HEADLINER
Literature and Fiction
MY HEART DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE
Michel Bussi’s most recent novel is a social drama about a case of feminicide that tears a family apart in 1990s Rouen–a highly emotional story of vengeance like The Count of Monte Cristo, Wuthering Heights and Hamlet.
"I wanted to tell a story of the destiny of a child who saw her mother’s murder. What had she seen? Understood? How will this child come-of-age with this trauma in her past? Who will she hold responsible? Will she seek revenge?," explains Michel Bussi. He consulted social service organizations so as to be able to present this contemporary issue in his own voice in his new novel.
The unique aspect of his work is writing it from the child’s perspective, and "especially how she sees her father who is accused of this feminicide. How can she get out from under him? It’s also a story about witnesses to feminicide. Who knew? Who could have prevented this tragedy? Who bears part of the responsibility?" continues Bussi, whose books appear regularly on the list of French bestsellers.
Mon cœur a déménagé (My Heart Doesn't Live Here Anymore) is a tale of coming-of-age as well as a story of love, friendship, and a ten-year investigation with many plot twists that leave the reader wondering, until the last page, who knows the truth and who is manipulating it. The story takes place in Rouen, the author’s hometown. He paints an unprecedented picture of its 1990’s society, from the sights and sounds to the social unrest. "Rouen suffers from severe urban segregation on both sides of the Seine, so it is the perfect setting. I was a young adult in Rouen in the 1990s and most notably a university student, so I was able to identify closely with my heroine," a complex and ambiguous character who ends up getting revenge–a first for the author.
"The social context, the topic of feminicide and the 1990s are all points that could interest readers as they bridge fiction and reality. The final plot twist and an avenging heroine are the intrigues that keep the reader in suspense during this emotional tale,” explains Marie Prudhomme, rights manager at Presses de la Cité, who has sold the rights to Edizioni E/O in Italy. It was released with a 200,000 copy print run in January. English, Polish, Greek, Chinese, Slovenian, Bulgarian and Japanese rights have been optioned.
Katja Petrovic, Marie Prudhomme
March 2024
Michel Bussi’s most recent novel is a social drama about a case of feminicide that tears a family apart in 1990s Rouen–a highly emotional story of vengeance like The Count of Monte Cristo, Wuthering Heights and Hamlet.
"I wanted to tell a story of the destiny of a child who saw her mother’s murder. What had she seen? Understood? How will this child come-of-age with this trauma in her past? Who will she hold responsible? Will she seek revenge?," explains Michel Bussi. He consulted social service organizations so as to be able to present this contemporary issue in his own voice in his new novel.
The unique aspect of his work is writing it from the child’s perspective, and "especially how she sees her father who is accused of this feminicide. How can she get out from under him? It’s also a story about witnesses to feminicide. Who knew? Who could have prevented this tragedy? Who bears part of the responsibility?" continues Bussi, whose books appear regularly on the list of French bestsellers.
Mon cœur a déménagé (My Heart Doesn't Live Here Anymore) is a tale of coming-of-age as well as a story of love, friendship, and a ten-year investigation with many plot twists that leave the reader wondering, until the last page, who knows the truth and who is manipulating it.
The story takes place in Rouen, the author’s hometown. He paints an unprecedented picture of its 1990’s society, from the sights and sounds to the social unrest. "Rouen suffers from severe urban segregation on both sides of the Seine, so it is the perfect setting. I was a young adult in Rouen in the 1990s and most notably a university student, so I was able to identify closely with my heroine," a complex and ambiguous character who ends up getting revenge–a first for the author.
"The social context, the topic of feminicide and the 1990s are all points that could interest readers as they bridge fiction and reality. The final plot twist and an avenging heroine are the intrigues that keep the reader in suspense during this emotional tale,” explains Marie Prudhomme, rights manager at Presses de la Cité, who has sold the rights to Edizioni E/O in Italy. It was released with a 200,000 copy print run in January. English, Polish, Greek, Chinese, Slovenian, Bulgarian and Japanese rights have been optioned.
Katja Petrovic, Marie Prudhomme
March 2024
March 2024