The Life Before Us by Romain Gary/Emile Ajar

The Life Before Us

by Romain Gary/Emile Ajar

Hey, hope you're all doing great :) Today I'm going to review a book that has been recommended to me from my French friend that also recommended me Purple Hibiscus and Ten Days in a Madhouse.  (Check out my recent reviews of them both :) )

---

The book of today is The Life Before Us (originally in French: La Vie Devant Soi) by the French author Romain Gary, with the pseudonym of Emile Ajar. 

---

The novel was really easy to read, even though I read it in French. It was way easier than the Purple Hibiscus, because it's not so full of slang words, but mostly the "school French". 

It's the story of Momo, a Muslim boy of around 10 years old of age, who lives under the roof of Madame Rosa, an Holocaust survivor Jewish woman. Momo's parents abandoned him and this Madame is being a sort of babysitter for orphan and abandoned children of parents that can't take care of them anymore, or don't have a place for them to live. 

The book revolves around him and the strong relationship she has with Madame Rosa that even though was just doing her job, will end up by being as a mother figure to him. 

---

This one has been one of my favourites for this year because it has been a really enjoyable reading. 

I'm looking forward to see the new movie too, with Sophia Loren in the role of Madame Rosa, but I'm so afraid that it won't be as good as the book. 

The only part that really made me sad about it, was the ending, which of course, I'm not going to spoil, but it's totally unexpected :)