Philippe Forest on the Return of Ghosts in Contemporary French Novels

In an article for art press, Philippe Forest explores the theme of revenants in three works by emerging French female authors: 'White' by Marie Darrieussecq (P.O.L.), 'Querelle d'un squelette avec son double' by Ying Chen (Seuil), and 'Les Indulgences' by Tiphaine Samoyault (Seuil). He posits that modern literature is experiencing a resurgence of ghostly figures, distinguishing contemporary phantoms from those of the romantic era. Darrieussecq's narrative unfolds in an Antarctic research facility, Chen's tale involves telepathy in a city recovering from an earthquake, while Samoyault's story centers on a woman mourning in Italy. Forest also cites Claire C.'s 'Sacque amoureuse' and urges literary historians to investigate themes of return in fiction, suggesting a 'dispositif' inspired by Perec.