Michèle Lesbre; Trans. Nicole Ball and David Ball
The Red Sofa by Michèle Lesbre, translated by Nicole Ball and David Ball, is a quiet, unassuming novel consisting primarily of flashbacks exploring the interior landscape of Anne, the central character.
Seemingly adrift in the world, Ann sets off to locate her former lover, Gyl. Although it had been twenty years since they last saw each other when he took off to live in Siberia, they had continued to communicate through letters. When his letters end abruptly, Anne is convinced he is in trouble and needs help. She decides to find him.
She travels on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Her journey to the small village where Gyl presumably lives takes several days. Punctuated by bouts of sleep, Anne alternates between describing the desolate Russian landscape and observing her cabin companions. The swaying motion of the train lulls her into reflecting on her own life and past loves in a series of flashbacks.
Prominent throughout these recollections is her friendship with Clémence Barrot, an elderly neighbor in her Paris apartment building. She remembers her first meeting with Clémence. She remembers Clémence firmly ensconced on her red sofa. She remembers Clémence pulling out an old photo of her first love which she kept hidden behind the sofa cushion. She remembers sitting next to Clémence on the sofa as she read her stories of courageous women of the past who defied convention and fought for justice. And she remembers how they celebrated these women by raising a glass to them in a nearby café. The two of them connect. Their bond deepens. They exchange stories of their loves and lives. It soon becomes apparent to Anne that Clémence has led a life of passion. Her zest and enthusiasm to embrace all life has to offer is unwavering in spite of her frail body and failing memory.
Anne drifts seamlessly in and out of flashbacks in a dream-like state lulled by the rhythmic movement of the train. She describes the train ride, her observations of the passengers, her previous relationships, Gyl, and her unlikely friendship with Clémence. Peppered throughout her interior meanderings are expressions of self-doubt. When her sought-after meeting with Gyl fails to materialize, she returns to Paris eager to share her adventure with Clémence only to learn that Clémence has died.
What starts off as a train journey through the Russian landscape gradually assumes a different dimension. It becomes a transformative experience. The Anne who returns to Paris is no longer adrift or disenchanted with life. Paying homage to her deceased friend, she goes to the river where Clémence died and reads her a poem that celebrates life. She feels Clémence’s presence so deeply, she seemingly imbues her persona. The novel concludes with Anne embracing her friend’s love of life, making it her own.
A quiet, thoughtful novel that packs an emotional punch.
Recommended.