AtaraxiaWe’ve already told you about Agnès Martin-Lugand, and since she released her latest book not long ago, we had to talk about it. Agnès Martin-Lugand is known for stirring our emotions; for taking us with her to distant lands that are as unsettling as they are necessary. The introspection her books demand from us inspires, transforms, and heals. And while her latest book hasn’t quite replaced La Datcha in my heart, the story of Lino and Rebecca may have touched me in a way that’s as gentle as it is brutal.
There Are Gazes That Heal : The Renewals
In The Renewals Lino is a craftsman. He cleans and restores furniture damaged by life—though he cannot quite fix himself. One day, by chance, he meets a woman in a Parisian bistro. Their conversation slowly takes off, and Lino ends up explaining the reason behind his visit to Paris. But Rebecca isn’t just a stranger—she’s a writer painfully lacking inspiration and deeply unhappy in her life. Lino’s story affects her so deeply that she sets off on a quest to find him again, with only one thing in mind: to write his story.
The Renewals takes us on a long journey between Paris and Venice, through the French countryside.
The Joy of Reading Agnès Martin-Lugand
As always, reading a book by Agnès is such a powerful experience that words can hardly do it justice. She makes us travel, and she allows us to heal from within.
The Renewals is, in my opinion, one of her best. Nothing can dethrone La Datcha, but this one probably takes second place with surprising ease.
Agnès outdoes herself as she pulls us into the lives of Rebecca and Lino, and their journey through the past. The emotions that arise and the personal baggage of each character develop the relationship between the two protagonists in a way that is both tender and compelling. However, their attraction and Lino’s painful past could destroy everything.
The Depth of Every Character for The Renewals
As usual, Agnès delivers a remarkable feat in developing the depth of her characters. Each one grows as the pages turn. We see a young, fearful, and insecure Alban become a man who is a bit too confident and arrogant. Lino slowly succumbs to loneliness, yet is devastated by love and by a constancy that traps men within his soul. Rebecca learns to live again alongside a craftsman too few people know, and Esteban learns to breathe again in Madrid. We even see Rebecca’s children grow, allowing their mother to live and understanding the importance of their mother’s life as a woman.
The Renewals takes us into the past, allowing us to savor its joyful moments and weep at its heartbreaking ones. It carries us to Venice, and lets us discover the real city—its streets, its waters, and its masks. We experience beauty, art, and the passion without which Lino’s life would have no meaning.
In Other Words
Let yourself be swept away on a beautiful journey with Agnès, Rebecca, and Lino. The Renewals is available just about everywhere, but I’ll leave you the Amazon link if you’d like to buy it.
