Le Piano Oriental

Author

Zeina Abirached

Back Cover

Cette bande dessinée est inspirée de la vie de son grand-père qui est inventeur d’un  nouvel instrument de musique – le piano oriental! Il a créé un piano qui joue de la musique occidentale et orientale dans le Beyrouth des années 1960. La métaphore du piano est amusante et touchante en lisant l’histoire de Zeina Abirached, la petite-fille, qui se trouve à Paris dans une autre culture. Pendant ce récit, les deux cultures, les deux mondes, et les deux musiques cohabitent. 

The graphic novel recounts the dual stories of a grandfather and granddaughter. The grandfather’s story unfolds in the 1960s in Beirut before the civil war while the granddaughter’s leads her to Paris several decades later. The piano is central to the story as it is used as a metaphor for the fusion of cultures, worlds, and music. With a switch of the peddle, the instrument can change the tempo and sound just like the granddaughter does in France (code switching between Lebanon and France). A beautifully illustrated novel with an equally touching story.

Our Thoughts

I was fortunate enough to hear Zeina Abirached speak. One of the things that struck me most was when she said that she writes in French but draws in Arabic. The beautiful illustrations depict the knitting of words and how easily words and cultures can shift just like the piano in order to play new and sometimes strange words and sounds. I love how this BD weaves both the story of her grandfather and his piano with her own cross cultural journey. I truly enjoyed the illustrations, storyline, and cultural exploration. I highly recommend it!

Genre:

Graphic Novel

Page Count: 208

Bonjour Tristesse

Author

Françoise Sagan

Back Cover

L’héroïne, Cécile, une adolescente de 17 ans, passe l’été dans une villa magnifique abord de la Méditerranée. Elle découvre l’amour, les baisers, et  les rendez-vous avec un voisin en même temps que son père décide entre deux maîtresse. Ils s’amusent bien jusqu’à la tragédie qui les force à rendre compte de leurs propres rôles.

Published when she was only nineteen, Françoise Sagan’s first novel Bonjour Tristesse became an instant bestseller worldwide. The story largely focuses on the young protagonist, Cécile, who leads a relatively carefree life with her widowed father and his young mistresses. However, the summer vacation after failing an exam changes everything for the father daughter duo with the reappearance of an old friend of her mother.

Our Thoughts

L’écrivaine, elle-même, est tellement intéressante. Elle avait 19 ans quand elle a écrit ce roman en six semaines! Inconnue et jeune, Sagan a fait scandale avec la publication de cette histoire. Bonjour Tristesse est rapidement devenu un best-seller mondial. 

C’est vrai que le choc associé à ce roman est moindre parce la société a évolué. Je connais des gens qui ont une relation presque similaire à celle présentée dans ce roman. Cependant, la publication de Bonjour Tristesse a créé une scandale avec pleins de critiques parce que les années 50 n’étaient pas une époque connue pour la libération des mœurs. L’héroïne, Cécile, une adolescente de 17 ans, découvre le plaisir et fait l’amour sans que la sanction en soit la grossesse ou le mariage. Bien sûr que ce genre de mœurs n’existe plus aujourd’hui. 

At the time of publication, this book shocked audiences around the world due to its casualness concerning sex and pleasure for the young protagonist Cecile. The 17 year-old has a very causal and close relationship with her father where they discuss intimate details of their lives. The short novel discusses various mistresses and the conquests of her father. However, the book has a tragic ending that leaves Cecile reflecting on her role in the events that unfolded over the summer.

I found that the shock value was not the same reading it in 2021 as society has progressed since the 1950s. Relationships between fathers and daughters like theirs exist more frequently now. Lastly, women’s liberation, contraceptives, and society in general has evolved greatly since the original publication. It certainly is a famous read that is worth it today – just don’t be waiting to be shocked by its contents.

Page Count: 213