#SFATW: a French bookish guide

souvenirs from across the world, , 76 Comments

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening everyone! How are you, how was your week? Today I am thrilled to come back with my special #SFATW feature…even more knowing that this month, we’ll be talking about books! I’ll be sharing some French books, and you can also participate and share books from your countries, by local authors.

➡️ Before heading into this…This is the LAST DAY to subscribe for the #SFATW souvenirs exchange! If you want to send local souvenirs, gifts and even a book to another book blogger in the world, subscribe here. For more info about this feature, it’s right here.

To read the book’ synopsis, click on the cover and you’ll be redirected to the English version of it…when I found it on Goodreads. If it’s a bunch of French words, then sorry haha, and you can ask me if you want to know what it’s about!

Some clichés French books 📚

les-miserablesObviously, I have to think about classics, first. Classics like Les Misérables, L’étranger, Les Liaisons dangereuses, and so on. Classics are probably the books you think about when you first think about French Litterature, don’t you, don’t everyone? To be honest, these books are the kind of books I was supposed to read in class when I was younger. Victor Hugo, Molière and French names and stuff.

les-liaisons-dangereuses the-stranger  candide

Confession time: I’ve never been such a fan of classics, and if you want to talk about these in details, I’m not such a huge fan of these either. Maybe it’s because it’s books we had to read, rather than actually wanted to read?

There are other kinds of classics in France, as well. Well, I’ll put these in this category, because they’re like, these massive best sellers always on the front row in bookshops and stuff. They are contemporary (does a classic has to be old to be a classic? Now THAT’s a good question). I haven’t read too many of these books. They are prolific authors writing tons of books per year, and publishing one book a year. Maybe they are robots ?

et-si-cetait-vrai pancol parce-que-je-taime

My favorite childhood French books ️💕

I have read a couple of French books when I was a kid, since I couldn’t read in English just yet, ahah. Okay. More like a gazillion. I read in my crib, people (maybe). I have to say, there are still a couple of books I loved, and since I can’t remember them all, I’ll quote just a few, such as…

le-petit-princeLe petit prince, it will always be such a poetic and lovely story, also I’d love to re-read it someday.

les-malheurs-de-sophieLes malheurs de Sophie, it’s about a girl who always ends up in trouble… like we all do when we’re children, I guess. I also LOVED the cartoon made from this, and used to watch it a lot as a child. Oh this is making me all nostalgic.

peggy-suePeggy Sue, it’s all about fantasy and magic worlds and oh damn, now I am really being nostalgic about it all. That girl, that blue dog, sand castles and magical ones with massive creatures, dragons and ghosts. I read some crazy stuff, wow.

Confession time: while doing this post, I realized how little I actually READ of French literature. I feel like a bad person right now haha.

BONUS: YA books set in France 🇫🇷

anna and the french kissblue envelopestumblr_naodbkw1Zt1qmuqd3o1_1280I couldn’t write this post without mentionning a couple of books set in France now, could I ? Starting with the obvious, Anna and the French Kiss, and the whole series, making Paris the city of love and cuteness. Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes also, perfect to feed our wanderlust….and…wow. I hope I’m not the only one realizing that I need to read more books set in France, haha.

🌍 Bookish guides around the world

Dailey Downing @ The Invisible Moth 🌎 Best Places for Books
Jamie @ Watch Game Read 🌎 Malaysian books
Lais @ Harumansae Books 🌎 Brazilian books
Anne @ Inked Brownies 🌎 A Dutch Bookish Guide
Emma Kath @ Llady Literary 🌎 Canadian books
Tyra Anne @ Alice in Writerland 🌎 Canadian Bookish Guide

Feel free to join and write your own blog post about books froms your country, and come back to leave your link in comments to be added!

I don’t know about you, but I’d LOVE to know : what’s the first book that comes to mind when I’m talking about French literature?

What was your favorite book as a child ?

Do you know more books than I do, set in France? If you do, please share! 💬

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Book blogger, travel blogger, writer. 📚 |🌍 | 💞 Writing & Communications Graduate. French. Living on love, wanderlust and ya books.

