INHUMAN RESOURCES by Pierre Lemaitre
Published: 06 September 2018, Translated from the French by Sam Gordon
Swathi’s Rating: 4/5
Verdict: Un-put-downable experience guaranteed.
I’ve always admired Pierre Lemaitre’s work. With his years of experience, and contribution to Literature, he provides a different dimension to Crime Fiction. When I saw this book in my recommendations, I can’t resist but request a copy for myself. The book was a total package, and I had sleepless nights, until I am at the very last page. Before I start to share my experiences, Here is a short synopsis for you to read. Enjoy!
Plot:
Alain Delambre is a 57-year-old former HR executive, drained by four years of hopeless unemployment.
All he is offered are small, demoralizing jobs. He has reached his very lowest ebb, and can see no way out.
So when a major company finally invites him to an interview, Alain Delambre is ready to do anything, borrow money, shame his wife and his daughters and even participate in the ultimate recruitment test: a role-playing game that involves hostage-taking.
Alain Delambre commits body and soul in this struggle to regain his dignity.
But if he suddenly realised that the dice had been loaded against him from the start, his fury would be limitless.
And what began as a role-play game could quickly become a bloodbath.
Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? I fell for it, as soon as I read the description.
Author Bio
Pierre Lemaitre is the author of Travail soigné (editions of the Masque, 2006) prize for the first novel of the Cognac festival, Robe de mariée (Calmann-Lévy, 2008) prize for the Best French-speaking Crime, Black Frames (Calmann-Lévy, 2009) European Polar Point Award, Alex (Albin Michel, 2010), Dagger International (2012), Sacrifices (Albin Michel, 2012) and Rosy & John (Pocket Book, 2013). Goodbye up there, his latest novel published by Albin Michel, was awarded the France-Télévisions prize and the 2013 Goncourt prize. His novels are translated into thirty languages and several are being adapted to cinema and theater.
Get this book on Amazon here.
Swathi’s Review:
I’ve read some translated books before. Books translated into English from other languages often tend to lose their essence from one hand to another, and the result of it does not always convey the same experience as the original. But this one, is an exception. Kudos to the translator for such a good writing.
Speaking of exceptions, Lemaitre delivers a dark and twisted dimension to crime genre in his own Modus Operandi. The story of Alain Delambre, a next-door man who in his late 50’s struggles to keep with his tough job and his dignity. Forced job, underpaid tasks, poor rewards put him in a perilous situation, and that’s a large corporate organization with an unexpected offer approaches him. As irresistible as the offer is, the motives and agenda that the Job demands is rather dangerous and cunning. Although, that doesn’t stop Alain from taking up and job and giving his heart and soul for it.
There are three parts to the story, two of which are narrated by Alain while the third one is for your imagination to grow. Such a wonderful framing of the storyline, which pictures unemployment, desperation, humility, depression, middle-aged stress, violence, and an unexpected hostage scenario.
I work with a corporate myself, and this book is true when the author exposes some chilling facts about how the corporate world works. I could almost hear my everyday thoughts through the words of Lemaitre, how the corporates force their employees into unimaginable situations giving a stress that no normal human can handle. For a better pay, better job, better dignity, is there anything that you will not do? I question myself sometime, too.
Thanks to Quercus books for including me in the Book Blast of this wonderful Crime Thriller. I highly recommend not to miss this extraordinary piece of literature.
I received this book from this publisher in exchange of my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Happy reading. XoXo!
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