Gaëlle Obiégly's 'La nature' Explores the Wild Within

Judith Brouste reviews Gaëlle Obiégly's novel 'La nature', published by Éditions L'Arpenteur. The book challenges conventional notions of nature, presenting it as a beast within the body that bites or hums. The narrative follows a woman who feels betrayed by nature after losing her incomparable status. It explores themes of separation—past and future, embryo and birth, man and wife—and confronts the protagonist with lovers, gangsters, and spouses. The novel is described as a scalpel that cuts into flesh without drawing blood, questioning whether nature inside us remains alive. Obiégly constructs an unstable device akin to a fairground ride, where psychology is in peril, love is fleeing, and the body is endangered. The review highlights the line 'Those we have betrayed are those we love absolutely,' emphasizing the joy of loving despite betrayal.