Elise Vonaesch, a life between studies and literary career –

Elise Vonaesch, a life between studies and literary career

A student of modern French, Elise Vonaesch from Geneva is also an author. She published “Télé-Riviera”, a satire of reality TV, the third novel of her young career.

Elise Vonaesch takes the majority of her classes in the Philosophers building. Photo: Fabien Scotti

Some people need isolation to write. Elise Vonaesch is not one of those people. Going out, taking classes, meeting people, exchanging ideas: the 25-year-old student needs it to nourish her writing. “During the confinement of spring 2020, when I had much more time, the fact of being deprived of any external stimulation completely blocked me in my writing,” recalls the young woman. But as soon as the health situation relaxed, it skyrocketed again.” It was then that she laid the foundations for her third novel. Télé-Rivierarecently published by Geneva-based editions 5 Sens. In this satirical fiction, eight forgotten celebrities hope to return to success by participating in a new Swiss reality TV show, Télé-Rivieraproduced by a ruthless man blinded by gain. “While writing it,” she explains, “I asked myself what motivated me and I often returned to the theme of money. We give it so much space in our lives, in our society. I realized that I needed to speak out about this. And that led to the writing of this book.”