This is the 14th book by Modiano that I've read, and I'll have to rate it as one of my favorites. As with many of his books it is about identity, memory, time, forgetting and escaping—and of course, Paris. I find it necessary to have my well worn Borsch laminated map of Paris on hand whenever I read Modiano. And now I will also recommend that Modiano fans also read his memoir, Pedigree, in order to fully comprehend where he is coming from, as much of what he writes is autobiographical, this book being no exception.
This novella is written in four chapters, each from the first person point of view of four different characters, all of whom have a connection to a 22 year old young woman known as Louki, a name given to her in a baptism or second birth by someone known as Tarzan, or was it Zacharias? The large cast of characters can be confusing. There is a cast of about two dozen of mixed nationalities and backgrounds, most of whom frequent the Café Condé. They have interesting nicknames such as "the Jaguar", "the Captain", "Crossbones", and of course Louki. She is also known as Jacqueline Choureau nee Delanque, formerly of Montmartre 9th and 18th arrondissements, and currently of Montparnasse 6th and 14th arrondissements. She is reading Lost Horizon, which figures prominently in the action. Modiano uses the Café Condé as a fixed point around which much of the action takes place.
The story starts with the narration of a young engineering student who is trying to fit in with the artsy crowd at Condé. The action opens with a description of a roster of the Condé habitués that is kept by fellow habitué Bowing, the Captain. It catches the attention of a Mr. Pierre Caisley, who says he is an "art publisher". He seems to be interested in Louki, and anyone she hangs out with.
We find out in the second chapter that Mr. Caisley is not who he says he is, and the story starts to cascade and tumble from there. Action moves to multiple locations around Paris as Louki is looking for "neutral zones" that are places of safety, always trying to avoid the "black holes", or places of danger.
The third chapter is narrated by Louki, and she paints a very different picture of the events that we have witnessed so far. We learn about drugs and the role they play in the plot. In chapter 4, Roland, the aspiring writer steps forward. To me he is the personification of Modiano himself at age twenty. He identifies with Louki and her attempts to flee and hide, for he has had many of the same experiences. All four of the narrators come together in the final pages for a dramatic ending that I truly did not see coming.
It is a short book, but very rich and complex. I had to read it twice in order to catch all the details and nuance. Modiano is able to pack a lot into a very small package. I would rate this book at the same level as Missing Person (1978), Honeymoon (1990),and Dora Bruder (1997). The four books give the reader a span of work spreading more than 35 years and is a good starting point for anyone interested in Modiano.
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Top reviews from other countries
Vikash Goyal
An amazing read don't dare to miss it!
Reviewed in India on February 10, 2022
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A gentle stroll though another time
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2018Pablo
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