L'Archange et le Procureur

[amie-de-rimbaud.livejournal.com]

I read the novel L’Archange et le Procureur by Christophe Bigot over winter break and thought I’d briefly share a few of my thoughts. I was surprised to see such positive reviews online, since my own is rather lukewarm.

The story is narrated by Annette Duplessis, who is fulfilling the request of Horace (in a letter from Haiti) to impart his parents’ ‘true’ story. On the level of historical content, there weren’t any serious problems that I can remember. In terms of characterization, Bigot doesn’t glorify the Desmoulins couple; both have their flaws, related and qualified by Annette, the moral anchor of the novel. Saint Just is the most ‘evil’ presence; although he doesn’t appear much, his influence over Robespierre determines the fates of Camille, Lucile, and the Revolution. When she goes to plead for her daughter’s life, Annette glimpses a shirtless Saint Just in Robespierre’s bedroom.

When I first saw the title, I assumed that Lucile was the ‘archange,’ which made me wary of an idealized portrait. But it actually refers to a quotation from Marc Bloch that opens the novel (“L’histoire, à condition de renoncer elle-même à ces faux airs d’archange...”) and to Saint Just, who reminds Annette of an engraving in the Desmoulins home of the “archange de la liberté.” Lucile isn’t quite an angel, which is good; she ranges from coquettish to callous, but isn’t overall very interesting, her primary quality being extreme devotion to Camille.

The novel doesn’t take an especially new or different angle on the Desmoulins story. I’d recommend it if you have some time to spare, but it’s not a must-read for any Camille fan.

Comments

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Also, usually in French, Saint-Just is called an "archange" (in English, they more commonly just say "angel of death" or that sort of nonsense), but originally, although I don't know who started it, it's usually "archange de la Révolution", or "archange de la Terreur" for those who don't like him much or are just awed by woah!evil!Saint-Just... There's also Gueniffey who tried to be original with an "ange exterminateur" *eyerolls*

The part with the shirtless Saint-Just somehow reminds me the misquoted story brought up by Hector Fleishmann, from Georges Duval, in which Fleishmann misinterprets that Duval would have seen Saint-Just in a dressing gown at Robespierre's bedroom, but it was actually in Saint-Just's apartment.

And, wow, another characterisation of evil and manipulative Saint-Just -- who's probably sleeping with Robespierre. *headdesk* And that was published in 2008? (?) Progresssssssssss. -_-

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Edit on the last point, from here: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/arts/200809/08/01-662581-larchange-et-le-procureur-une-famille-dans-la-revolution.php

Saint-Just, que Camille soupçonnait d'avoir monté Robespierre contre lui, était en fait le petit ami de l'Incorruptible, suggère Anne. (Translation: Saint-Just, that Camille suspected to have set Robespierre against him, was in fact the Incorruptible's boyfriend, suggests Anne.)

...wow. The things we learn that suddenly became facts with a "TRUE" stamp!

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

(Sorry for spamming)

This is interesting, because the author explains where the title does come from: http://www.littera05.com/rencontres/christophebigot.html (From Saint-Just's and Desmoulins' nicknames.)

However, eeeek, at some points, it seems like he took the slash stories we can find online and mixed them with LRF to write a novel. Eek.