Marie Sizun

A taut and subtle family drama from France.

A little girl lives happily with her mother in war-torn Paris. She has never met her father, a prisoner of war in Germany. But then he returns and her mother switches her devotion to her husband. The girl realizes that she must win over her father to recover her position in the family. She confides a secret that will change their lives.

Why Peirene chose to publish this book: ‘This is a poetic story about a girl’s love for her father. Told from the girl’s perspective, but with the clarity of an adult’s mind, we experience her desire to be noticed by the first man in her life. A rare examination of the bonds and boundaries between father and daughter.’ Meike Ziervogel

‘A delicate, discreet novel. Like its little heroine. Impressive.’ Sud Ouest Dimanche

‘Sizun’s beautifully controlled and simple story captures the surprisingly clear gaze of a little girl who discovers how adults excel in the art of concealment.’ Le Nouvel Observateur

‘This story brings to mind, like a slap in the face, our forgotten childhood memories. We remember the way adults fail to hear the tiny cries of the heart.’ Marie Claire