Hello child soldiers Hello to the Angels
Bon appetite to cannibals
Hello to zotres
In 2009, I devoured Johnny Chien Emmanuel Dongola wicked and I loved this book as to integrate it with my selection for the price QD9 2010. my choice has apparently vowed to zotres (s) since this novel is among the 3 finalists.
early 2010, an episode blogosphere already repeatedly mentioned here and elsewhere, I discovered the wonderful Papua Jean-Claude Derey that Cynthia offered me.
This literary encounter made me want to contact the author and, following our discussions, he sent me two of his novels, a copy of the sublime Angels cannibals whose theme is similar that the novel of Dongola. I loved this book and I can already tell you that will be part of my selection for the price QD9 2011.
The subject
Yondo had everything to be an ordinary little boy even happier if this is the place and when he was born in Sierra Leone civil war. One evening, her parents are summarily executed before his eyes. Her little brother and his sister kidnapped. He is alone and will struggle to survive despite everything and its descent into hell implaccable lead him to become a child soldier with all that that status implies violence, drugs, murder, rape, brutality, stupidity, despair and ... insecurity.
My opinion
What a shock that this book!
Inevitably, comparisons with Johnny Mad Dog was immediately imposed on me and I found moult corroborating information, anecdotal or terrible, the conditions of recruitment of child soldiers, their hands cut off, rape, pervasive drug, magic, nicknames, international aid, the scraps of surviving childhood despite everything, etc..
So I was, so to speak, to country (inhospitable) knowledge in land (mineral) familiar but at no time have I found this second trip (to Deer Hunter) redundant, repetitive. I even, for sure, had more fun on the substance and form.
Substance
Jean-Claude Derey looks and how to construct his stories and digging his subjects. The novel adopts the perspective of Youndo that we follow step by step on his way to Calvary childish. It is a kind of Candide in the universe projected nightmare of war, both witness and actor, sometimes surviving by sheer force of will, sometimes by chance, mere coincidence.
On the form
Derey's writing is beautiful, strong and committed. Because the author's words without biting into complacency, because there are so many feathers in his blackness than trucculence, poetry as analytical coldness, because his palette is rich and balanced and that the beauty of its language gives even greater force to the gravity of the matter.
Title
Title, Angels cannibals sums up what I just wrote. It is a lovely oxymoron rather poetic summary of the contents of the book tremendously and it addresses the issues: Can we be both victim and executioner? When does one cease to be one for no longer than the other? The innocence of childhood is it not the best basis for extreme violence?
Other opinions
I loaned this book 2 times. Anne-Sophie has enjoyed so I thought but did not have a blog to say this is not the case of Mister Gangoueus which I was certain that the subject would interest and that, too, was sensitive to the beautiful writing Derey.
Conclusion
Without hesitation one of my 3 favorite French novel in 2010. A big thank you to Jean-Claude Derey to look far to Africa, to make me want to better understand (insofar as I am able) and especially, to write so good!
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