2023-01-02 - Voyage au bout de la nuit (1932)

Another classic. I have seen this title a lot, and never really learned anything about it. So I'm glad to finally have dedicated the time to go through it. It's hard not to compare it with The Grapes of Wrath that I had read just before. Another classic, more or less same era (20s and 30s), and a journey into poverty and human condition.

It is well written, there are A LOT of things to extract from the story of Ferdinand, the main character. It's a journey around the world and this era, but also through his entire life. Overall, I think what affected me the most out of all of it, is the question of his own life as he got older. Because there is an entire life happening in the span of a few hundred pages, it made the author and reader question themselves about their own path and impact in the world.

It's not an easy book to read because there are often section of philosophical reflection of the author/main character. While it's interesting, it requires way more focus than just following some kind of action.

I also found it quite dark. Or at least real, but not on the great side of reality. Even if it is an interesting book, while I was done with it, I really needed a hug, and to choose a way happier book.

I also wasn't a huge fan of how the travel to Africa and the US is brought up. I understand how it's useful in the story, but it felt like "Martine goes fishing" (1).

Anyway, I'm glad I read it, and parts of it really moved me. I am glad I'm done, but I wouldn't do it again though (not that I'm one to re-read books).

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1. This reference might be 100% French, so here it is:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martine_(character)