Men

‘Marie Darrieussecq brilliantly explores female anxiety about the masculine, and the desire for the masculine—always such a mysterious thing for a woman—whether he is black or white. This radical otherness takes us to the heart of what it means to be a woman.’—Télérama

‘From Los Angeles to Cameroon, via Paris, Marie Darrieussecq’s novel is constantly on the edge of the fictional and the documentary. Romantic and creative passions merge with political and ethical visions…The character of Solange is the embodiment of a desire to grasp everything, in the intensity of the moment—and the same spirit animates Marie Darrieussecq’s writing.’—Le Magazine Littéraire

‘The issue of otherness is crucial, as is that of the couple. Are the characters a couple, or are they just the sum of one another? This novel and its romance is a surprise from Marie Darrieussecq, but she proves herself to be, as ever, a socially aware writer.’—Paris Match

‘The film shoot in Cameroon is a piece of bravura writing…pages that take your breath away…Jungle fever, the attraction between people from different races—is the jungle here metaphoric or real?’—Le Nouvel Observateur

‘Darrieussecq revisits the clash of civilisations, of two worlds, one supposedly civilised, the other immersed in the heart of darkness…Without a single cliché or platitude, this novelist chooses to contrast a mythical Africa with that of harsh reality.’—Jeune Afrique

‘If it weren’t for her prose, which is like a brooding snake—sharp, sometimes dissonant, twisting—Marie Darrieussecq’s new novel would remind you of one of those slice-of-life films, ultra anti-romantic, no emotional clap-trap…And this novel is all about the cinema…It’s a novel-film.’—Le Point