The Book of Mother by Violaine Huisman (another "word vomit book review").


Here is another "verbal vomit book review," this time for The Book of Mother by Violaine Huisman.

Though I didn't LOVE The Monuments of Paris, I liked it enough that I thought I should definitely go back in time and read Huisman's first book in her series of books exploring her family (she has a second book, The Rose Desert, that I'm not sure has been translated to English. I can guarantee you my French is way way way too rusty and awful to read it in French).

So let me dig right in.

Violaine's mother Catherine Cremnitz was a complicated and mercurial woman. Born in humble circumstances, dealt with plenty of shit as a girl and young woman (I'll force you to read the book to find out), and had one brief and unsuccessful marriage before being almost literally swept off her feet by Violaine's father, (named "Antoine" in the book, but actually Denis Huisman). 

The first third of the book is Violaine describing life with her mother. Catherine, or "Maman" as she is generally called by Violaine, is a person who smokes like a chimney, will resort to driving on the sidewalks of Paris if it means getting to a destination quicker, and is not averse to loudly and scolding her two daughters with plenty of colorful language, and then apologizing to the girls and showing them great tenderness. Maman struggles with mental illness and spends time in  psychiatric facilities.

The second third of the book is Violaine recreating Catherine's life from her birth to her passionate but volatile relationship with Antoine/Denis, and then the aftermath when their marriage finally deteriorates and ends.

I suppose my biggest takeaway from the book is that the French can be just as messy as Americans. I say that with tongue just slightly in cheek, because of course we're all human no matter if we live in Paris, France or Okemos, Michigan. We are all subject to the same foibles, jealousies, passions, loves, hates, good behavior, bad behavior, best of intentions, and embarrassing failures.

Violaine is a master chronicler of her fascinating and volatile family. It appears that, despite it all, she emerged unscathed and has built a healthy and thriving career and family. If Catherine could read what her daughter has written, she'd tell her she was proud (probably just before lighting another cigarette).


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