The Wide World

“Lemaitre, who has been stunning audiences for two decades has crafted a novel difficult to put down despite a gamut of unsympathetic characters, from aimless ne'er-dowells and junkies to brutal murderers.”—Sarah Steers, Booklist

“A prizewinning writer tells the story of postwar France through the secrets and lies of one wonderfully monstrous family . . . The Wide World is one of Lemaitre’s best . . . Compellingly plotted, stuffed with great characters, thought-provokingly situated in history—honestly, what else do you want from a novel?”
 —David Mills, The Times (London)

“Lemaitre goes back in time through the extraordinary lives of ordinary heroes. A flamboyant human comedy.”
 —Le Figaro magazine

“A sweeping saga of family fortunes and ill-gotten gains…Lemaitre is following in Balzac’s illustrious footsteps…skillfully contrasting the vibrancy, exoticism, and dangerous excitement of Saigon and Beirut in the years after the Second World War with the drab, careworn city that Paris has become…There is also a great deal of psychological depth in the Frenchman’s storytelling.”—Tobias Grey, Financial Times

“A family saga as well as a social and historical novel, The Wide World is a jubilant and exciting dive into the postwar period in Beirut, Saigon, and Paris.”—Sandrine Bajos, Le Parisien

“Adventure, humor, striking characters, unexpected twists, and shattering revelations—all of Lemaitre’s storytelling strengths are deployed once again to continue painting a tumultuous picture of the twentieth century.”—François Lestavel, Paris Match