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.