L'Énigme du retour / Dany Laferrière (2009, Grasset)

I found Dany Laferrière's  L'Énigme du retour fascinating. What caught my attention from the beginning was its form. I  am not sure it's truly a "novel" ("roman"), I thought it was more of a long poetic essay. The combination of free verse and prose is enchanting. The subject was also very new for me, as I know so little about Haiti. And as any good book would do, this book made that previously obscure to me country somewhat closer. What made this book especially captivating were the common points I have with the author. The narrator's complex relationship with his own past, national identity and time in general are all issues that I can relate to.

I will definitely read more of Laferrière, because I am very curious about his world and the ways he deals with it.

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Some quotes I am keeping:

"...on n'st pas forcément du pays où l'on est né. Il y a des grains que le vent aime semer ailleurs." (p. [168]

"Quand on ne connaît pas le lieu où l'on va tous les chemins sont bons." (p. [172]

"A force de vivre parmi les tableux elle est devenue un personnage de roman." (p. 234)