76 thoughts on “#SFATW: a French bookish guide”

  2. What a fab post idea! I love Les Liaisons Dangereuses. I wish I would go to Broadway see Liev Schreiber perform as Valmont. This book was the one I had to work on during my literature exam for the Bac.
    ARGH I hate Musso and Levi, their writing is so simple and the stories just -meh. Hahah, Sweechie, I know some authors who publish more than one book a year and they’re so good! Like Bryndza! I have never read Le petit prince xD I suck when it comes to French literature, we are such bad Frenchies!! But I prefer to focus on the food :p
    A real good one set in France is Helen Pollard’s The Little French Guesthouse!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ohh thank you my sweechie, SO happy you liked this ❤
      Hahaha, I don't really hate them as much as you did, I read I think one book from each -the ones on the picture ahah- and it was okay, but not outstanding, and I don't even want to try anymore, seeing them everywhere like that and publishing a book a year like robots kind of turned me off?
      Hahhaha yes we are bad Frenchies, but we know all about food, so…it's forgiveable, isn't it? 😛
      Thank you! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Awesome post again Marie! 😀 I’m starting to doubt if anyone has any love for classics from their own country in the first place. I know I don’t! When I think of my designated French books for school, though, I think of Simone de Beauvoir. Lovely reading about an older person dying of cancer when you’re 14…thankfully, my French wasn’t good enough to understand the heart-breaking parts anyways ;). The bonus part is brilliant! I would’ve never come up with that for my post for sure :D. The Da Vinci Code was set in France for a large part of the story right? And The Eight by Katherine Neville. Both mediocre books for me, but set in France for sure! 🙂 And I read a dystopian short story last year or so but totally forgot the title >.> I’ll go check!

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Thank you so, so much, Anne! ❤ Haha, I get it, and I guess it's a lot because we are forced to read these books, that we end up not enjoying it too much anyway. If we were in another mindset, maybe it'd be different?
      Ohhhh you're so right, how could I forget such a massive book as The Da Vinci Code, haha.

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  4. I think I’ve expressed before how difficult this topic seemed to me. I realized I hadn’t read any books from Brazilian authors that were really worth mentioning. 99% of them were required reads for school, so I never really enjoyed them.
    However, reading your post, I feel more inspired to pick up more Brazilian authors in the future. I absolutely adore the classics, such as Le Petit Prince and Les Miserables (okay, I only watched the movie, but it counts, right?).
    Amazing post, as always, Marie!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh I completely understand. I was late on scheduling that blog post, and realized a day ago that…well, I had NO idea what kind of books I read, and I don’t know tons of French authors either haha.
      Thank you!! This makes me so, so happy you’re inspired to read more from Brazilian authors, and I hope you’ll find books you love and share these with us 🙂
      Thank you for your lovely comment, you are so sweet ❤

      Like

  5. Great post! I actually have sb I would like to give Peggy Sue as a gift. At what age would you recommend reading the book? What immediately came to my mind was Perfume by Patrik Süsskind (Süßkind). It’s set in France but the author is German. So it’s the perfect mix (bc I’m from Germany). If you haven’t read it, it’s really great and interesting. The film is also cool but of course the book is always better 😉

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    1. Thank you so, so much!! Oh really, that’s so great! Well I read this around the time I was, hm, maybe 13, I guess I could recommend it for early teenagers already, it’s not really violent or anything, it’s fantasy and it is very, very imaginative, I loved it 🙂
      Ohhh right, I remember this book! I haven’t read it, but I heard good things about it . Thank you for the recommendation! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. “Victor Hugo, Molière and French names and stuff.”

    This definitely made me laugh out loud. =D

    There should be more books set in France (and they should all portray France realistically, please and thanks). Some others to add to your list:

    REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly

    DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum (which I thought was hilariously bad)

    SCARLET by Marissa Meyer (if we can add futuristic France to the list?)

    JUST FOR ONE DAY by Gayle Forman (which I haven’t read)

    GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers (if fantasy-France counts?)

    QUEEN OF BABBLE by Meg Cabot

    I’ll be snooping through these comments for days, hoping other people add more to the list. *Greedy for more.*

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Haha I’m so glad I made you laugh ahah 🙂 And THANK YOU for all the great recommendations! I can’t believe I forgot to mention Scarlet, given my love for the whole series. Shame on me. Also, I’ve been seeing the Amy Plum book around a bit, it’s good to know you found it so bad, hahah, what was it about that was so bad?
      Also, Meg Cabot! I have read a couple of her books, but not that one, I need to check it out 🙂 Thank you! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Glad to help!

