Sarah Moss, Scottish author, depicts us, in her latest novel “Another rainy day”, an abominable vacation that no one would want indeed. In this story we find ourselves at the edge of a loch, understand a lake miles from civilization, where 6 families have dropped off their suitcases for summer vacation. The problem: the rain never seems to want to stop. Suddenly we are bored and the residents have found nothing better than to observe each other to pass the time.
However, this does not mean that they speak to each other or that they would invite each other to one or the other. Our first meeting is with a mother who gets up at dawn to finally go for a run rather to reserve a little time just for her far from her daily mental load. She seems to be running from something. What if it was just his life?
And this is no better for others residents. There’s this couple, the oldest of the summer cottages, who’ve been renting for years. She “sweets the strawberries a little” as they say. There are brides and grooms who never go out. There is also a tired young mother who does not know how to occupy her time when she has an hour free without the children, teenagers who would rather kill than be condemned to spend holidays in this place with their family and without wifi. You found it was a nice picture of the human race is not it ?
Each is grappling with his own torments without paying attention to others. But little by little they are going to open up a little to others and above all a new family arrives: the shevchenko who seem focus everyone’s grievances. And it is also this family that will bind all the others because of a drama that will occur at nightfall.
A very bitter novel which scans the current society and the difficulties of each to remain oneself while devoting oneself to his family. It’s funny and disturbing. A very good novel by Sarah Moss published by Actes Sud.