A prize-winning, riveting psychological suspense novel inspired by a true story about a couple in an insular French village whose lives are upended when a family of outsiders moves in.
Anna and Constant Guillot live with their two daughters in the peaceful, remote mountain village of Carmac, largely deaf to the upheavals of the outside world. Everyone in Carmac knows each other, and most of its residents look alike – until Bakary and Sylvia Langlois arrive with their three children.
Wealthy and flashy, the family of five are outsiders in the small town, their impressive chalet and three expensive cars a stark contrast to the modesty of those of their neighbours. Despite their differences, the Langlois and the Guillots form an uneasy, ambiguous friendship. But when both families begin experiencing financial troubles, the underlying class and racial tensions of their relationship come to a breaking point, and the unthinkable happens.
With piercing psychological insight and gripping storytelling, People Like Them asks: how could a seemingly normal person commit an atrocious crime? How could that person’s loved ones ever come to terms with it afterwards? And how well can you really know your own spouse?
During the past two years, translated fiction has taken over my reading life. Whether it be from the lack of travel or the increasing number of translated novels available in Australia, I can’t seem to get enough of them. Originally a French bestseller, People Like Them by Samira Sedira, translated by Lara Vanguard, explores the classism, racism, and tensions of two families in a quiet French town.
Taking place both before and after a horrifying incident, the story follows on Anna as she comes to grips with what happened, and more importantly, why. Half the book focuses on Here we come to learn how a seemingly ordinary man can be pushed to the unimaginable.
At times, this novel left me speechless. The contrast between the quiet town and the intensely frightening murders gave the story a real sense of dread that Sedira handles spectacularly. The classism and racism of the book is not only confronting but gives us a glimpse into the inner-workings of French society.
At just under 200 pages, People Like Them is a fast read while still managing to be one of the hardest-hitting of the year. An exploration of class, race and the limits a person can be pushed, Samira Sedira has delivered something truly special. A must-read for thriller readers, or anyone looking to jump into the world of translated fiction
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