Description

Book Synopsis

Madame tells the story of a self-absorbed Polish teenager as he pursues intellectual maturity, and the woman of his dreams, his French teacher 'Madame', in the communist-dominated Warsaw of the early 1970s.

Libera paces his exuberant young hero's fulminations, fantasies and discoveries beautifully, building a remarkably subtle characterisation of a free mind in a repressive culture. This is one of those rare novels which reminds us why we love books. A consummate literary entertainment.



Trade Review
Essentially a vision of a life-changing teenage crush, Libera's debut novel . . . captures the frustrations of grasping for anything of the world from behind the Iron Curtain and of battling or passion of any kind. * * The Scotsman * *
Madame is skilfully written and the subtle backdrop of communism is interesting and convincing. * * The List * *
This is an old story made fresh with an excellent evocation of a spirit-crushing school system - a microcosm of communist rule under which the layers of life are corrupted by concessions, compromises and deceptions. * * The Times * *

Madame

    Product form

    A Paperback / softback by Antoni Libera, Agnieszka Kolakowska

    £11.69

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    RRP £12.99 – you save £1.30 (10%)

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      Book details

      Publisher Canongate Books
      Published 24 May 2004
      ISBN-13 9781841955209
      978-1841955209
      ISBN-10 1841955205
      Also in:
      Contemporary Fiction

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      Madame tells the story of a self-absorbed Polish teenager as he pursues intellectual maturity, and the woman of his dreams, his French teacher 'Madame', in the communist-dominated Warsaw of the early 1970s.

      Libera paces his exuberant young hero's fulminations, fantasies and discoveries beautifully, building a remarkably subtle characterisation of a free mind in a repressive culture. This is one of those rare novels which reminds us why we love books. A consummate literary entertainment.



      Trade Review
      Essentially a vision of a life-changing teenage crush, Libera's debut novel . . . captures the frustrations of grasping for anything of the world from behind the Iron Curtain and of battling or passion of any kind. * * The Scotsman * *
      Madame is skilfully written and the subtle backdrop of communism is interesting and convincing. * * The List * *
      This is an old story made fresh with an excellent evocation of a spirit-crushing school system - a microcosm of communist rule under which the layers of life are corrupted by concessions, compromises and deceptions. * * The Times * *

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