The building of women who've given up on men
A former world famous ballerina known as “La Reine” has been given a small building by one of her former lovers.She lives on the top flat with a big terrace on which she cultivates bamboos. She has four other flats which sherents - at a very low rate - to women with the condition that no man crosses the door. That includes plumbers,electricians, painters...not so easy to find women electricians! The only male allowed in the building, a cat named Jean Pierre who wanders from one flat to the other... All these women have of course a history.
There is Rosalie who married the sweetheart of her childhood, the only love of her life, but when she mentionedchildren her sweetheart escaped, went to buy cigarettes never to return... There is Giuseppina, a Sicilian womanwhose life was ruled by her father and brothers, marrying her to a man of their choice when she was 18. Whenshe finally escaped they forced her to leave her daughter Fortuna behind. She bears this sorrow with difficulty.There is Simone whose parents were farmers. She didn’t want to live a farmer’s life so came to Paris which firsthorrified her. She decided to travel the world and spent five years in south America where she fell for a goodlooking gaucho with whom she had a son. One day coming back earlier from the fields she found another blondand thin backpacker in his bed. She just closed the door, took her three years old son and went back to France.Then there is Juliette, a new arrival, who has taken Carla’s flat gone to India for a few months. Juliette works as afilm editor. She has red hair, is a bit plump and hasn’t really given up men in her life. Juliette still suffers from aloveless childhood . Her parents were so absorbed in each other that they had absolutely no time for her.
When young Juliette moves into the building, she’s charmed by their familiarity, delights, laughter and momentsof madness. But she’s certainly not about to give up on men herself! Will her resolve shake the certainties of thesewomen who are so determined to live out their lives as singles?
The author:
As a photographer, KARINE LAMBERT searches for the fundamental truths a picture can reveal. L’Immeuble desfemmes qui ont renoncé aux hommes is her first novel.
Publication date: May 2015
Pages: 240
Rights sold: Italy, Spain, Romania, Russia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Korea, China
