Hervé Gauville's 'Crier gare' Reviewed by Jean-Yves Jouannais
Jean-Yves Jouannais reviews Hervé Gauville's novel 'Crier gare', published by Éditions Verticales. The protagonist Nil, whose name evokes the Nile but who resembles a dam, is a melancholic postal worker who frequents train stations not to meet people but to experience the vertigo of unrealized possibilities. She practices 'faire les gares'—going to transit hubs to feel the statistical pressure of potential encounters, confirming that chance is a poor provider of events. Nil waits for no one, yet two characters, Durance and Lucas, eventually emerge. Lucas introduces a new concept: 'faire les gares à l'envers'—instead of waiting for arrivals, one should accompany someone departing. Jouannais praises the novel as a successful narrative that is far from a mere 'roman de gare.'
Key facts
- Hervé Gauville is the author of 'Crier gare'.
- The novel is published by Éditions Verticales.
- The protagonist is named Nil.
- Nil works at the post office.
- Nil frequents train stations to experience unrealized possibilities.
- Characters Durance and Lucas appear in the novel.
- Lucas proposes the concept of 'faire les gares à l'envers'.
- The review is written by Jean-Yves Jouannais.
- The review was published in artpress in July 2001.
Entities
Artists
- Hervé Gauville
- Jean-Yves Jouannais
Institutions
- Éditions Verticales
- artpress
Sources
- artpress —