patchworkbunny reviewed Someone I loved by Anna Gavalda
Review of 'Someone I loved' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Chloé’s husband has left her and their children for another woman. She is angry and confused but her father-in-law (or would that be ex father-in-law?), Pierre, comes to the rescue and whisks her away from it all. They have never been close, Pierre generally quiet in her presence but as they talk and argue, she learns so much more about him, and how sometimes you can’t help who you loved.
Someone I Loved is a novella composed mostly of conversations, starting with a car journey and little snippets of everyday life that Gavalda does so well. Soon Chloé’s betrayal is revealed and her awkward relationship with Pierre grows into a confidant. The speech is unattributed, no he said, she said, and the prose is sparse, all adding to the conversational tone. At one point, there is speech within speech and it all got a bit confusing, but it is an …
Chloé’s husband has left her and their children for another woman. She is angry and confused but her father-in-law (or would that be ex father-in-law?), Pierre, comes to the rescue and whisks her away from it all. They have never been close, Pierre generally quiet in her presence but as they talk and argue, she learns so much more about him, and how sometimes you can’t help who you loved.
Someone I Loved is a novella composed mostly of conversations, starting with a car journey and little snippets of everyday life that Gavalda does so well. Soon Chloé’s betrayal is revealed and her awkward relationship with Pierre grows into a confidant. The speech is unattributed, no he said, she said, and the prose is sparse, all adding to the conversational tone. At one point, there is speech within speech and it all got a bit confusing, but it is an intimate little look into someone’s life through what they decide to tell another.