Mygale

by Thierry Jonquet

Book Overview

Macabre French noir rings unique changes on themes of desire, identity, loss, and restitution.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 087286409X
• ISBN13: 9780872864092
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: City Lights Books
• Length: 120 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

Revenge. Sweet Revenge.

Near the beginning of MYGALE, we realize that Richard Lafargue, a prominent plastic surgeon, although he treats his woman Eve pleasantly in the presence of others, indeed hates her guts with a searing intensity. As for Eve, although she is locked up at night in her bedroom, we cannot help but wonder why she does not run away or tell someone of her confinement and brutalization when she is around others. After all, it is not like Lafargue is hiding her. He takes her to local parties and such. And, a couple of times a month, he takes her to a Paris apartment where she is used sexually by paying customers, while Lafargue watches with pleasure through a one-way mirror and laughs at Eve's humiliation. The mystery slowly unfolds in this intriguing tale of revenge. Lafargue has shackled Eve on to him in a rather unique manner. Although the plot device starts to become apparent about halfway through the book, the originality of it nonetheless allows MYGALE to maintain the steam through to the end. Despite her hatred of Lafargue and her humiliation at his hands, Eve cannot go back to the life she once knew. Along the way we meet Alex, a thug on the run after killing a cop. His story becomes interwoven with that of Eve, Lafargue, and Lafargue's daughter, who is confined to a mental institution. The loose ends come together tightly as we learn the full truth of what has happened. I picked up MYGALE as it is published by the same noir division of City Lights Books that published a couple of excellent thrillers by Jean-Patrick Manchette. MYGALE lacks the action of Manchette's books and is more subtle and psychological in nature. But the books share the same terse prose and, although it takes a different approach to noir, MYGALE is, like Manchette's books, worth the time. Also read: The Prone Gunman (City Lights Noir), Jean-Patrick Manchette Three To Kill, Jean-Patrick Manchette

Strange, weird, great

Jonquet is a French author of children's books, which I am somewhat familiar with. They are good, enjoyable books. I had never read any of his other works, although I did know he had published some mysteries and essays. This novel is one of those, and it is quite a discovery if you ask me. Jonquet depicts a relationship between a man and a woman that is so strange and twisted as to be called surreal. Are they husband and wife? Father and daughter? Lovers? Associates? Acquaintances? Brother and sister? The answer could be any or every one of those. And who is the wounded man? Where do they come together? This book would be great inspiration for a David Lynch or Stanley Kubrick film. This is a world where the crime is accepted and exalted, by its very victim. The story grips the reader tightly, and doesn't let go until the very end. Good thing this is a short book, because I couldn't stop reading. I gave it four stars, because I began to glimpse the answer to the mystery about halfway through the book. But the story is fascinating in its weirdness, the characters are twisted but somehow likable enough, and the story presents an idea so bold and original as to be shocking by the time it is revealed. Even if you somehow saw it coming.