Less than 80 pages but what a ride Little Rebel by Jérôme Leroy (translated from French by Graham Roberts) is! The latest publication by the courageous Corylus Books whose politically and literally challenging novels I had the chance to review before, this book is unexpectedly good not only in terms of the topic - identity politics in France - but as an impeccable work of literature.
Taking place in an unnamed city in the West of France, it unfolds - faster and faster until the end - in point-counterpoint kind of episodes, starting from the accidental shooting of an officer of the Drench Directorate for Internal Security until the very thrilling end. It unfolds as a historical chronicle of our busy hectic - both physically and intellectually - kind of times, controlled by the narrator who may decide - or not - to share with us details of the life of the characters as projected in an unclear future. In this very complex and detailed construction, the characters, all of them, including and especially Little Rebel are just pawns randomly played on a chessboard where victory is the last achievement that really matters. Rather, it´s the excitement of the game who really matters and I am thankful for the healthy adrenaline rush I´ve been shared during the short reading of the book. (Actually, I´ve read it twice, for all the good book-reviewing reasons, of course.)
Indeed, if it is something that really bothered me was the relative shortness of Little Rebel. However, the author is such an architect of the words and plot construction that I am left with no literary regrets only with the insatisfaction that something so good just ended way too fast.
As a very political reader, I´ve appreciated the unorthodox spinning of the story: instead of following the classical clash of religions and civilisations patterns, it adds an unexpected element that you´ll better discover by yourself. Hint: not all people frustrated with the social order are on social media.
Launched on Bastille Day, Little Rebel is an useful mental map of nowadays France, with its many micro-societies and burning questions. A thoughtful inconvenient read that stays with you for a very long time.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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