Marie Bronsard Knihy

Exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery, the narrative unfolds as a poignant farewell from a woman reflecting on nearly a decade of solitude after her lover's departure. On the eve of her transformation, she pens a final letter, confronting her past and emotions. As dawn breaks, she embraces a new identity, shedding her feelings of despair and reclaiming her agency. The story, originally published in French in 1986, has also been adapted for the stage, showcasing its enduring impact.

Now in paperback, Marie Bronsard's strikingly original memoir reweaves the history of her family--and the legend of her grandmother--leaving no stone unturned and no skeleton in the closet. Egocentric and domineering, Bronsard's grandmother was once a vibrant and sensual beauty. In Indochina at the end of the Second World War, she thrived in the social life of the French colony, but her young soldier husband sought a quieter existence, finding solace in the companionship of their adolescent daughter, Bronsard's mother. The consequences of this choice reverberate throughout the family. But far from being an airing of grievance or dirty laundry, Bronsard's memoir has the air of catharsis--here, the pain, secrets, and comic moments of Bronsard's family are remembered with gentle humor, understanding, and affection. A wry irony tempers emotion, and it is in these pages that the author, at last, finds it possible to name the woman of the legend and perhaps bring her grandmother a measure of peace.