        It’s been years since I read DIE FOR ME, so I don’t remember specifics–but I do remember that I thought its romance was unrealistic and eye-roll-worthy, and that the plot felt like an afterthought. Also, I’m particular about realism and logic, and this book didn’t offer much of either.

        I really enjoyed QUEEN OF BABBLE the first time I read it (in a massive reading slump), but I tried to read it again a few years later, and set it aside after the first few chapters. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood? Hopefully you’ll enjoy it!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Oh that’s too bad, I hate it when I feel like sighing the whole time I’m reading because it just feels too unrealistic, especially when it comes to romance.
        Oh maybe it was that, I often find that there are books you really have to be in the mood for, to enjoy 🙂 Thank you! ❤

        Liked by 1 person

  7. This is a brilliant idea for a post Marie, and something I will definitely be doing for England for my SFATW post as well. I’m already coming up with a list of books set in England/written by English authors as I write this comment! 😀
    I’ll admit I haven’t heard of many of these, but I have heard of Le Petit Prince. Everyone seems to love it so one day I may pick it up myself, just to see what all the fuss is about. 🙂
    And obviously I read Anna and the French Kiss, I actually think it was your review that made me add that book to my to-read list in the first place! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ohhh thank you SO much Beth, I’m so happy you liked this and I can’t wait to read your blog post! ❤
      You should if you ever get the chance. It'll definitely make you think, even as an adult, it's a beautiful story ❤
      Ohhhh really, this makes me the happiest now, thank you ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      1. That’s all right, and yeah some of my favourite books are set in England, and I’m pretty sure some of my other favourites have been written by English authors so I have more than a few to pick from! 😀
        There are definitely books like that aren’t there, the Harry Potter series is one that comes to mind for me! 🙂
        That’s all right! ❤

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Well, honestly, the first book that came to mind was The Scarlet Pimpernel, but it was written by an English noblewoman, so…Lanval by Marie d’France is probably the only one I’ve read, though that too is *technically* considered British. Ah! I really want to read The Little Prince, but I honestly just realized my knowledge of French literature is severely lacking.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. What a cool list, Marie! I’d love to see more French books translated into English. I love The Little Prince too <3. It's such a sweet book. Anna and the French Kiss was okay, but it kind of bothers me how much YA romanticises Europe (not that Europe isn't amazing but what about Asia and Oceania and South America). If I see these books in English, I hope I can check them out! les Mis is definitely my French lit default. One of my favourite childhood books was the Redwall series and A Little Princess.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. YES THIS. Thank you for saying this, Shanti, this has been on my mind and you’re right. I don’t know why YA romanticises Europe so much, when there are so many other beautiful countries that can be just as romantic and absoutely gorgeous settings for cute romances?! Thank you for saying this ahah 🙂

      Like

  10. Aside of Les Misérables, I’ve never heard of the other classics before. The first think that popped to mind was actually Dumas and the D’Artagnan Romances, which I’m a huge fan of. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is another one that comes to mind.
    I’ve heard a lot about the Little Prince, I didn’t realize it was from France! I’m going to start reading Anna and the French Kiss soon! (Hopefully) I was about to pick it up and then NaNoWriMo started, so reading is a little bit on the back burner at the moment.

    Here’s my link: https://watchgameread.wordpress.com/2016/11/07/sfatw-malaysia-a-bookish-guide/

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ohhh it makes me happy to hear you’re a fan of some French books ahha 🙂 I have to admit, I’m not a huge French books reader -shame on me, I know-, and had such a hard time coming up with books for this, so I chose to talk about the ones I remembered and loved the most 🙂
      I hope you’ll enjoy Anna and The French Kiss, it’s such a cute book 🙂 Oh I understand, and best of luck again wih NaNo, I hope it’s going well! 🙂
      Thank you SO much for your contribution, I’ll add you and read your post right now 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Haha. I had the same problems. I don’t really read a lot of Malay books and Chinese books take me an eternity to go through, so I went with English ones for my list.
        I hope I do, it’s receive so much praise! NaNo is going well so far, hope it continues.
        No problem, haha, thanks for hosting it 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Yes yes yes! I adore this post, and I adore #SFATW! I am so glad that I caught the sign up for the book exchange before the deadline passed.. that will show me to fall behind on my blog hopping!

