Lie with me by Philippe Besson
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241987094.
(Age:16+) Highly recommended. Philippe Besson is a French author and
this novel (originally in French) is translated by Molly Ringwald.
This book is a compelling read and impossible to put down. Told in
three sections the narrator speaks of his first love. Philippe and
Thomas are 17 and at school in a very small village in France. Their
love is secret and passionate. The vulnerability of Philippe and
Thomas is poignant as they both live the lie of appearing
heterosexual while their love for each other occupies their hearts
and minds.
Social class is also explored. Philippe is the son of the headmaster
of the school and Thomas the son of migrant labourers. Thomas is
aware from the beginning that Philippe will leave the village, and
him, to make his way in the world.
As an adult Philippe meets a young man who resembles his first love.
The young man is the son of Thomas. From this point in the novel we
hear how this first love has shaped the lives of Thomas and
Philippe. While they did not stay together - they were always in
each other's lives. The reader discovers the outcomes of secrecy and
self-deception, combined with the oppressive prejudice and
discrimination they faced, as both poignant and thought provoking.
Although this novel is short it is a powerful story beautifully
told.
Linda Guthrie