Description

‘One of the most exquisite debuts I’ve read’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Affecting and haunting’ – Observer

After the death of his wife, a father in a forgotten corner of France raises his two sons alone. But their town is not one of opportunity, and the boys are heading down different paths. Gillou sets his sights on university in Paris while Fus falls in with the local far-right group, searching for meaning and belonging with dangerous friends.

How can a father and son find common ground when everything seems set to break them apart? A sudden act of violence will force them to find an answer.

Tense, sharp and ultimately heartbreaking, Laurent Petitmangin’s first novel, What You Need From The Night, asks what acts can truly be forgiven.

‘A tragedy of unconditional love’ – L’Obs

‘Heartbreaking . . . haunts you long after you’ve put it down’- Liberation

‘As sublime as it is painful’ – Le Parisien

Publisher Review

A triumph of tamped power and unsutured emotion . . . one of the most exquisite debuts I've read for some time * Daily Telegraph * Affecting and haunting * Observer * A short blast of a novel: a howl of pain, impotence and rage. The prose, fluently translated by Shaun Whiteside, is precise and unadorned * Spectator * Heartbreaking . . . haunts you long after you've put it down * Liberation * A tragedy of unconditional love * L'Obs * As sublime as it is painful * Le Parisien * A poignant, modest, moving book * Telerama * It's impossible not to devour this heartbreaking and beautiful short text in one gulp * Psychologie Mag * An unforgettable first novel, Laurent Petitmangin writes as one lives. And it's dazzling * L'Est Republicain * Petitmangin tells his story of generational shock with a painful quality, a deep voice charged with sadness and a touching efficiency. Memorable * El Pais * A block of raw emotion * Paris Match * He describes with inifinite accuracy the violence of a father not being able to recognise his son anymore * Femme Actuelle * It shines with the dazzling yet minimalist style that probes hearts and consciences * La Provence * Magnificent! * France Inter * Everytime, Laurent Petitmangin finds the right word * Le Figaro *