![]() It is an atmospheric little novel, and Nothomb's plot-turns are interesting enough.Īs usual, the book is heavy on dialogue, and most of it is quite clever and reveals the characters well.īooks by Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Nerval, Swift, Honoré d'Urfé - and "les contes élisabéthains de lady Amelia Northumb" - are cited and read, and it is particularly in the vein of Le Fanu that Nothomb tries to write her tale. (That is only part of the title-reference, however.) She goes so far as to purchase thermometers, breaking them for the mercury in which Hazel might glimpse her true reflection. The nurse tries to get Hazel to see herself in her true light, but she is thwarted by the Captain at every turn. Nothomb builds up the story nicely, as Françoise gets drawn closer into this strange circle. She also uncovers an old obsession of the Captain's, another young woman that the Captain hid away, but who killed herself. Hazel's relationship with the Captain is decidedly unhealthy, and Françoise slowly learns more about the bizarre goings-on on the island. (The Capitaine would not have accepted a nurse who wore glasses, for the lenses might have allowed for some reflection.)įrançoise befriends Hazel - who is, in any case, more in need of friendship than medical attention. Strict rules are set for Françoise when she comes to the island, the most notable being that she is not allowed to bring a mirror.īy order of the Captain there are, indeed, no mirrors to be seen anywhere on the island, indeed nothing that reflects much of anything - all so Hazel does not have to see her own reflection. ![]() Now approaching her twenty-third birthday, Hazel has fallen slightly ill and needs some medical attention. Hazel lost both her parents during the war, in a dreadful attack in which she was apparently horribly disfigured. The novel is set, almost entirely, in 1923 and on a small, isolated island, owned by the mysterious old Capitaine, Omer Loncours.Ī nurse, Françoise Chavaigne is summoned, to take care of the island's other noteworthy inhabitant, the Captain's young ward, Hazel Englert. In Mercure Nothomb again works with a small set of characters, drawn and forced together in somewhat unusual circumstances. We acknowledge (and remind and warn you) that they may, in fact, be entirely unrepresentative of the actual reviews by any other measure. Similarly the illustrative quotes chosen here are merely those the complete review subjectively believes represent the tenor and judgment of the review as a whole. Please note that these ratings solely represent the complete review 's biased interpretation and subjective opinion of the actual reviews and do not claim to accurately reflect or represent the views of the reviewers. "Anstelle einer Analyse der Mechanismen von Macht und Ohnmacht liefert Nothomb Seelengequatsche." - Martin Amanshauser, Der Standard.Et une invitation au plaisir." - Jean-Pierre Tison, Lire "Ce conte fantastique - à double issue - est un plaidoyer pour ceux et celles que la beauté rend fous."Tant de vaniteuses et agressives coquetteries amènent Amélie à sacrifier ses intrigues à son ego et ses dialogues improbables à des minauderies, dans de longues et vaines digressions: son affaire de Mercure, elle eût pu la boucler en une nouvelle." - Pierre Marcelle, Libération. ![]() Elle ferait mieux de s'arrêter devant un miroir et de réfléchir." - Thierry Gandillot, L'Express "Propulsée à chaque livraison en tête des listes des meilleures ventes, Amélie Nothomb fonce.General information | review summaries | our review | links | about the author Trying to meet all your book preview and review needs.
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