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A review by lonestarwords
Three by Valérie Perrin
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Childhood was fun. Caught between candies and the future, between mischief and a breaking voice, between bike spokes you make sing with bits of cardboard, and dreams of endless motorbike rides.
Three
Valerie Perrin
•
A few years ago I was swept away by Fresh Water for Flowers, Valerie Perrin's absolutely beautiful 2018 novel. I had no idea that she had written again until a summer reading guide I follow featured Three and I didn't need any convincing to make this my first tome of the summer.
•
Perrin is without a doubt one of the most gifted storytellers out there. A work in translation, her prose is so pitch perfect that I become totally consumed when I'm reading her books.
•
Three is the very definition of a coming-of-age story. In 1986 we meet Nina, Etienne and Adrien, three ten-year old children who meet in school and pledge their undying friendship to one another. The story shifts to 2017 when a car is pulled from the bottom of a lake with a skeleton inside.
•
The story is narrated by a journalist named Virginie who takes us back to the story of the three children's lives and uncovers the mystery of the sunken car. I was mesmerized by the way Perrin wove this story. I never saw the reveal coming and the way the mystery was woven into the coming of age storyline was a feat of imagination. Her portrayal of childhood friendships before the world encroaches on them was so tender- we all know how those memories linger forever in our consciousness.
•
I don't often come across a character I say I won't forget, but Nina is just one of those. The storyline of her love for animals and the way caring for the abandoned ones saved her was incredibly profound and touched a nerve in me.
•
This is a long and lovely novel. Perrin doesn't rush anything and if you like things to unfold quickly, this won't be your cup of tea. It is intricate and paced, leaving no stone unturned. I don't come across books like this often but Three will be in my top 10 of 2023 and Perrin is now an auto-buy author for me. If you like the books I recommend, grab this.
Three
Valerie Perrin
•
A few years ago I was swept away by Fresh Water for Flowers, Valerie Perrin's absolutely beautiful 2018 novel. I had no idea that she had written again until a summer reading guide I follow featured Three and I didn't need any convincing to make this my first tome of the summer.
•
Perrin is without a doubt one of the most gifted storytellers out there. A work in translation, her prose is so pitch perfect that I become totally consumed when I'm reading her books.
•
Three is the very definition of a coming-of-age story. In 1986 we meet Nina, Etienne and Adrien, three ten-year old children who meet in school and pledge their undying friendship to one another. The story shifts to 2017 when a car is pulled from the bottom of a lake with a skeleton inside.
•
The story is narrated by a journalist named Virginie who takes us back to the story of the three children's lives and uncovers the mystery of the sunken car. I was mesmerized by the way Perrin wove this story. I never saw the reveal coming and the way the mystery was woven into the coming of age storyline was a feat of imagination. Her portrayal of childhood friendships before the world encroaches on them was so tender- we all know how those memories linger forever in our consciousness.
•
I don't often come across a character I say I won't forget, but Nina is just one of those. The storyline of her love for animals and the way caring for the abandoned ones saved her was incredibly profound and touched a nerve in me.
•
This is a long and lovely novel. Perrin doesn't rush anything and if you like things to unfold quickly, this won't be your cup of tea. It is intricate and paced, leaving no stone unturned. I don't come across books like this often but Three will be in my top 10 of 2023 and Perrin is now an auto-buy author for me. If you like the books I recommend, grab this.