Les Petits Enfants du siècle, by Christiane Rochefort
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In this book, the author narrates the story of Josyane, as she grows from childhood to adolescence, and then, the brink of adulthood.
From an early age, Jo shoulders the responsibility of helping her mother with household chores and caring for her numerous younger siblings. It is heartening that she seeks refuge in her homework at the end of the day. With the passing years, she discovers love, yearns for more meaning in her life and struggles to find her true vocation.
The humorous descriptions of ‘frivolous’ adult conversation as perceived by Jo the child, the emotional bonding between Jo and her little brother, Nicolas, the determined quest to achieve her goal by all means and her complex relationships as she grows older transport the reader through a world filled with a gamut of emotions. A good reading experience.