La mieux aimee.
Meyer, E. Nicole
Madeleine Chapsal. La mieux aimee. Paris. Fayard. 1998. 294 pages.
120 F. ISBN 2-213-60209-3.
The prolific Madeleine Chapsal's latest work returns to a
favorite topic: matters of the heart. The novel's many characters
seek love, each of them wondering whether being "la mieux
aimee" is at all possible. The battle of the sexes is one of power
and control in which "tout compte: l'age, la silhouette,
l'argent, les amants qu'on a eus, ceux qu'on a refuses,
ce qu'on est, ce qu'on devient, ce que les autres imaginent
que vous allez devenir." The summer sun of the Ile de Re heats up
passions as lovers-past, present, and future-circle around the seductive
protagonist Maria, who begins to fear that her advancing age combined
with man's tendency to lust after younger, firmer, barely clothed girls who bicycle past them provocatively may prevent her from achieving
her preferred status as the most desired.
Desire permeates every pore of La mieux aimee, which alternates
between the distinct points of view of the vacationers as they
experience the various stages of desire, seduction, and love. At first,
it seems unlikely that any of the characters will find a truly
satisfying love relationship. Although the book drags at times, the
entry of the talented writer Kevin and of his soon-to-be editor Nardeau
livens it up. In addition, the progression of several characters'
feelings (especially those of Kevin and Norbert) and particularly of
Maria's attachment to her lover Nardeau's daughter draws the
reader into the narration. When Maria learns the selfless pleasures of
giving to Therese, she is able to give herself more fully to her lover.
Similar lessons, such as Balzac's phrase "Se resigner,
c'est se suicider un peu tous les jours," promote reflection.
Maria's transformation is gradual, but it is also convincing at all
times. The reader shares her joy at the novel's conclusion:
"Tant qu'elle est aimante, elle se sent aimee."
E. Nicole Meyer
University of Wisconsin, Green Bay
