Holly Goli, bookstagrammer And contributor from the 20 Minutes Books reading group, recommends “The Man of a Thousand Detours” ofAgnès Martin-Lugand, whom she interviewed. His novel was published on September 28, 2023 by Michel Lafon editions.
His favorite quote:
I wanted to run away, to hide, to hide, to cry with sorrow, with happiness, with love for this little boy who had no idea what he was saying to me.
Why this book?
- Because this novel, his eleventh, marks 10 years of the publication of Agnès Martin-Lugand’s first novel. Indeed, the success of Happy people read and drink coffee allowed the author to publish one novel per year, always received with enthusiasm by readers and praised by critics.
- Because this new novel is a choral novel. He lets three different characters speak: Erin, Gary and Ivan. Each of them will tell their story, their life but also their dreams. We become attached to each of them and in different ways.
- Because the themes are very interesting. From family ties, friendship to the thirst for freedom and forgiveness, we are transported through the pages with the common thread, Homer’s Odyssey. Agnès Martin-Lugand slips in references and metaphors, making her novel powerful and moving.
- Because the author’s pen is still just as beautiful. Very addictive, you can’t see the pages scrolling. It’s a story that is devoured and takes us on a journey, while experiencing dozens of different emotions.
Agnès Martin-Lugand, how did you come up with the idea for this new novel?
It was the character of Erin that stood out to me first. She arrived with her three children, her husband who had vanished into thin air and her bar. She then guided me to Gary, this man alone and who seemed particularly hurt. For many weeks, I wondered about what could link them, that’s how Ivan took his place. The different themes revealed themselves as I got to know them. To finish, The Odyssey of Homer came as a common thread, as if obvious.
What is your writing process? Do you do extensive research beforehand or do you let inspiration strike and write as you go?
For The Man of a Thousand Detours, I devoted many months to thinking about the characters, I scribbled in a notebook, I listened to a lot of music. And then, there was the moment when I felt sufficiently armed to tackle writing this novel. I never know the end of my novels when I start writing. I let the characters reveal themselves little by little, I let them manipulate me, lose me. They have free will and surprise me very often. What is essential to my creative process is music. Without music, I don’t write. Each scene has its own song dedicated to it. I sometimes spend long hours looking for the right music, the one that would take me towards the depth that I want to write. I need an alchemy to be created between the musical atmosphere and what I project on stage. In the same way, I need to be locked in my office for weeks on end, I can’t write two hours here, two hours there, I have to devote myself body and soul to it.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of your first novel, “Happy people read and drink coffee” in which we followed Diane, “The Man of a Thousand Detours” is a novel with several voices. What made you want to invite several characters to speak?
In my previous novel, Unreason, I had already started this process of several voices with those of Madeleine and Joshua. I would say that it is not me who decides to give them a voice, rather they are the characters who impose themselves and leave me no choice! Impossible to fight against Gary, Erin, and Ivan, they all had something to say, they had to speak. This freedom that they granted themselves, and that they granted to me at the same time, allowed me to explore each theme in more depth, to leave nothing aside and that’s fascinating.
Can you use three words to describe “The Man of a Thousand Detours” and convince your future readers?
Redemption. Family. Sea.
The essentials in 2 minutes
The plot. Gary dreams of starting a family and decides to return to France. Ivan, the man he met, then asks him to get news from his family that he left without looking back and to pass it on to him.
Characters. Gary, Ivan and Erin. But also Gary’s children and Erin’s family.
Places. The novel takes place in Saint-Malo, in Brittany, the author’s native land.
The time. The novel takes place in our time.
The author. Agnès Martin-Lugand has established herself on the French literary scene through her delicate pen and the psychological finesse of her stories. His novels have sold millions of copies and have been translated in several countries.
This book was read with indescribable emotions. Agnès Martin-Lugand writes a novel highlighting love, friendship but also resilience and forgiveness. Once again, she shows that she is indeed a sure value in French literature. An ode to life and dreams that you absolutely must discover!
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