Marie Darrieussecq's 'How to Make a Woman' Explores Female Friendship and Basque Identity
On 13 August, French author Marie Darrieussecq unveiled her latest novel, 'How to Make a Woman,' which follows the journey of childhood friends Rose and Solange from a Basque village to cities like Bordeaux, Paris, London, and Los Angeles during the late twentieth century. The story presents dual viewpoints and delves into themes of female camaraderie, sexual freedom, and societal constraints. Darrieussecq, who spends her summers in the Basque region, revealed that the characters reflect her own experiences: "They are me. I was Rose and Solange." Initially focusing on Solange's vibrant life, she later fleshed out Rose. The 1980s backdrop highlights the challenges faced by young women prior to the rise of HIV awareness, with male figures drawn from her own memories. Darrieussecq also addresses the political issues of the Basque Country in her narrative.
Key facts
- Marie Darrieussecq's novel 'How to Make a Woman' is published by Fitzcarraldo on 13 August.
- The novel follows two childhood friends, Rose and Solange, from a Basque village to Bordeaux, Paris, London, and Los Angeles.
- The narrative is split into two halves, each from one woman's perspective, before converging.
- Darrieussecq described the characters as autobiographical: 'They are me. I was Rose and Solange.'
- The author chose the 1980s as the setting to explore the 'moral mess' and 'sexual mess' before HIV awareness.
- Darrieussecq is a self-identified feminist and a proud heir of Simone de Beauvoir.
- All male characters in the novel are based on real memories, including Christian and Brice.
- The Basque Country is a central setting, and Darrieussecq's novels are concerned with borders and political questions like independence.
Entities
Artists
- Marie Darrieussecq
Institutions
- Fitzcarraldo
- Another Magazine
Locations
- Basque Country
- Bordeaux
- Paris
- London
- Los Angeles
- France