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J.M.G. Le Clézio: Desert

saliotthomas

New Member
The book is composed of two stories,both with a child as main charactere and in Morocco but at a different period,interweaven and progressing together without direct connection.
The first is about Nour and his familly in a long exode from the deserts of the south to a promessed land, following Cheik Ma Al Aimine,a religious leader and a rebel to French occupation.We slowly understand that more than going to this shangrila of plenty,they run from the French army through a long trail of death,thirst and hunger under a mercyless sun.Ths cheik and his warriors being the only ones aware of the reality of the situation.
The segond discibe the free life of Lalla hawa from a small shanty by the sea of souther Morocco to France,where she lead the same life of contemplation and errancy.She start in Marseille by being a cleaning woman in shabby hotel to end a successfull fashion model without the slightest change of her ways.

The writing is,what i would call,impressionist.Made of small touch,by repetition of fellings and perception.Like a collection of obsevation made on a note pad,without the intervention of obvious leading structure.It suit very well the feeling of freedom of the two childrens lives.(Even when grown up Lalla is still very much cild like).
I wonder for a while what tied those stories together and maybe it is this liberty,a struggle as for Nour or as an attitude to life with Lalla.
I picked mistakes in Le Cleziot book,which is strange for i can't imagine they are not intentional.The first is Lalla speak French when in Marseille and then Paris,and from her background in Morocco(a young girls in a shanty) it would be a miracle.Girls are the last to reach schools,and specialy not in a poor place,it is never mentioned in the novel.I see the people from the village here speak very little French.The segond more trivial is about the children doing the fast of ramadan.They fast start with the puberty,unless it was a special pratice of the place?
This is bizzard because there is plenty of very accurate details about the everyday life of the country.
I liked it and found it very similar to Mondo(same theme,same kind of child charactere) but i have a tendancy toward more classical prose.I found it difficulte to read,and it didn't have those moment of marvel before some well turned sentences or ideas.I started Ourania and found it more in my line of taste.
Still a solide:star4:out of pure chauvinisme.
 
Thanks for the excellent review. As a recent Le Clezio fan, its frustrating how few of his works are currently available in English. This is one of those that are not available yet (that I am aware, someone please correct me if this is wrong!). I can only hope his Noble prize exposure get's more of his works in translation.
 
This is one of those that are not available yet (that I am aware, someone please correct me if this is wrong!).

You are right, it's not available in English translation. Given its reputation, I would bet on it being one of the first titles given the translation treatment in the near future.

For now, there's the following available in English:

  • The Interrogation
  • Terra Amata
  • The Flood
  • Fever
  • The Book Of Flights
  • War
  • The Giants
  • Wandering Star
  • Onitsha
  • The Prospector
Most are available in the UK, while only a few can be bought in the US at the moment. I've got them all, with the exception of The Prospector, although I've only read Terra Amata thus far.
 
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