"Delight": the drunkenness of the profound
In the literary world, the anticipation for Paul Kawczak's latest work, "Le bonheur," has been growing steadily. Published by La Peuplade, this 384-page novel, classified as fiction with supernatural elements, is set to be released around August 2025.
Despite the publisher's joke on the flap of the book suggesting otherwise, readers should not be misled. Happiness, as suggested by the title, is not found within the pages of "Le bonheur." Instead, the novel delves into profound themes, potentially exploring human emotions, existential inquiries, or the interplay between reality and the supernatural.
The novel is not a reflection of the publisher's joke or a reliable indicator of the novel's themes or tone. In fact, it is a work inspired by encrypted references and aesthetic reflections, a blend of audacity and bad taste, as Kawczak repeats this procedure in various parts of the book.
"Le bonheur" is a follow-up to Kawczak's earlier work, "Ténèbres," and explores themes of violence and collective memory in a somewhat brighter light. The narrative revolves around a group of resistors in Besançon, France, during the fall of 1942, who are trying to save Jewish children. Three Jewish orphans spend several months in a cave under the ruins of the Château de Montfaucon, near Besançon, where they survive on minimal resources.
A Gestapo officer with a disfigured face and a fascination with the occult is hunting these Jewish orphans. To evade capture, the orphans must rely on their wits and the supernatural elements that Kawczak weaves into the narrative.
One of the most intriguing characters in the novel is a survivor who has become a plastic artist, who delivers a long, somewhat abstruse monologue. The characters in the novel, however, are fleshless and difficult to become attached to.
Paul Kawczak includes detailed clinical arrests and deportations of Jewish people in France, accounting for nearly ten percent of the book. These harrowing scenes serve to underscore the gravity of the situation and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
In summary, while the publisher's joke on the flap of "Le bonheur" may not accurately represent the novel's content, the novel itself promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of happiness, survival, and the human spirit.
This upcoming Paul Kawczak novel, "Le bonheur," delves into the realm of general-news, exploring themes of violence and collective memory during WWII, specifically the plight of Jewish children in Besançon, France. Books such as this offer an educational dimension to our leisurely pursuits of entertainment, shedding light on the struggles of the past. As for the novel's lifestyle implications, the characters' journeys serve as a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit, offering a sense of cultural significance that transcends the pages of fiction.
