Nicolas Deleau's 'nulle part, aller-retour' Explores Rootlessness and the Sea

Nicolas Deleau's debut novel 'nulle part, aller-retour' (published by Les Rois d'ailleurs Rivages) traces the journeys of displaced characters across global ports, from Dunkerque to Manila, Murmansk, and Luanda. The narrative weaves together voices of exiles, a sailor who killed his wife, and other marginals, examining themes of flight, loss, and the impossibility of escape. Deleau employs a non-linear structure interspersed with documents like letters and diary entries. The novel critiques Western civilization and industrial exploitation of nature, describing a world where 'humanity, like the forest, grows denser the poorer the substrate.' The author, also an illustrator, uses sensory-rich language to evoke smells, sounds, and climates. Critics compare the work to Jean Reverzy's 'Le Passage' and writings of Nicolas Bouvier and J.M.G. Le Clézio. The review by Francis Wybrands appears in artpress.