Les cinq saisons de L'Avenir: le printemps, qui ne faisait pas qu'écrire sur les murs par Michel Bélil (review)

This is the third in a series of five planned novels set in the dystopian future city-state of L'Avenir. The series follows the development of main character Joachim O'Bomsawin who is serving as interim chief of police and as the full-time director of public works. Taking place, as the title suggests, during the spring of year near the end of the twenty-first century, the story begins with the double murder of members of two rival gangs vying for control of the streets. Things quickly get complicated when the two members are found dead together—suggesting another force at work as opposed to simple tit-for-tat revenge killings. In charge of the investigation, O'Bomsawin and his assistant, N'guyen, find themselves embroiled in a political scandal that threatens the stability of the city-state, which is already endangered from without, due to its low standing among other city-states in the regional collation known as l'amicale. This savage and professional hit unmasks domestic trouble facing the municipality on two fronts. Graffiti left on the walls of a local restaurant by rebel leader Zita Tanzanie fuels tensions between the "irregular" inhabitants of the city (refugees from southern tribal zones surrounding the city) and its political leaders to the extent that the ghetto becomes a real tinderbox of emotion and violence. Meanwhile, political intrigue and internal power struggles at the highest levels of local government also menace to tear the city apart. Full of characters with unsuspected interrelationships, this novel will keep the reader on his or her feet trying to keep up with who is who. Furthermore, O'Bomsawin's ever-present understated humor and linguistic acrobatics add another layer of discombobulation that this reviewer found occasionally distracting from the main storyline. The author also intertwines climate change and social problems, such as immigration and integration, in the same way he melds crime fiction and science fiction in this work: at times leaving this reader wondering why he read it and what it was about. A helpful suggestion to anyone interested in this novel would be to tackle the first two volumes first. It seems that the support and background knowledge afforded by becoming familiar with the characters and the relationships between them would increase enjoyment of this third installment. Bélil does succeed in weaving an intricate tale that raises questions of political and national identity. He also allows readers to experience the paradox of living within a society when one is on the "outside" through his presentation of the protagonist's internal linguistic and logical wrangling. Written from a unique first-person perspective, this thriller/political commentary/work of science fiction draws the reader in and creates a space wherein one must literally, as well as figuratively, negotiate meaning.