Lie With Me is most probably autobiographical. The narrator (as disclosed on the back cover of the book) is the author. The other major character is named Thomas. The novel is dedicated ‘In memory of Thomas Andrieu, 1966-2016’. It has a short introduction and three chapters: 1984, 2007 and 2016.
Philippe, a writer in his 40s, is being interviewed by a journalist in the lobby of a hotel in Bordeaux, when he sees a young man who reminds him of Thomas, a student he knew at high school. They were both 17 years old. Philippe, already accepting and comfortable with being gay, had a serious crush on Thomas and worshipped him from afar. Philippe had no inkling that Thomas had even noticed him.
Thomas had noticed Philippe and slipped him a note with just a date, time and place written on it. A tender, passionate, clandestine love affair lasting just six months ensued.
The year was 1984, homophobia was rife, and Thomas was deep, deep in the closet.
An intense first love is never forgotten, and Philippe has treasured the memory for more than 20 years. Thomas, handsome, popular and confused about feelings that are fierce but unacceptable, has had a difficult life.
A short, sensuous account of a joyous, tragic, secretive experience. It is beautifully written by Philippe Besson and sensitively translated by Molly Ringwald.
The book has been adapted for a film directed by Olivier Peyon.
Reviewed by Clive Hodges
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Philippe Besson is an author, screenwriter, and playwright. His first novel, In the Absence of Men, was awarded the Emmanuel-Roblès Prize in 2001, and he is also the author of, among others, Late Autumn (Grand Prize RTL-Lire), A Boy from Italy, and The Atlantic House. In 2017 he published Lie With Me, a #1 French bestseller that won the the Maisons de la Presse Prize, and A Character from a Novel, an intimate portrait of Emmanuel Macron during his presidential campaign.
His novels have been translated into 20 different languages.
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