Les Catilinaires by Amélie Nothomb review

Emile and Juliette are a 65 years old couple, married for over 4 decades and in love for almost 6, who retire to live their last years in a house in the country, a cozy place, serene, far from the noise and the urban life that has always troubled and annoyed them. Idilic life won't last long when Palaméde, their only neighbour (a fat, 70 years old heart doctor) comes over for a coutesy visit. What they don't know is that the visit will be repeate over and over, every day, from 4 to 6 pm, with no pause or rest.

Palaméde is an obtrusive presence, one that answers with "no" and "yes" unless forced by circunstances to say more than one word, that never seems to enjoy anything and that, slowly, will gain his place into their houses (the chair turns out to be "his" chair, the coffee is an obligation, the time of visit itself becomes "his" time). And, just as slowly (or fast, it's all in the perspective) will start eroding the happiness while showing aspects of both Emile and Juliette that not even them knew before.

Les Catalinaires is a beautiful little novel, a piece of prose no longer than 150 pages that conjugates drama, black humor, thoughts about who we are and how we define what we are and a few interesting comments about how we relate to other people and judge them, based on the little (because it is always little, never a lot, even when it may seem like whole books) information we have on them. Not to mention on how little information about ourselves we may actually offer, even when we try to be open and inviting.

An interesting read, a small jewel, highly reccomendable.
/ [All_Most PUNK]

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