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jcola24 's review for:
In the Absence of Men
by Philippe Besson
I don’t know about you, but where I am, summer has started and that means chipping away at the summer reading list.
First up, is *In the Absence of Men.* I loved *Lie With Me,* another of Besson’s beautiful queer novels about an affair between two teenage boys in 1984 France. This time, Besson brings us to France in the summer of 1916.
World War I rages on as sixteen-year-old Vincent, too young to fight, meets Marcel. Meeting Marcel triggers something within Vincent and propels him to meet Arthur, a young soldier on leave and the son of his governess. Together, they share a secret that everyone seems to know but no one dares discuss.
Their intense love affair marks Vincent's discovery of first love. They risk everything to be together. Do you remember your first love? Do you remember exploring feelings you couldn't name but couldn't wait to experience again? The novel delves into the raw emotions of desire, longing, and fear that accompany this relationship, capturing how exhilarating and heart-crushing first love can be.
Vincent comes of age as the war rages on. As he processes his feelings and grows more confident in his identity and his love for Arthur, the story traces his path into adulthood and loss of innocence. He navigates complicated and painful relationships while trying to understand both love and himself.
The novel is firmly rooted in gay themes and explores queer love and friendship; I’d go as far as to say this is an important work of queer literature and belongs on the same shelf as many other canonical works. As Pride Month and summer begin, this is exactly the book you'll want to read.
First up, is *In the Absence of Men.* I loved *Lie With Me,* another of Besson’s beautiful queer novels about an affair between two teenage boys in 1984 France. This time, Besson brings us to France in the summer of 1916.
World War I rages on as sixteen-year-old Vincent, too young to fight, meets Marcel. Meeting Marcel triggers something within Vincent and propels him to meet Arthur, a young soldier on leave and the son of his governess. Together, they share a secret that everyone seems to know but no one dares discuss.
Their intense love affair marks Vincent's discovery of first love. They risk everything to be together. Do you remember your first love? Do you remember exploring feelings you couldn't name but couldn't wait to experience again? The novel delves into the raw emotions of desire, longing, and fear that accompany this relationship, capturing how exhilarating and heart-crushing first love can be.
Vincent comes of age as the war rages on. As he processes his feelings and grows more confident in his identity and his love for Arthur, the story traces his path into adulthood and loss of innocence. He navigates complicated and painful relationships while trying to understand both love and himself.
The novel is firmly rooted in gay themes and explores queer love and friendship; I’d go as far as to say this is an important work of queer literature and belongs on the same shelf as many other canonical works. As Pride Month and summer begin, this is exactly the book you'll want to read.