Many years have passed since the accident. Alfred, who was only twelve at the time, is not to blame for anything other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But someone very important to him died before his eyes, and the memory haunts him, so much so that he leaves Boston and changes his name to try to escape it. However, it is rarely possible to free oneself from the past and, despite himself, years later, Alfred finds himself back in his hometown, coming to terms with ghosts, remorse, and wounds. However, there is a solitary, intense ray of sunshine in the darkness: also a prisoner in a marriage marked by her husband's infidelity, Penelope immediately recognizes a kindred spirit in Alfred, and a strong and intimate friendship blossoms between the two, so much so that Alfred ends up telling her about the incident that marked him... unaware that this revelation is destined to turn his life upside down once again. With an incisive style and rare emotional intensity, Emmanuelle de Villepin weaves a tale of guilt and redemption, punctuated by the unpredictability of fate, and takes us on a journey into our contradictions, revealing how salvation sometimes lies in the most unexpected bonds.

"Original and lively. A surprising little novel."
Daria Bignardi