Devina by Alain Gordon-Gentil (review)

que je fais et la réalité que je fuis” (117–18). Embauché enfin à la télévision de Lille et reparti dans un mariage peu prometteur, il annonce qu’ils avaient “peut-être fait une erreur de casting” (153). Grâce à ses connaissances artistiques, musicales, cinématographiques et théâtrales, Fournier décrit un jeune ambitieux qui, voulant sortir de l’ordinaire comme beaucoup de jeunes cherchant à se distinguer, se retrouve néanmoins éloigné des études commencées et du métier entrepris. Il reprend le chemin de ce qu’il aime et se demande encore s’il peut être heureux. Derrière l’humour de l’auteur, on ressent la recherche d’un bonheur difficile à saisir. Spence School (NY) Mary P. Schmid Combal GORDON-GENTIL, ALAIN. Devina. Paris: Julliard, 2009. ISBN 978-2-260-01810-0. Pp. 156. 17 a. The body of Rébecca Martin-Régnaud, a wealthy white young woman, is discovered in a bloody water-filled bathtub, gaping wounds circling her mouth (which the police investigation never looks into nor publicly reports). Alain Gordon-Gentil’s third work is set on l’île Maurice, a lesser-known Francophone area located in the Indian Ocean. Thus, for the reader this novel is a helpful initiation to its diverse culture. Indians comprise fifty percent of the population (mostly Hindus, with some Muslims, descendants of those brought as workers in the nineteenth century). Lying off the east coast of Africa, beyond Madagascar, the island also includes many Africans, called “Creoles.” Although they are a minority, the whites—primarily French—constitute the most powerful and wealthy group. Inequality among ethnic groups, political unrest, repression, and corruption are to be expected, given the diversity and the colonial history of Mauritius. Rébecca’s statement, “Vivre à Maurice, c’était sans cesse choisir entre le mensonge qui construit la paix et la vérité qui déclenche la guerre” (144), defines the situation on the island and sets the background for the plot. Her egalitarian and non-discriminatory spirit is unwelcome in her family and, as a result, her brother Jérôme appears to be a prime suspect in her murder. Devina, Rébecca’s faithful Hindu servant, becomes the reluctant primary source of information for the police and the media, because of her close connection to Rébecca as a confidant. Various social factions view Devina as a key figure and invite her to their councils, and, as an activist, she marches at the head of several demonstrations, thus garnering high-profile media coverage. The author fleshes out the characters and relationships through a series of flashbacks, memories , and letters. Devina is the willing cultural guide for Rébecca, taking her to Hindu ceremonies and satisfying her curiosity about the beliefs of that faith. Rébecca’s openness results in two friendships, with Raju and Jason—this one deepening into an affair. Neither man has the approval of her wealthy family. A letter to Devina from Jason, dying of AIDS in Malawi, reveals more of his background and current situation. When Raju is arrested, based on his confession, Devina is suspicious and visits him in jail, where he discloses that his confession was forced. The local media feed the unrest with reports of secret meetings between high ranking police officers and Rébecca’s brother, then veiled claims of large sums of money deposited in the officers’ bank accounts, implying bribes for Reviews 215 a cover-up. In the midst of the unrest, a stage three hurricane bears down on the island, but it slows the action only momentarily. The end of the novel brings resolution only to those characters on the periphery of the murder, whose knowledge is based exclusively on media reports. For most readers, the dénouement lacks closure and is probably unsatisfying. This work is a solid addition to postcolonial Francophone writing, providing a glimpse into the common theme of ethnic conflict and the upheaval that it brings to a diverse society. Messiah College (PA) Lois K. Beck HMOUDANE, MOHAMED. Le ciel, Hassan II et maman France. Paris: Différence, 2010. ISBN 978-2-7291-1892-1. Pp. 222. 17 a. Although the author said...