Our selection of 6 books on human relationships

“I will take the fire”, by Leïla Slimani

I will take the fire
by Leïla Slimani
Ed. Gallimard, 430 p. ; € 22.90.

Too trying that these Moroccan years alongside the Belhaj family, from the 1950s at the dawn of the 21st century. It is not easy to be free and happy in such a corseted society, where the differences (of status, sex, sexual orientation …) are stigmatized, and where power can destroy a man.

In the last part of this rough trilogy inspired by her family history, Leïla Slimani tells the journey of Aïcha and Mehdi, a couple of the Moroccan bourgeoisie – she is a gynecologist, him, banker – and their two daughters, Mia and Inès.

Like the father of the novelist, Mehdi is experiencing a meteoric ascent which ends with a brutal fall. Mia, on the other hand, discovers her homosexuality (repressed in Morocco) and will turn to writing and France, while her uncle Selim makes her first photo exhibition in a gallery in New York.

I will take the fire, Nourished by abrasive anger and rage, does not escape provocation (raw scenes, the first of which) but turns out to be a powerful ode to freedom.

Our opinion: Pp

*After The country of others And Watch us dance (Ed. Gallimard).