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Between the big story and the little story
From the very first pages of Granada, l'odyssée du poisson d'or, François-Xavier de Crécy sets the tone. The numerous historical references plunge us into the post-war years, following in the footsteps of a pair of young men, Javor and Hector, one Yugoslav and the other Greek. Around their friendship on a paradisiacal Adriatic island, the threads of a complex plot are woven, linked to two mysterious sailboats under construction, which will take them on an adventure outside the Communist regime. From one twist to another, and from one voyage to another, the two friends sail to the Caribbean. Their intimate story, which is also a passage to adulthood, is the occasion for some wonderful maritime experiences, against a backdrop of history, between the Cold War and the Cuban revolution.
Other, more maritime winks will make the first Mille Sabords boat show the starting point for the plot's denouement.
Friendship and maritime adventures with a modern twist
Although the many twists and turns can make the plot a little convoluted at times, it's a pleasure to navigate alongside Javor and Hector. History buffs will appreciate the references, while mystery and adventure buffs will try to make sense of it all. The musical references reveal the author's nostalgia for the 1970s. The reader will become attached to the gallery of characters, whose duo, in their own way, renews a style of ocean-going adventure that has no reason to be ashamed of older historical frescoes, such as Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
Granada is not a novel about sailing and navigation, but rather a literary escape. For his first novel, our colleague François-Xavier de Crécy has produced a successful debut.
Granada, the golden fish odyssey
- Editions Onde
- Tibert's library collection
- 271 pages
- 19euros
