Marc Dugain is a contemporary French author whose debut novel, published in 1998, garnered significant critical acclaim, earning eighteen literary awards. His work explores profound themes and distinctive narrative styles that have resonated with readers and critics alike, establishing him as a significant voice in modern French literature.
Exploring the psychological landscape of a murderer, this compelling novel offers a deep dive into the motivations and thoughts behind violent actions. Based on a true story, it presents a gripping narrative that challenges readers to understand the complexities of the human mind and the circumstances that lead to such dark choices. The intense character study is both thought-provoking and unsettling, making it a powerful read.
'The First World War? I wasn't there. The muddy trench, the bone-piercing dampness, the black winter rats, the smell of cigarettes and shit, the rain constantly pouring out of God's steely sky - that wasn't the war I knew.' In the officers' ward of a hospital in Paris, three young men and a woman meet in the early days of the First World War. Each of them has suffered horrific injuries to the face: Adrien, the narrator, Penanster, a Breton aristocrat, Weil, a Jewish aviator, and Marguerite, a nurse, one of the few women in the hospital. The friendship that the four form sustains them through the months and years that follow. When the war ends they are released from hospital, to adapt as they can to life outside. Based on the true war experiences of the author's grandfather, this is a moving, humorous and humane novel about war and survival.