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This thread is for our May and June 2020 group read of Le Passé Simple by Driss Chraïbi, SPOILERS ALLOWED (find the no-spoiler thread here).

Looking forward to read your views and comments!

Well, this was an interesting read! I found it quite challenging in terms of style and language. Especially the shifting between monologue and dialogue with little signalisation I found especially challenging. I frequently had to back track on my reading as I lost the thread a bit.

But as an (angry) exposition on what it means to fall between the cracks of two 'identities' and seeking to revolt against an oppressive social structure while being hemmed in by the exclusions of the colonial system I found it fascinating and powerful read.

I agree with you Valerie, that it was quite a challenging read. Hardly ever used the (kindle) dictionary this, even for words that I actually knew, just in an attempt to grasp the meaning of what was written...

Hard and violent language, very explicit, an outburst of frustrations and disillusions: the language matches the theme of an adolescent being stuck between two cultures/systems, and not seeing a way out in neither of them. Fascinating indeed. I certainly enjoyed the humor in some parts of the book, but overall I do not consider it as a very enjoyable read. Here is my (short) review.

Wim I agree with you. I struggled through half of it but I did appreciate how the harshness of the language really is a way to show how the individual is elbowing through the limitations of two cultures. Not an easy read. A different genre?

I agree it is a crude book and would indeed not qualify it as an enjoyable read. I struggled in particular with the main character's cruel behaviour towards his mother.
Nonetheless I was quite absorbed by the novel. The frustration of the main character just felt so visceral. I think it was a good portrayal of 'the angry young man'.