception. But although the Zeitgeist and the social and political implications at the global and local level are accurately represented, the book is more than informative story from 1941. Instead, it has its own narrative and lively characters.

Police Seargant Cathy Marsden got involved into a spycatcher race, after her brother, a MI5 operatives, disclosed his worries about a German spy network that may endanger England´s situation and even the war operations generally. 

Moderately paced and insightful, the novel takes the reader, to a ride against time to catch the traitor. A timeless adventure that it´s worth following. I´ve read the book in one sitting, as I couldn´t stop not thinking about what will happen next. It was the best way to spend some late evening.

A recommended read if you are into WWII historical novels with a very serious spy interest.

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own

Orenda Books Book Tour: The Cure by Eve Smith

There is a fascination as old as humankind about life without end and youth at all costs. In her new intelligent dystopian thriller, The Cure, published this month by Orenda Books, Eve Smith opens up a full Pandora´s box of challenging topics and ideas.

The genre is very much out of my reading comfort zone, but I´ve read another book by this author before, and the topic interests me a lot. Plus, I will read without any second thoughts any book published by Orenda. The intellectual reward was as expected.

A vaccine against old age diseases is abusively used for extending life until the biblical 120 - a ´genetic upgrade designed to extend lifespan´. Wishful thinking, but think about the whole world overpopulating the planet and the dramatic consequences for societies and economies. No retirement, no new jobs for the ´younger´ brood. With some long-time psychiatric side effects. 

The Cure exposes all those ideas through a very eventful and elaborated story. Mara and Ruth, two women from very different backgrounds, do have their own personal reasons to stop the perpetuation of this condition. In an unexpected team work, they do put together their information and skills to reach out to the source of the new evil.

I always found the topic in itself fascinating, but after reading the book I got even more ideas and inspiration about it. The dystopian ambiance, although at some extent relatable to our modern pace, is very well described. There are fascinating descriptions with a very strong visual impact, my favorites being related to lab designs, an intricacy of technical details that do make so much sense.

I personally loved that book. My plan for 2025 is to challenge myself to try new intellectual pathways and this dystopian thriller showed me how much creativity and valuable ideas are generated by this genre. It just gives reality a different boost.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own