This novel comes highly acclaimed, with over one million copies sold. I was lucky enough to be sent a copy for review.
The main character, Violette Toussaint, is a caretaker for a cemetery in Bourgogne. She is as highly valued as the priest who conducts funerals, and is perhaps more valuable due to visitors constantly seeing her around, relying on her for gentle conversation, counsel, and a place at her kitchen table if they so need.
One day, a police chief by the name of Julien Seul arrives, with instructions from his late mother's will to scatter her ashes on the grave of her lover, not her husband. As Violette's and Julien's friendship develops, she discovers not just an interesting story, but something that crosses with her own past.
The novel weaves effortlessly between narratives - Violette's life as a caretaker, her past life with her fleeting husband and young daughter; Irene (Julien's mother) and Gabriel, and more.
The novel packs more than one powerful punch. As well as the moving - and often heartbreaking - stories, we discover beyond the surface tragedies of Violette's life, and why she has become so comfortable in - and comforted by - the cemetery. She is a private, shy, and complex woman, a product of tough circumstances, and the circumstances that led to her place at the cemetery are as gutting as they are enigmatic. For part way through the novel, the story takes on the air of a not-quite murder mystery, as we find out there is more to Violette's relationship to her daughter than face value.
I wish I could read in French so I could experience it in the original language. The English translation was beautiful, and I assume the original text is even more so.
I'm so glad I got to read this book and I will be following Perrin's future works.
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