Jean-Luc and his wife, Christine, live a fairly routine life. They have established a warm home in which to raise their young son amidst the beauty of the countryside, surrounded by neighbours and friends. Jean-Luc tends to the land and Christine tends to the house, as one might expect. Jean-Luc returns home early one day, however, to find the house empty and Christine is nowhere to be found. Puzzled, he tracks his wife’s tiny footprints through the woods, wondering where she possibly could have gone. As he finds a larger set of footprints — a man’s footprints — joining hers in the snow, the tracks lead him to an unfathomable truth: Christine is having an affair.
Unable to contain his utter shock and outrage, Jean-Luc takes their son and leaves Christine; however they are reunited after some time and things appear to be better. Following an accident which leaves Jean-Luc injured and in need of assistance, Christine appears, once again, to be the devoted wife Jean-Luc desires. Slowly, his hope returns and he begins to trust her once more, only to be struck again with the heartache and misery of her infidelity. This time, however, Jean-Luc launches headfirst into a drunken despair from which he may be unable to recover. And when a horrific tragedy strikes on top of this, Jean-Luc may be lost once and for all.
In simple, straightforward prose, Jean-Luc Persecuted tells a story as relevant today as it was over one hundred years ago. The timeless themes of man’s struggles, both against himself and the external forces which continually batter him, are explored via the framework of a wife’s adultery. Rich with pastoral scenes and the beauty of nature, Ramuz creates an authentic world where everyday people face some of life’s most extraordinary challenges and tragedies. Giving particular attention to the decline of Jean-Luc’s mental health, Ramuz genuinely portrays a heart-wrenching demise that fully envelops the reader.
With Jean-Luc Persecuted, Deep Vellum Publishing brings forth the first English translation of this work by renowned Swiss writer C.F. Ramuz; a story which must have been considered provocative and forward-thinking when first published in French over a century ago (1908) and which still resonates loudly today. Although a brief work, readers will find themselves compelled by the contrast between Jean-Luc’s painful struggles and the beauty of his surrounding environs.
Jean-Luc Persecuted is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore. Many thanks to Deep Vellum Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Jean-Luc Persecuted follows the ill-fated life of an unhappily married man. When Jean-Luc’s wife pursues an affair and leaves him with their child, Jean-Luc’s behavior becomes more and more erratic. He falls to drinking, behaving recklessly, and squandering his money. The narrative follows the explosive downfall of a lone man and his unstoppable mental collapse, surrounded by villagers unable to effect real change. This novel, never before translated, exemplifies the earthy, realistic, often allegorical style of iconic Swiss writer Ramuz.
