We are never out of place in a Joël Dicker novel. The Swiss author made a sensational entry into the book industry with The truth about the Harry Quebert affair (Goncourt prize for high school students in 2012, adapted into a television series starring Patrick Dempsey) whose twirling structure with dates and incessant twists and turns had gripped everyone.
The surprise has become a recipe, since it is included in The Baltimore Book, The disappearance of Stephanie Mailer, The enigma of room 622 And The Alaska Sanders Affair. First, “the facts” and the date they occurred. In A savage animalnew title from the man with more than 20 million readers around the world, is the robbery of a jewelry store committed in Geneva, on July 2, 2022. From there, by giant leaps (years , months) or bullet points (days, hours) on the timeline, the story of the central event and the circumstances leading up to it unfolds over a few hundred pages.
We meet Sophie, in her glass house located on the shores of Lake Geneva, in the suburbs of Geneva. She is a lawyer, is about to celebrate her 40th birthday and would be fine in all respects if such a character had any interest (which is rarely the case). Her husband is a financial whiz whose past has a secret. Their neighbor, an impeccable police officer, becomes obsessed with the beautiful forty-year-old. And there is this prowler who drives around in a gray Peugeot.
Active reading
The pawns are in place on the “Dickerian” chessboard. The novelist can start the game… against his readers. Because that’s what makes the success of the bricks he offers them every two or three years. This playful way of lighting and hiding, moving forward and backward, slacking and pulling. Joël Dicker thus trains those who hold the book, immersing them in an entertaining, easy and active reading. Especially since with him, it’s never over until it’s over.
And as the pace of the novel accelerates, we turn the last page dazed, disheveled and without really knowing if it really all fits together from start to finish. But no matter, time flew by. In a more flowing way in A savage animalbecause the author got rid of several irritants that plagued his previous writings.
First, he made it shorter. Understand: less redundant and less unduly stretched. Exit also the awkward romances between gentlemen of a certain age and very young girls. Also outside are the service writers (from Marcus Goldman to the Writer) and their creative torments (not that Stephen King wants to). Finally, with the exception of a very persevering policewoman (not only professionally), the characters who populate this story, although they dialogue with great bursts of banalities (this allows us not to say “the real matters”), do not overflow not too much on the caricature side.
On arrival, therefore, less sand in the gears of the Swiss watch which regulates the intrigues of Joël Dicker!