A Hymn to Life
I don't know where to post this.
This book destroyed me, consumed me, filled me with hope, and filled me with hate.
I read the French version, even though that's not my native language, it was lovely. String of consciousness that was sometimes long, ambling phrases, and sometimes short-sentence prose.
Sometimes it built to a breaking point, sometimes it was all confused.
The details of this case were already horrific as reported by journalists, but discovering, along with Mrs. Pelicot, all of the horrors that happened to her, was beyond anything. There were many points in the book that pushed me to sobbing, but I think how she was treated in court by the men who raped her, while she was already at her most vulnerable, having to expose so much of her personal life in such a public arena, was atrocious.
Pelicot was able to really give me a sense of what she went through, the long years it took for her to accept this, to live again, to be able to hold onto her fond memories, and to be able to move forward, with or without her family.
As with many memoirs, I sometimes feel guilty peeking into their innermost thoughts, especially since Pelicot doesn't want to be seen as a victim, a martyr, or anything of the sort.
Please someone discuss this book with me. I
Posted Feb 26, 2026, 2:03 PM UTC