The Birthday Party is a poignant novel that explores the complex dynamics of relationships and the meaning of family. The book is a powerful meditation on the human condition, and is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads it. The novel takes place on the day of the protagonist’s birthday, and follows him as he navigates the events of the day. The story is told through a series of vignettes, each of which is a snapshot of a moment in the protagonist’s life. Through these moments, we are given a glimpse into his relationships with his family and friends, and are able to see the complexities of these relationships unfold. One of the standout aspects of The Birthday Party is the way in which it explores the idea of family. Throughout the book, Mauvignier examines the bonds that hold families together, as well as the tensions that

It’s no secret on these pages that OVID loves French literature for it gave us Voltaire and Stendhal and Zola and Balzac and Flaubert and Sartre and the list goes on. OVID believes the world should read more of French lit and thus, starting with the top 10 French novels recently published in English, OVID brings the running list of great reads by French authors. Jump to any of the top 10 French novels OVID recommends:Painting Time by Maylis de KerangalThe Anomaly by Hervé Le TellierIn His Own Image by Jérôme FerrariHuman Nature by Serge JoncourBirth of a Bridge by Maylis de KerangalNot Everybody Lives the Same by Jean-Paul DuboisAnd Their Children After Them by Nicolas Mathieu Painting Time by Maylis de Kerangal In Maylis de Kerangal’s Painting Time, we are introduced to the burgeoning young artist Paula Karst, who is enrolled at the famous Institut de Peinture in Brussels. Unlike