Tackling a French book

After last year’s linked titles challenge, I am trying to reduce the volume in my to read list. It is not going very well. I am on net positive numbers since I started last year as I keep going to book sales and being given books (as well as reading some mammoth volumes). This is just one of the piles of books to read scattered around that I’ve picked up over the year.

In any case, I can only try. by going alphabetical by author (with a preference for books on my bookshelf). From time to time I can’t follow the trend due to book club books, or if I can’t resist a read.

I started at I – ‘Wolf of the Plains‘ by Conn Iggulden, then I noticed I had read ‘The Summer Book‘ by Tove Jansson (lovely, nostalgic 5 star read – recommended). As I’d already done a couple of difficult letters, I deliberately sought out ‘The Trauma Cleaner‘ by Sarah Krasnostein to keep it going, then ‘Mrs Forsythe’ by my friend Vivienne Lingard, and finally the doorstop ‘A Fine Balance‘ by Rohinton Mistry. It’s deservedly well-regarded, but be ready for some trauma with that one!

This led me to a challenge. The only book on my shelves where the author started with N was ‘Roomie‘ by Candice Nicolas. We lived in a shared house together at uni. The problem? The book is in French. I do read French but very slowly and with lots of reference to the dictionary.

I am going to attempt to summarise the plot and my progress here, as it may take me some time to read. So far the protagonist is looking back with regret, and then we go back in time to where they are landing in Chicago, USA. That’s as far as I’ve got, but watch this space (or this video) for a few more details. First update below (14 June)

Second update – 7 July. Slow progress due to needing to look up every 10th word. Our protagonist has started university in Columbus Ohio. She has done fun uni things like drinking and getting her nose pierced. She’s got a nice flat, and met a girl who is going to become her roommate. She has misgivings about sharing her space but has convinced herself it’s a good thing to do. I’m on page 35… of 140.

Third update below – 24 July. I explain part of the reason for my slow progress – the book has no punctuation, named characters, or paragraphs, and a lot of colloquialisms. And it’s in French! So it’s hard to figure out who’s talking to who even before I get into having to translate slang. Anyway, we have had some time with the flatmate now. She’s clearly manipulative, and the protagonist is falling for the tricks. The relationship is, I feel, about to deteriorate! I’m on page 60 but will take a little break now.

Fourth update – 4th October. Page 90/137. I have been learning French idioms, which is fun. I’m not sure my overall French is really improving but my knowledge of slang terms is. In terms of the plot, not much has changed, the protagonist and her roommate are kind of frenemies. I am not sure where the story is going but I feel certain that something big is coming, at least a major falling out. We shall see. Favourite word I’ve learned: s’epancher – to pour out one’s heart.

1/11/2026 update: Finished! What a challenge. I do think this particular book is harder than most for me because of the surfeit of slang and the lack of punctuation. I had a look at another French book on my shelves and that looks like it would be easier.

One interesting thing was that my sympathies shifted towards the end of the book towards the roommate. Honestly, they’re both as bad as each other and it’s hard to know where my sympathies should lie. There’s also a strong hint that narrator is unreliable. So that was a subtlety I picked up, although it’s certain that I missed a lot because of my reading comprehension levels. Still, overall I’d say, despite some of the hints of nightmare about the plot, it’s not an unrealistic depiction of the trials and tribulations of flatsharing, and I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that has captured that so well before.

I’ve also tried to write a review in French. I had to get some help as my written French is even worse than my reading. Hopefully I’ve captured the essence of the book.