    I didn’t grow up with The Little Prince, but I do adore that book. I’ve read it quite a few times as an adult. But, sadly, the only other book I’ve read on this list is Candide! I *want* to read Les Miserables, but I always get intimidated by it’s size… which is weird, since I’ve read a ton of Alexandre Dumas’s works. Silly Jackie.

    I am totally going to write a post like this for my blog. You are inspiring!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Awww thank you you’re going to make me blush, you are WAY too sweet! ❤ I'm glad you were able to subscribe! I'll send you your blogging match sometime this week 🙂
      OH I understand, big books tend to intimidate me a bit as well…but if you want to read it, someday you'll manage to do so 😀 Thank you! I can't wait to read your post, don't forget to come back to leave me the link so I'll add you to the list 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  12. My friend once tried to read Les Miserables, because she quite loves the French language and she liked the musical too, but then she gave up somewhere in the middle hahaha I have the Little Prince in French here. I was at a flee market for charity and asked how much they wanted for it and they said something like 50 cent, so I gave them 2 euros. I mean, come on, the book was in not too shabby of a condition (except for some words having translations added – which I didn’t mind because my French is beyond rusty). By the way, did you see the new Little Prince movie?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hahaha, well Les Miserables is pretty massive haha, I get why she gave up, especially if French isn’t her mother language. You are so generous, and it’s so great you managed to get a copy for such a cheap price! 🙂 I have seen bits of the new movie, yes, but I don’t think I saw it from beginning to end, can’t remember why…Did you see / enjoy it ? 🙂

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      1. She loves French and she’s actually living in French Canada now, but I think she’s over the book by now hahaha she has moved on!
        I saw the movie and LOVED it! I cried a lot xD the whole adulting thing hit a nerve I guess.

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  14. You’re so right about Les Mis, Marie! That’s always my first thought. I can’t think of hardly any, which actually surprises me. Les Miserables is brilliant, despite its overwhelming length. It really could use some editing down, but it’s a wondeful story. Great idea for a post, Marie! You always come up with such great ideas for posts. I loved reading this post! 🙂

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  15. It is SUCH a shame that I haven’t read more french literature/books set in France because it seems like such a lovely place to be set in! ❤ I love the look of everything and the feels I get by just thinking of the place but to my rescue comes this lovely post! The first book to come to mind is probably Anna and the French Kiss (which I still must desperately read!) with its Paris setting and all that greatness! My favourite childhood book was probably the Peter Rabbit series because I loved them so so much!

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  17. I study German in school but I certainly do not know that much to read a book in German by myself. I bought Harry Potter #1 in German but gave up after two chapters😂 I have read Le petit prince (the English translation of course) and really liked it! It was in one of our Literature classes in school.

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  18. I didn’t know you lived in France!
    Hey, I want to catch up on the posts about our home. Are the themes on your blog? I saw that Anne posted about food and her hometown…and you posted about French books…what posts should I write about for Michigan? For SFATW?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Everything about SFATW can be found on my blog yes, when you’re on my homepage there’s a tab with #SFATW written on it. There’s the full schedule there, you can also access it right here : https://drizzleandhurricanebooks.wordpress.com/schedule/ and by clicking on the links every month, you’ll see my #SFATW blog posts 🙂
      As it’s written on the schedule, this month you can write about books from your country, from local authors, set in your hometown / region / country 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  19. GREAT POST TWINNIE ❤ I’m the same with these classics, I don’t like them much because they were mandatory in school! I have read a few but have forgotten about most of them, but the Victor Hugo books, I really love everything of his I read in school and I got excited everytime we needed to read one for school. I LOVE LES MISÉRABLES and LE PETIT PRINCE! 😍😍
    I went through a phase when I read ALL the Marc Levy (Okay not all 😂) but I really enjoyed all the ones I read, especially Le voyage de Monsieur Daldry because ir wasn’t centered on a romance and Sept jours pour une éternité was really original! I never got into the Musso craze though.

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