Gaëlle Bélem’s rise seems meteoric. After a first novel “A monster is there, behind the door » published by Gallimard which, certainly, had made an impression, here she was propelled as ambassador of Reunionese literature abroad. His novel, which became “ There’s a monster, behind the door » in the English version led her to be the first Reunion writer to tour abroad.
Read also: Literature: Gaëlle Bélem, Reunion writer, selected for the Renaudot Prize
Indeed, after Sweden and Mauritius, it is in Ireland that the Reunion author presented the English version of her novel. This work which oscillates between the imaginary and the real, written in a lively and rhythmic tone, is an uncompromising painting of Reunionese society, far however from the usual clichés and which offers a fairly broad panorama of the habits and customs of the island. and mainly from eastern Reunion. A novel which brought a breath of fresh air to Reunionese literature and it is not surprising that today it is exported abroad and leads its author to present it elsewhere in the world.
A rich and busy program in Ireland
In Ireland, Gaëlle Bélem visited Dublin, the capital, and Galway, in the west of the country. On his program: recording of literary podcasts, debates, public readings, signing sessions, high school visit, exchanges with students and academics, meeting with the French ambassador to Ireland and interview with the French consul in Galway. A rich and busy program which allowed him not only to promote his novel, but also to raise awareness of Reunionese literature and more generally the richness and diversity of Reunionese culture.
Note also that in a few months, this is the second novel by Gaëlle Bélem “ The rarest fruit or the life of Edmond Albius » which should be the subject of a translation into English, then into Italian. A foreign tour which will take her to Italy and the United States should follow, allowing the Réunion author to take on an international dimension and to promote Reunion literature a little more.
E.B.
