A deeply unsettling and powerful voice forms the basis of Lola Lafon’s novel, translated from French by Hildegarde Serle. Reeling centres around Cléo, who at 13 years old is approached by an endearing older woman at her modern jazz dance class, reeling her into a world that otherwise would seem unattainable.
Cathy showers Cleo with gifts, manipulating her into believing she will receive a scholarship and then exploiting her into recruiting suitable candidates from her school to join the exclusive Foundation. We soon learn, from the various characters related to Cléo during her life, how the story eventually unfolds and the aftermath faced by those who experienced the darkness at the hands of the Foundation.
Despite the difficult subject matter, the powerful prose creates an effective and moving tale. Since the MeToo movement, it feels particularly important to have these conversations, and with ambition, guilt and forgiveness at the heart of the novel, the air of sadness that surrounds so many people who loved through the experience is apparent.
There is much to read between Reeling’s lines but it conveys the right atmosphere, with a deft understanding of the sensitive nature. The connections between the characters, who all lead back to the same experience, are expertly crafted in an immersive, captivating story.
Reeling, Lola Lafon [trans. Hildegarde Serle] (Europa Editions)
Price: £12.99. Info: here
words RHIANON HOLLEY
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