Vanda set in Marseille by Marion Brunet

French Noir set in Marseille

You would think a story in Marseille might contain some sunshine…Nope. This is  a dark family drama with some very tricky subjects but it’s also one with some very intresting characters. French Noir? Bring it on!

BookTrail the locations in Vanda

Boarding Pass Information : Vanda

Destination : Marseille

Author guide: Marion Brunet

Genre:Literary fiction

Food and drink to accompany: Fresh fish with salad eaten on the Marseille beach

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BookTrail the locations in Vanda

A dark French tale this one set in sunny Marseille but the sun of the location is the only kind you will see here. A mother and her son live here where she works ni  phsychatric hospital and by night she drinks and hangs out with unsuitable men. She is proud of her son though and protects him from the harshness of life. And there is harsness right around the corner for his dad who doesn’t know he even exists comes to town and finds out about  the boy. This proves to be difficult and very uncomfortable for all concerned and the dark and raw family emotions play out for all to see

It’s this drama where all of the family members really stand out. This is a sad and taunt situation for all concerned . Famil dramas like this aren’t usually my cup of tea but I found this to be utterly compelling. Vanda is one complex characer and whilst utterly different and unstable, she is honest and good hearted deep down.

All in all, the heart and soul of the novel for me was the young boy at its centre who was only 6 years old. The author doesn’t just write him, she scratches him and his character on the page. In fact this whole novel has a tone of brutal honesty and a stark portrayal of society in many ways.

It might be set in sunny Marseille but there are plenty of dark clouds above…

BookTrail the locations in Vanda

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More books set in the South of France

BookTrail Boarding Pass: Vanda

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