I finished Les Larmes des Oliviers by Romain Le Gloahec while on the Belgian coast for my birthday.

It was a fairly pleasant read, and I did enjoy how the story was told from 3-4 perspectives through different time periods. That said, I found some of the elements a bit naïve, certainly towards the end. I had some difficulty with how the coming-out process of one of the protagonists was “skipped” or “glossed over.” Because everyone seemed accepting (which can be the case!), it painted an idyllic picture, and it kind of felt as if 2-3 chapters were “lost.” That said, as this novel was written by a French author, I can understand how one can avoid the complexities of writing about a different culture by sticking to facts. I wonder how the author did their research.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