Que la terre nous soit légère
Novel - Joan Bastide
An African forest turned into the theatre of a drama with fractal consequences.
A child heir to a lineage of warrior musicians who takes the thorny road of migration to Europe. A young humanitarian who overcomes trauma by climbing the ranks of an international organisation, with all its paradoxes, to the point of overflow...
In this modern tale with sensitive, musical prose, the characters' destinies brush past each other, intertwine, then slip from their grasp. From the corridors of diplomacy to clandestine smuggling networks, from Marseille recording studios to the underbelly of the food industry, their overwhelming quest for redemption casts the shadows and lights of an era of all extremes.
A contemporary fresco, an initiatory journey and an ode to lost love, this deeply humanist novel questions the walls that separate us and reminds us that, on both sides of the Mediterranean, we all float on the same raft.
May the earth be light upon us.
Title: Que la terre nous soit légère
Author: Joan Bastide
Genre: General fiction
Published: 10 August 2020
Publisher: Mélanzé
Pages: 584
Formats: Paperback, Epub, Mobi
ISBN: 9782957281503
Author's note
This novel closes a cycle of reflection on international cooperation that began with my doctoral thesis on the effectiveness of aid in Laos. If the thesis dissects the system with the tools of science, the novel tells the story with those of fiction - to reach where analysis cannot go.
I chose self-publishing - through Mélanzé, my own publishing cabin - rather than the platforms of Amazon or Fnac. Out of conviction. Because I believe a book, like a record, deserves to be carried by those who made it.
"Writing this novel was one of the most powerful, overwhelming and exhilarating experiences I have ever been through. This book transformed me. My roots plunge into the nourishing earth to fuel my slow ascent towards the light. All that remains is for you to come perch on my branches, you, my bird, my reader. I whisper these pages to you, before you fly off to other skies."
Reader reviews
4.29/5 - 27 reviews on Babelio"A beautiful novel written with tender humanity and much rawness."
- diamelee, Babelio
"Hard to summarise this rich novel, this human adventure that I took as a tribute to all those forced travellers."
- nanek, Babelio
"A breathtaking initiatory epic."
- MarcFaux, Babelio
"This hefty novel is easily devoured."
- celinezug, Babelio
In the press
"Elevated through literary devices, the narrative depicts the reality of an unjust and cruel world. [...] The conclusion - a simple, honest, harmonious life within preserved nature - reflects the eternal quest for paradise lost."
"The writing is effective, fluid and pleasant. Joan Bastide maintains mystery through alternating short, rhythmic chapters that make you want to keep reading to discover the fate of Antoine and Alioun, for whom you develop genuine empathy."
"A humanist work questioning the barriers between continents. Anonymous stories of people crossing the Mediterranean. On both sides, we all float on the same raft."
This book travels
Copies of Que la terre nous soit légère circulate freely in public book boxes across Swiss Romandie. Found one? Leave your trace.
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