La Verite sur L'Affaire Harry Quebert is a book by
I thought I wanted to return to reading in french but I didn't know where or who to start with. I decided that, having previously read Il Libro dei Baltimore, and having fell in love for that characters, I could sufficiently trust Joel Dicker, because his books are incredibly...moving. Plus, there is respect for all generations; the positive exaltation of old people, in general the central characters, in this one Harry Quebert, in Il Libro dei Baltimore (a masterpiece!) Saul Goldman, and lessons that they can teach to the youngest ones are remarkably important.
This first book is another good surprise for sure. I met along the way this book at the post office, supermarkets, bookshops but for a reason or another I hadn't never bought it although I felt a profound and genuine attraction. At the end I decided for a french copy. So: who want to improve his/her french this one is the best book that you can meet along your way, because the language is plain and terminology not difficult.
I personally found the reading much more simple than not the ones of my first english books, close to nightmares in some cases lol. But, seven years of french at school was helpful because the brain realistically doesn't forget anything. My idea was writing the review in french but I guess I must wait another bit. The putting together thoughts is still a lazy process.
Marcus Goldman is a successful writer, ecrivain en francais, but with the block of the writer. If his first book meant mundanity, beautiful girls, success, fame, the second one became soon a torture. Marcus doesn't have any clue regarding what to write next.
Pity that there is a contract signed with heavy penalties in case the writer can't present any result to the publishing house.
What to do? Once he speaks with his old professor of the University, Harry Quebert, a man who became famous because of a book Marcus adores. Still in touch with him, Harry suggest to Marcus his house and the peace and tranquillity of Aurora, a little city in the East Coast of the USA.
Marcus accepts with great joy the possibility of relaxing his mind and at the same time searching for inspiration.
Once in the house of Harry, searching in Harry's writings Marcus discovers something...
Returned home, Harry call him one day (as will do Saul Goldman in Il Libro dei Baltimore) telling him that Nola was dead; they had found her tests, bones, in his garden, with another body and a sac where, inside, there was a copy of Harry's masterpiece.
Marcus rush immediately in Aurora decided of helping his old friend. Everyone else think that he is crazy. Someone, worried, will ask if, for case, he is homosexual. Marcus smiles and insists: a friend need my help.
But now: who is Nola?
1975: Nola is the daughter of a priest mr. Kellergan arrived from Alabama. She works in a café where in general goes Harry Quebert; the owner is a certain Tamara. Her daughter is Jenny, at the moment married with Travis...
The arrival of monsieur Quebert in Aurora meant to the people of the little town a lot of expectations: single, handsome man, surely with a good position couples with post teenage girls were attracted by this man.
Harry considered the house and the city absolutely beautiful. Plus, if in New York he was a common citizen, in Aurora became a sort of star.
Two girls fell in love for him: Nola, 15 years and Jenny in her 20s, the second one courted for hiding the love Harry proved for Nola. Nola didn't have a lot of psychological stability, she will try to commit suicide, she suffered of other disturbs...Other people will enter in the book as important pieces of this puzzles.
But, for sure Nola was the biggest love of Harry Quebert. He continued to live remembering her.
Police, anyway, without too much romanticism put immediately in jail Harry, because simply, it was too simple, but the story behind this murder has been absolutely more complicated.
Nothing in this story was real and the same Harry was hiding something crucial to Marcus: he had stolen the book he became famous with, written by another person; Luther simply wanted to meet the big writer for some advices (sic!)
"Vous n'avez pas écrit le livre qui a fait de vous un ecrivain célébre! ....Vous avez volé un livre! Quel plus grand crime peut commetre un écrivain?" said to Harry Marcus, pretty deluded at a certain point.
The publishing house, desperate for the choices recently made by Marcus, who was abandoning his project of writing the book for investigating this "cold case" will ask him something about "l'affaire Harry Quebert". If, at first, Marcus is skeptical, then his professor will confess him in a dramatic meeting that after all he became famous because he stole something, while Marcus is a genuine writer and will be in grade to produce the truth, and Harry adds that he musn't avoid anything.
Including his fraud.
It is beauty when, at a certain point there will be a lot of meetings with the various departments of the publishing house, for names that need to be added in the book (and the ones avoided) pictures, cover, etc. It was as in that moment I spied what there is behind the creation of a book and I found it fascinating.
Like in Il Libro dei Baltimore, written later, Harry will ask, as did Saul Goldman to Marcus, of telling the story because truth must be revealed.
Once you read the books by Joel Dicker, that characters, their spirit will remain with you always.
I consider a bit childish the character of Harry Quebert, when he frantically wrote per hours NOLA NOLA NOLA in his journal/notebook at the café. I thought that while everything else thought that he was writing profound thoughts, he was just lost writing continuously a name. I found it hilarious.
I love the character of Marcus Goldman. He is terrific, simply enchanting, devoted to friends, a boy of good and great heart, with a heart opened and a mind focused in the most important values of the existence. That's what makes this character so superlative.
Highly recommended.
Anna Maria Polidori
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