Unforgivable

I think I decided to read Philippe Djian's novel, Unforgivable, simply because he is French. I loved Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of the Hedgehog, so my reasoning was: maybe it's a French thing, and all French writers are great, and I've been missing out. Djian is a best-selling French author who has written over 20 novels, so he's been around longer than Barbery, and Unforgivable received the 2009 Prix Jean Freustie, which sounds important.

The premise sounds like your typical mystery or thriller. Francis is an aging author, whose wife and daughter were killed in an accident several years ago. His surviving daughter, Alice, has suddenly and inexplicably vanished without a trace. With no help from the police, Francis hires an old friend to investigate her disappearance. Now, in a typical American best-seller, this would become a fast-paced thrill ride, with Francis getting involved in the investigation, chasing after bad guys, etc. But thankfully, this is not like a typical American best-seller. The novel takes a much slower pace. Francis is consumed by his feelings of helplessness and worry. The strain takes a toll on his already failing second marriage, and he reflects on his marriage, his relationship with his daughter, and the accident that changed their lives. The conclusion to his daughter's disappearance is not a shocking event, but the outcome nevertheless changes everyone's lives forever. A compelling and contemplative story that examines the lives of very flawed individuals and explores the question of forgiveness. A best-seller in America? Doubtful.