In her latest novel, Yasmina Khadra immerses us in the little-known Montmartre of Paris, that of the forgotten and the invisible.
In her latest novel, “Cœur-d’amande”, Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra immerses the reader in a little-known Montmartre, far from tourist clichés. At the center of this poignant story is Nestor, a small character who lives in a neighborhood of the capital where life is often a daily struggle.
For Yasmina Khadra, Nestor is not just a fictional character, but a representation of an often forgotten world. “It’s important for me to talk about these people. We tend to forget them.”explains the author. He adds: “These are people that I find very courageous, who have a very great personality, people who live every day under a reductive gaze and who never give up.”
An authentic Montmartre
The Montmartre that Yasmina Khadra describes is far from the one that tourists visit. “I’m talking about Montmartre, where we see the human being, where we get closer to states of mind.”he says. The author says he regularly goes to this neighborhood to recharge his batteries, seeking out the rainbow colors in its alleys that soothe his moments of blues.
Resilience in the face of suffering
Through Nestor, Yasmina Khadra explores the notion of resilience. Nestor, although faced with personal challenges, maintains a positive outlook by recalling that “The suffering is worse elsewhere”This reflection is deeply rooted in the current global reality, where humanitarian crises, such as those in Gaza, are omnipresent.
“Happiness is made of little things”Nestor says in the book. This phrase, which reflects the author’s philosophy, values small victories and modest moments of happiness in a life often marked by difficulties.
writer Yasmina Khadra
