
Le mur mitoyen | The Party Wall
by Catherine LerouxA sumptuous variation on our vision of the family. Madeleine talks to herself, even when she is in the company of others. Ariel and Marie’s defenses break down when they hold hands for the first time. Simon and Carmen attempt, between two earthquakes, to find out the truth from their mother about their existence, while Angie and Monette unknow-ingly forge connections between each character. A choral novel carried by musical and evocative language, The Party Wall unfurls four entangled stories that transport us from the eastern coast of Canada to California and the Southern United States, stories that are so beautiful they can only be true. Praised since the release of her first novel (La marche en forêt), Catherine Leroux has already demonstrated the maturity of an accomplished and original writer.
Contributors
Catherine Leroux, author
Catherine Leroux was born in 1979 in the Northern suburbs of Montreal. After holding various jobs she became a journalist and devoted herself to writing. Her first novel, Marche en forêt, was published in February 2011 by Éditions Alto.
Reviews
- Initially, "The Party Wall" reads like a collection of linked stories; past the halfway mark, however, it reveals itself as something more intricate and cumulative… A surprising, carefully structured novel that for English readers will bring to mind David Mitchell, this feels much more expansive than its page count. - The Globe and Mail Link to review
- Catherine Leroux writes with a startling grace. Her vision is clear-eyed and true, her heart is as big as sky and bay. "The Party Wall"’s mothers, orphans, Olympians and prime ministers seem like living, breathing people. And they reveal, beat by beat, that the things that divide us also knit us together.” - Sean Michaels, author of the Giller Prize winning Us Conductors
- […] superbly crafted... Leroux skillfully reveals the inner worlds of her achingly human characters and the intricate bonds that connect them to each other. Images from this beautiful and moving book will haunt readers. - Publishers Weekly Link to review
Awards
- Winner of the France-Québec Prize
- Shortlisted for the 2016 Giller Prize
- Nominated for the Québec Bookseller's Prize
- Selected for Indies Introduce Summer/Fall 2016
Rights Holder

Rights Holder: Alto
email: tmassault@editionsalto.com
website: www.editionsalto.com
rights sold: France, Canada, USA
rights available: World
Additional Information
number of pages: 328
publication date: 09/20/2013
Original language of pub: French | Français
Materials Available: finished book