Ladivine

A haunting, melancholy and immaculately translated novel, a thing of beauty for ugly times. -- Alex Preston * The Observer * A brave, unusual book -- Catherine Humble * Times Literary Supplement * A haunting, powerful new voice in French literature, providing an intriguing, beguiling experience for English readers. -- Mika Provata-Carlone * Bookanista * Ladivine is a wonder indeed ... like a saga that you never want to end because each page reveals new riches. -- Claire Devarrieux * Libration * A sumptuously written novel by a writer at the height of her powers. * Tlrama * With its unique phrasing, slow, multi-layered, and each sentence an absolute necessity, Ladivine is a new delight -- Didier Jacob * BiblioObs * In this unique book, Marie NDiaye displays tough, brittle lives in majestic style. -- Maria Schottenius * Dagens Nyheter * This strangely hypnotic novel exudes anguish and loneliness. Marie NDiaye, writes profoundly disturbing novels in such riveting prose that one cannot look away. * Library Journal * Ladivine is a real jewel... impeccable craftsmanship, refined phrasing that swirls with description, and a bewitching story. All of the author's talents are on display here. -- Marianne Payot * Express * Marie NDiaye's new novel is magnificent. A mesmerising dive into the chaos in the lineage of three women. * LaLibreBelgique * A melancholy modern fable ... NDiaye reveals only as much reality as she wants to at any given moment-and therein lies her magic. * Kirkus Review * Sadness, regret, and insidious dread permeate every page of this beautifully crafted, relentless novel. * Publishers Weekly * With this novel, Marie NDiaye proves that she is a majestic storyteller and a deft weaver of literary universes. -- Tilman Krause * Die Welt * The real strengths of NDiaye are her ability to plumb the depths of a character's psychology and her cool but uncompromising dissection of their entire nature. -- Ulrike Baureithel * Der Freitag * NDiaye's manner of writing has often been compared to Proust ... Here she has created a world of mystery, dreams, and sensuality in a very controlled style. -- Adele King * World Literature Today *

Marie NDiaye was born in France in 1967. She published her first novel at seventeen, and has won the Prix Femina (Rosie Carpe in 2001) and the Prix Goncourt (Three Strong Women, 2009). Her play "Papa Doit Manger" has been taken into the repertoire of the Comdie Franaise. Her novel Ladivine (translated by Jordan Stump) was longlisted for the Booker International Prize in 2016, and in 2020 she was awarded the Prix Marguerite Yourcenar for her entire body of work. She lives in Paris. Jordan Stump has translated many authors from the French including Marie Redonnet, Eric Chevillard, and Honor de Balzac. His translation of Jardin des Plantes by Claude Simon won the 2001 French-American Foundation translation prize, and he was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Artes et des Lettres in 2006.