Cochin, early thirties, bordering the Pacific Ocean, a mother - Mother - and her two children survive miserably. The novel begins when, once again, the Pacific invaded rice paddies and plantations despite the roadblock a few months earlier. The story of the Mother is also revealing: she saved for years on his thin piano teacher pay and seals in the bars of big hotels at night to buy a franchise. The irony is that the concession which has been attributed to him is uncultivable because every year invades the Pacific lowlands. Only a piece of land slightly elevated immune to this phenomenon and allows the family to survive in poverty. So the mother, with his last savings decides to build a dam to protect land and it convinces all local peasants to join it. However despite all their efforts, the Pacific demolishes their poor dam and bathes saltwater land again. This is where the novel begins. Joseph is the eldest son, he is surly, rude and seems insensitive, he just bought a horse to earn some money by making a shuttle between their village and the nearest city. Again, it is rolled and bought an old carne which is soon to die in a heavy atmosphere, much like the collapse of the last hope. Suzanne's sister, a young woman barely out of adolescence, aid as it can and as she waits, and is still waiting, bashed by the Mother and Joseph. Suzanne expects that a man takes her away from all this poverty. Mother, she reigned over his little world is both a tyrant and a mother hen, embittered, depressed, idolizing his son Joseph to him, to forget listening continuously the same three disk on an old gramophone and drinks . Mr. Jo appears a pseudo businessman, son of an industrialist, it remains in the area for a few weeks. It seems to fall in love with Suzanne, but she does not give in despite the gifts and hopes to receive a marriage proposal ... of course, the mother is complicit. It has a role in this disorder, much like a go a little madam. Joseph, he, as always, despised, rejected, while en bloc violently. But the story with Mr. Jo will fail and then waiting again for Suzanne. Joseph will be the only rebel to `get out 'of this mess desert ...
Difficult to remain indifferent to this writing, violent, hit, poetic, fluid, all this at once. I like the detachment of the author of his characters, it is as an objective witness, however, they take some form before us and are no longer present as a pretty incredible writing method. The atmosphere of the book is heavy, heavy, dripping with sweat and misery. Material poverty is so acute that she won the souls and became mental misery all cases at Joseph and Suzanne the subject; Mother, she is decidedly mad. It's beautiful, it's taking is rough and poetic. This is not a book that one swallow, but it's a fascinating, in which one returns to a measured dose, but daily.
