book picks: the dog stars & delicacy

In the past week I've finished two books, which is a pretty big deal considering senior year schoolwork and the like. The reason? These were both absolutely wonderful reads, impossible to put down once opened. They are similar only in their inherent theme of tragedy and adaptation. Beyond that, they could not be more different.

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller takes place in a post-apocalyptic USA, where mankind has been practically eliminated by an outbreak of flu (or something flu-like). The protagonist Hig lives in Colorado, carrying on with no one but his dog Jasper and his crazy wilderness comrade Bangley. Bangley keeps himself sane (or semi-sane) by focusing all his efforts on fortifying the hanger they call home, while Hig tries to retain a sense of his past life by channeling his energy into fishing, farming, cooking, and scouting the perimeter in a 1956 Cessna (with Jasper as copilot). When Hig hears a broken transmission come through his radio from another airport, he decides to go beyond his plane's point of no return in search of some fragment of his old life.

The best part of this book is it surprising capacity for humor. Dark humor mostly, given the circumstances, yet I still found myself laughing out loud at some of the things that came out of Bangley's mouth. Even after Hig leaves Bangley far behind, the latter sticks with Hig in his mind's eye. The thoughts and imaginings of Hig are beautiful, heartrending, and poignantly human. In fact, what this novel ultimately seems to be about is the often unacknowledged moments that make up humanity.

Delicacy by David Foenkinos is a romance, originally French but recently released in the US in English. However, for its protagonist Natalie, it is a pseudo-apocalyptic tale. She has just become a widow in a tragically sudden accident. Young and now without her beloved husband Francois, she finds herself the object of male obsession in her office. Her (married) boss is very direct in his confessions of love for her, but Natalie has locked herself away.

In a surprisingly charming twist, it is her geeky coworker, a Swede named Markus, who finally starts to melt her aloof exterior. Apparently the book was made into a film with Audrey Tautou as Nathalie. I haven't seen it, but it's definitely on my list after reading this delightfully sweet little novel.

read this book instead of 50 shades of grey: monsieur by emma becker

Eli discovered this seemingly little-known erotic novel a few months ago, and it has quickly become one of our all-time favourites. Published in France just last year by 22-year-old Emma Becker, this extremely personal autobiography has attracted little attention but deserves the reputation that 50 Shades of Grey unjustifiably earned in recent years. Not only is Miss Becker’s novel very well-written, it describes the profound sexual and emotional obsession with men that almost every young woman has gone through. We girls have all wanted someone we couldn’t have, or become involved with someone who doesn’t love us in the same way that we love them. Emma’s doomed story of passion is relatable, fascinating, and brought me to tears.

Essentially, ‘Ellie’ (Emma’s alias in the novel) becomes sexually involved with a renowned, married surgeon much older than herself after discovering a common interest in erotic literature. Ellie becomes obsessed with this man (who she never names in the book, referring to him only as Monsieur). She describes him as a drug: she spends every minute without him quivering in anticipation of their next meeting. She lives only for the simplest communication with him, even just a short text message. The rest of Ellie’s life is a pretense that will disappear and show its emptiness as soon as her mobile lights up with his name. Monsieur becomes her only reality.

‘And then Monsieur, whom I hate… magically brings me to life, blowing on the ashes of my phoenix, his velvet tones, tender and amusing, simply saying, “Good morning, Miss Becker.”’

Many women have been in a relationship similar to Ellie’s, though perhaps one not quite as drastic or taboo! Many of us have experienced that attraction, even obsession, where our world seems to revolve around another person who has absolutely no idea how involved we are. This kind of relationship advances from hatred of that person (for being oblivious), to utter addiction, to self-hatred, to depression. This is a story that cannot have a happy ending.

However, I whole-heartedly recommend this book! Not only is Monsieur extremely sexually explicit, which is always a bit of fun, but it puts together the very best of my favourite erotic novels. This story is basically the creation of Catherine Millet from Lolita. Monsieur takes The Sexual Life of Catherine M. and puts you, a modern college student, in Catherine’s place. Ellie takes you through the intimate thoughts and emotions of moving from being merely ‘sexually active’ to becoming a deeply sexual being, finding yourself in the depths of filth and sodomy, and loving it, finding it beautiful beyond expression. Monsieur describes a side of women that is almost always hidden away, that little Lolita in us that truly wants to be defiled.

Not only this, but I absolutely fell in love with Emma (Ellie) Becker. I loved her eloquence (which is beyond her age), her bravery (or perhaps stupidity), and her fragility. I was vicariously able to live the life of this daring, unashamed, doomed girl through Monsieur.

‘Sex in his arms is a playground in which nothing, absolutely nothing, is forbidden… it’s like being drunk, the sense of release so deep that I can’t find words to express it.’


You can find Monsieur at bookstores like Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com for less than $10. We highly recommend picking it up!