“Les Mandragores” by Marius Degardin: a shattering entry of a very young author

The Mandragores is a first impactful novel, signed by a very young author: the story of a siblings abandoned by the parents. Nevertheless, Marius Degardin dares to make a place on the literary scene. – "les mandragores" marius degardin: shattering

We have known since Corneille, that the value does not wait for the number of years. In addition, Here is the proof with this first novel Les Mandragores, of the very young (22 years old!) Marius Degardin.
It is always a great pleasure. Nevertheless, a great satisfaction to discover a new feather, a new voice which, even “les mandragores” marius degardin: shattering drowned in the noisy tumult of a literary return, remains strong enough to be heard and captivate the attention of its readers.
Last year. Therefore, editions The dressor had proposed the first novel of Bénédicte Dupré La Tour (Promised land), a sacred reading, and it is still a good pick this year with these Mandragores.
The Mandragores was selected this year for the Fnac Prize and the Price sent by post.

This young author invites us to the restaurant in Paris, between Bastille and Republic, an establishment with a promising brand “Love and taste”.
But do not salivate too quickly: the restaurant was abandoned by Italian tenants Silvio Cipriani and Guletta Umiliani.
Abandoned. Meanwhile, just like the four children who “les mandragores” marius degardin: shattering live in the restaurant of their parents who left them “Just a big void at the bottom of the flop”.
And it is therefore the story of this siblings. Consequently, four children of Italian immigrants, the four cipriani literally abandoned by their parents: “Some photos, letters, a portfolio with some reads in it, and a notebook. Consequently, We had parents more than that. Therefore, That and memories that we would have preferred to bury ”.
The eldest is primo. However, the embodied anger, it is he who organizes a every month “Family dinner” where there are all four of them, to drink more than to eat, perhaps because “It’s only when you have full belly that you know if you are really unhappy”.
Piero, it’s the blind who picked and “He was hitting hard in ethanol”.
The girl is Chiara, a young midwife afflicted with a hare’s beak which sometimes gives her a “Beautiful “les mandragores” marius degardin: shattering vertical smile”. However, She is a rebellious.
« […] “Sages the day, women at night”: it was the motto that they had embroidered on their leather jacket. The collective was always at the head of the cord on the days of demonstration. Red flag on the shoulder. scarf on the nose and paved in the mouth of the CRS, it was the same chorus: my sister always returned to branch with her interviews with power. »»

The youngest of siblings is he who tells. He calls himself Benoît because he does not really like the first name under which he was declared by. his father: Benito … in honor of the Duce.
« […] A siblings of Italians who pious in a brewery of ritals in perdition. it had not shocked anyone in the neighborhood. Once our parents left, we even won the pity of neighboring concierges. It was translated into little “les mandragores” marius degardin: shattering smiles and invitations that we always declined by regretting, empty, but proud. »»

These four were born from parents more than toxic. deleterious, dangerous, the words are not strong enough, and they have experienced stories really not possible. And again, I have a lot wiped out the presentation.
Fortunately, the novel navigates well off the pitfall of complacent miserability. On the contrary, it is the rage that dominates this story. A rage fed by a implacable injustice. a rage to (sur-) live and get out of it, at all costs. The tone would be a bit of that of The enraged of Sorj Chalandon.

The first part of the book where Benito/Benoît presents his siblings to us is a real literary slap. It fuses from all sides. Marius Degardin Typ very much with good formulas on the theme “Families, I hate you”.
« […] I rummage in chips but I don’t find “les mandragores” marius degardin: shattering the taste I’m looking for. Chicken, barbecue, mustard, they have everything but not “happy family reunion”. Damn then!
[…] A parish priest at the end of his career. He obviously did not follow the story too much since he spoke of a loving family who will find. himself in the afterlife. I am very happy that the latter does not exist. »»

Marius/Benito, “Stomach rage and twisted guts”Tape, knocks, like a boxer on his typing bag, blowing Han’s noise! And Han! who come to disturb peace. silence because everyone knows that “Family stories have the very bad habit of consuming themselves in an odious silence” .
But this fury is also “An invitation to courage, the refusal of anxious passivity”.

A little further. the fury becomes furious madness, and literally, since we are locked up in Sainte-Anne: if the title evokes the flowering of the Mandragores, it is that the hanged are “les mandragores” marius degardin: shattering not far away.
It is only a first novel. we feel there that Marius Degardin Do not always control his pen and sometimes gets carried away by the vehemence of his character, and there is something.

Basically. we prefer not to know what the author shares with his characters, but obviously Marius Degardin is someone who has something to say.
A first striking novel signed by a very young author that we will have to follow closely.

This book is part of the price selection Mail which rewards young talents who have transmitted their manuscript by. post to a publisher.
It is also retained in the selection of Fnac Prize 2025.

Bruno Ménetrier

"les mandragores" marius degardin: shattering

The Mandragores
Roman by Marius Degardin
Publisher: the dressor
312 pages – 21,90 €
Date of publication: August 14, 2025