Retour d’outre-mer by Julia Pawlowicz (review)

Pawlowicz, Julia. Retour d’outre-mer. Montréal: Triptyque, 2013. ISBN 978-2-89031826 -7. Pp. 167. $20 Can. Maria Wolski, Polish by birth, now Québécoise, is the central figure of this novel of separation, exile, and self-exploration. But rather than focusing on the sadness and fear that one might associate with such themes, Pawlowicz presents displacement, change, and loss simply as aspects of life which coexist with friendship, love, and hope. Thanks to the flowing third-person narration, the reader experiences a constant sense of movement that makes the limited plot well worth following and the distance created by this literary choice keeps the novel from being overly sentimental.We see how members of Maria’s family struggled, generation after generation, to find a home, both in a literal and a figurative sense. Unhappy in Poland, ill-at-ease in Algeria and never quite accepted in Canada, Maria’s parents transmitted their discomfort to their two children who, in turn, must grapple with their own connections to place and their relationships with others: “L’histoire de Wolski est truffée de faire-semblant, de mensonges , d’espoirs avortés, de craintes et d’inquiétude”(37).The book is divided into five parts, each named after a person present in some way in the storyline: Maria’s recently deceased father, her brother, her lover, her absent mother and Maria herself. It is curious to see these titles, for it is Maria who is highlighted throughout. Events in the present lead Maria to explore personal memories as well as her memories of other characters recounting their own memories. The narrator, from her omniscient place above the scene, doles out these stories bit-by-bit and guides readers to see how they are intertwined. However, it often seems as though the other characters are here primarily to aid Maria in a search, perhaps for a sense of belonging or for an identity? It is not at all clear to Maria herself what she wants. Does she want to remember her father without grief? Rekindle the relationship with her now-married former lover? Understand her brother? Find her mother? Even she does not know and in many instances she goes astray but she does not give up: “Rien pour nourrir une adulte condamnée à constamment réinventer son histoire”(93). Stylistically, Pawlowicz uses two interesting techniques that break up the somewhat monotonous narration that runs from beginning to end. She uses free indirect discourse rather than dialogue and she uses the rhythm of phrases to reflect state of mind. Particularly intriguing are the flowing stream-of-consciousness lists that appear at emotionally-charged moments and the choppy phrases that inform and give a strong sense of momentum. And yes, Maria’s story does move forward. It is to the author’s credit that, in the end, we believe that her character has found, or will soon find, a sense of place. In the title of the novel, “outre-mer”is used literally but also figuratively,meaning“ailleurs”—anywhere but here. Maria has been“elsewhere”and is coming back, having discovered a new relationship with her world. We cannot help but be pleased for her. Metropolitan State University of Denver (CO) Ann Williams 216 FRENCH REVIEW 87.3 ...