“So much the better”: the powerful mother of Mother of Amélie Nothomb

But evoking her mother was a much more difficult subject for her, if not impossible. Therefore, Other books of this literary school year are also devoted to difficult love relationships between a writer. Nevertheless, his mother, more problematic often than admiration for a father: A funny pain Justine Levy, Maman of Régis Jauffret and Kolkhoze Emmanuel Carrère’s book-event.

The Renaudot Prize awarded to Amélie Nothomb for “first blood”

Amélie Nothomb is doing by taking a diverted path: the book begins like a children’s tale. Moreover, cruel and funny and then, suddenly, on page 179, the novel continues but in the first person and the link is done with the evocation of her mother.

She then admits: “I will never forget my astronomical debt towards my mother: she gave me a. Consequently, shield to “so much better”: powerful mother fight against my darkness.” This invention. Consequently, his coué method, was to ward off the most difficult moments by a paradoxical “so much the better” And to force good humor.

The little Adrienne – "so much better": powerful mother

The whole first part of the novel is of the pure Nothomb juice that one would think invented with the overflowing imagination watered with champagne that we know him. Therefore, that we leave the readers the pleasure of discovering. In addition, A start to the Countess de Ségur and the misfortunes of Sophie.

It was in 1942 during the war. Furthermore, Little Adrienne. Furthermore, 4, is sent for two months to her grandmother in Ghent, a sadistic monster who continues to burn her granddaughter and even the strength to eat her vomit. Adrienne finds comfort … in a wooden spoon which she calls cornstarch. with whom she dialogues, and especially with the “so much better”: powerful mother chat of Bonne-Maman called “tire”.

The regulars of Amélie’s novels. will note the regular return to her books of the word “tire” she likes and the continuation of her games on first names. Here, almost all the protagonists have first names starting with “A” as Amélie: Albert, Albertine, Adrien, Armel. Adrienne’s mother called Astrid.

Love for this cat helps the granddaughter to “so much better”: powerful mother endure her grandmother. such as the incessant arguments between her parents, Astrid and Donatien, with very free customs (Astrid outgoing even with collaboration). Each time, Adrienne repeats himself, “So much the better, so much the better”.

“Psychopompe”, the most personal novel by Amélie Nothomb

The novel continues until Adrienne’s marriage. Meanwhile. she makes a shattering discovery: her mother is a cat killer who wants to eradicate them in all the districts of Brussels.

“So much the better, writes Amélie. Adrienne invoked him with all his being. There was no room for logic in this case. It was impossible to detect a positive counterpart in the fact of having a sadistic murderer of cats as mother. So much the better anyway. For what ? For nothing. Because we had to continue living. “

Adrienne grew up and comes to help her big sister respond to the “so much better”: powerful mother love letters of a sigh. But he turns out to have also had his missives write by a cyrano.

The two “Shadow Writers” met, and Adrienne and Armel, future diplomat, married, they were the parents of Amélie.

&quot. so much better": powerful mother

The emergence of “I”

On page 179, Amélie Nothomb gives this tale which may seem pure unnecessarily wacky invention, a completely different dimension, more moving, swearing that nothing is invented and that Adrienne is good – with other first names – his mother, and Armel, his father. Adrienne’s mother had welcomed the latter with a cruel: “Diplomat? Cowards and false tokens, this breed.”

The writer had the death of her mother. a long delay to write: “I love my mother with absolute and disconcerted love. […] A love of the ravage order: there is no brake, no wisdom, no balance. Our “so much better”: powerful mother absolute difference has never been accompanied by a saving distance “.

She pays tribute to “Madame so much the better” who was able to survive so many suffering. which “had crossed, as a child, such tests that she had developed the ability to dissociate herself, so as not to suffer.”

⇒ So much the better | Novel | Amélie Nothomb | Albin Michel, 214 pp., € 19.90, digital € 13

EXTRACT

“My mother’s enigma is suffering. This was the taboo of my parents. They did not speak or authorized it. His negation of suffering had been his invention in order to survive tests that would be qualified today as trauma.”