Deux Filles by Michel Layaz tells the story of Olga, 22, who returns to Paris after a long trip to Asia, accompanied by Sélène, a mysterious young woman she met in a Chinese cemetery. Together, they bring cheerfulness to the life of Olga’s father, who is devastated by his wife’s departure. But gradually, Olga’s father becomes increasingly uneasy about Selene’s presence, disrupting the apparent harmony.
In this intriguing novel, Layaz multiplies signs and symbols, subtly questioning family relationships, motherhood and the ties that bind us together. With his skilful, unsettling writing, he thwarts expectations and prompts the reader to reflect on the nature of life and human relationships.
Michel Layaz, born in Fribourg in 1963, is one of the best-known contemporary writers in French-speaking Switzerland. Since his debut in 1993 with Quartier Terre, he has published some fifteen novels, several of which have won awards. His outstanding works include Les Larmes de ma mère (2003), Louis Soutter, probablement (2016), and Sans Silke (2019), which have won him a number of literary prizes. His writing, often marked by finesse and introspection, explores human relationships with particular sensitivity. With Deux Filles, he continues to surprise with his ability to defy expectations while questioning family dynamics.
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Deux Filles
Michel Layaz