Camille in October

by Mireille Best, Stephanie Schechner (Translation)

In 1950s France, Camille struggles to figure out who she is and where she fits in the world of her coastal working-class neighborhood. Her mother holds the family together, with the support of a group of women who talk over coffee and cigarettes each day. Her father, a war veteran, is largely silent except when his inner rage erupts in violence. Her sister, Ariane, provides comic relief, while her construction worker brother, Abel, is a lost soul who suffers from severe seizures. Camille herself can usually be found curled up with a book, observing everything.
 
But an intellectual and sexual relationship with her dentist’s wife opens a world of new possibilities to Camille. Where will this lead her? Suicide, murder, accidental death—all are possible in this unconventional narrative from Mireille Best. As a young adult, Camille is not always the most reliable narrator, but she charms with her intelligence, lack of pretention, and strong connection to her roots. Through Camille’s eyes, we embark on a fundamental and universal quest to balance where we come from with who we need to become.
 

Genres: LGBT, Historical Fiction, Queer, Historical, Lesbian, France, Fiction

292 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 1988

Reviews

[Joseph Schreiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in a working class neighbourhood in France in the 1950s, this is the tale of a young woman growing up on a tangent that sets her apart from her family and community by her intelligence and academic inclinations and by her sexuality. The narrative voice is exceptional, observant but not entirely reliable, always engaging. This book is part of Seagull Book's Pride List and the first English translation of Mireille Best's work.
A longer review here: https://roughghosts.com/2020/08/31/ca...

[Abbie Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, if not the most memorable.

[Rajrani Sadhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

There hasn't been a more complicated exploration than navigating through Camille's world. It is a tiny universe filled with her books, her passive mother, narcissistic abusive father, siblings and unrequited love. Despite the book's abrupt and unpredictable end, I believe it is a must-read. Some intimate sexual scenes have been written with such dexterity that it shocks one to the core. I had no idea that such an unprecedented edge could have been given to a teenager's one-sided love affair. The plot may seem like a straight line on the surface level but as one dives deeper the nuanced subplots add to the spice of the novel. 


Camille's pain as a daughter, sister and lover has been articulated into words with such brilliance that it is beyond praise. One might not be intrigued during the first few pages of the novel but with patient resilience I can assure you that it gets better. This translated work of fiction conceals its surprises and unleashes them at most random, unexpected intervals. 


Camille, the narrator of her tale, is a brave, coming-of-age lesbian, enamoured by a 25-year-old Clara. Clara's mature handling of her fifteen-year-old lover's confession is mind-boggling. They share several enigmatic moments together that is enough to induce the tears of pure love in one's eyes. It almost gives voice to the agony of having everything at once and nothing at all. I have never been more fascinated by a relatively simpler yet complex narrative.


Surrounded by teenage girls in a 1950s France who are impregnated and forced to vacate their homes, Camille tries to carve her own way through an emotional den. Her unwavering emotional equilibrium through the drastic and devastating tragedies in her life is jaw-dropping for the readers. 


There are several undertones in the novel that I shall refrain from discussing about because it would provide unnecessary spoilers. 


I firmly believe this underrated bildungsroman deserves a wider audience.

Thanks for reading ❤️

[Samarjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a queer novel in the true sense of the word. It rejects to follow standardized syntax and in its rejection of normative syntax it manages to express the emotional state of the protagonist in a way that I have never experienced before.
Camille, our protagonist, is someone I found myself sympathising with to my surprise. The dissonance that she experiences as a child is too similar to that of a lot of queer children like me.
Would I recommend this novel to someone? Unlikely.
Would I rather people come across it by sheer chance, like me? Yes. The beauty of this novel lies in its surprise.