Dans la vie

by Philippe Faucon

The relationship between Sélima, a young nurse of Algerian origin, and Esther, an old Jewish woman from Oran, paralysed from the waist down, who is taken up with memories of the Algeria of her youth. Despite the fears of Esther’s son, the two women hit it off to such a point that Halima, Sélima’s mother, agrees to look after the cranky old woman full-time. This experience puts their mutual prejudice to the test, before transforming it into reciprocal interest, not without provoking, however, disparagement from the Muslim neighbours.