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    No and Me
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    No and Me
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    No and Me
    Ebook209 pages3 hours

    No and Me

    By Delphine de Vigan

    4/5

    ()

    Unavailable in your country

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    About this ebook

    Lou Bertignac has an IQ of 160 and a good friend called Lucas, who gets her through the school day. At home her father cries in secret in the bathroom and her mother hasn't been out of the house properly for years. But Lou is about to change her life - and that of her parents - for good, all because of a school project she decides to do about the homeless. Through the project Lou meets No, a teenage girl living on the streets. As their friendship grows, Lou cannot bear that No is still on the streets when she goes back home - even if it is to a home that is saddened and desolate. So she asks her parents if No can come to live with them. To her astonishment, her parents - eventually - agree. No's presence forces Lou and her parents to finally face the sadness that has enveloped them. But No has disruptive as well as positive effects. Can this shaky newfound family continue to live together?

    A tense, brilliant novel tackling the true meaning of home and homelessness.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateAug 2, 2010
    ISBN9781408813959
    Unavailable
    No and Me
    Author

    Delphine de Vigan

    Delphine de Vigan (Boulogne-Billancourt, 1966) vive en París. En Anagrama ha publicado, desde 2012: Días sin hambre: «Maneja la materia autobiográfica con una contención que remite a Marguerite Duras» (Marta Sanz); No y yo: «Maestría y ternura... Una novela atípica» (Juanjo M. Jambrina, Jot Down); Las horas subterráneas: «Sensible, inquietante y un poco triste. Triste y soberbia» (François Busnel, L’Express); Nada se opone a la noche, que la consagró internacionalmente, ha vendido en Francia más de ochocientos mil ejemplares, ha sido publicada por una veintena de editoriales extranjeras y ha recibido el Premio de Novela Fnac, el Premio de Novela de las Televisiones Francesas, el Premio Renaudot de los Institutos de Francia, el Gran Premio de la Heroína Madame Figaro y el Gran Premio de las Lectoras de Elle: «Este magnífico testimonio la confirma como una escritora contemporánea de referencia. Imprescindible» (Sònia Hernández, La Vanguardia); «Con sobriedad y precisión, sin sentimentalismo (pero no sin sentimiento), Delphine de Vigan firma una inteligente, magnífica e implacable novela» (Elvira Navarro); Basada en hechos reales, galardonada con el Premio Renaudot y el Goncourt de los Estudiantes, y llevada al cine por Roman Polanski: «Hace alarde de maestría expresiva para disolver los límites de lo que es verdad y lo que es mentira... Apasiona» (Robert Saladrigas, La Vanguardia); Las lealtades: «Perturbadora» (Javier Aparicio Maydeu, El País); «Cuestiona a una sociedad que mira hacia otro lado, ante las violencias soterradas» (Lourdes Ventura, El Mundo); y Las gratitudes: «Pequeño prodigio con el que la autora francesa reflexiona sobre la vejez, la soledad y la importancia de las palabras» (David Morán, ABC).

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    Reviews for No and Me

    4/5

    238 ratings16 reviews

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    • 2/5
      Another two star rating for a French book club selection. Midway through I would have given it three stars, but then I began to tire of this story about Lou Bertignac, a 15-year-old, emotionally-starved girl with a genius IQ and her obsession with No, a homeless 18 year old girl she "interviews" for a school assignment and then "adopts." So we have Lou, No and Lucas, the 17-year-old boy from school whom Lou has a crush on, and their respective dysfunctional family situations. Of course all ends both badly and well for Lou (to prove once again that life is complicated).
    • 5/5
      Je l'aime beaucoup, ce petit roman! De plus, je le lis avec mes étudiants au lycée. Je trouve que Mme. de Vigan a un vrai talent pour décrire la voix d'une ado ET celle d'une SDF. Quelques passages sont vraiment de la poésie.

      J'attends avec impatience la possibilité de lire un autre de ses romans....
    • 5/5
      Lou's life is not a conventional one. She meets No at Gare d?Austerlitz.. No is homeless and Lou reaches out to her and tries to make life better for her. A stunning, moving story.
    • 5/5
      I loved this story. Set in Paris, it could have been any big city, it hits on many tough issues in a very believable way, with relatable characters.
    • 4/5
      There are three people in this story. No, who is homeless, hopeless, untrusting and the natural ally of Luke, the rich and almost-bad boy. Two teenagers together. But he has a crush on Lou, who is years younger, too clever and naive only when it suits the story. And she is more the character used to reveal the story than a truly interesting heroine. The dark secret of the parents is sad, but banal. Their healing, the way they shake themselves off is what people do when they have guests, they make an effort. I found the taming of the street girl just a little simplistic and expected. Luke seemed to me to be the most interesting character but he was left undeveloped, the side kick. The writing was perhaps more YA, lacking the depth expected in adult literature.

      The book didn't, to me, contain any relevations. It wasn't a moral lesson, it wasn't the sort of book to be a guide to teenagers about how not to make mistakes or to stand up to peer pressure, to be oneself. It wasn't, to me, any of those worthy things that other reviewers have seen in it.

      What it was, was a really great story absolutely beautifully-written. Sometimes that's all you want from a book, to be a damn good read.
    • 5/5
      Beautifully written. Through the eyes of a gifted and unique child.
    • 3/5
      I have mixed feelings about this book. I certainly wouldn't say that I felt that I couldn't put it down; however, I did read it fairly quickly so there must have been something about it that intrigued me. I empathised with all of the characters apart from the main one (Lou) but that may well be due to her naivety, age and high IQ!
    • 4/5
      I loved this book; it's one of those classic so-called children's books that resonates deeply with people of all ages. My favourite thing about this book was how the whole family is released from their inward looking grief in the liberating act of reaching out to a young woman in need. This is just what I needed to read right now and I've got another Delphine de Vigan on my bookshelf ready to go....
    • 5/5
      Poignant and precise.This book was beautifully written, concise and to the point. Although aimed at a Young Adult audience, I felt it could easily cross over into adult reading - even to the extent that many of our more verbose authors might learn to get to the heart of things in far fewer pages.You would never suspect that this is a translation and the references to areas of Paris often took me by surprise.Lou Bertingac is only 13, in a class of 15 year olds. She has an IQ of 160 but lacks many social skills and does not mix with her fellow students. Only Lucas, himself two years old for the class, pays her any attention.So it is not surprising that she is completely freaked out at the prospect of giving a presentation in front of the class. Interestingly, she choses the subject of homeless women for her presentation. To this end she befriends No (Nolwenn), an eighteen year old homeless girl who roams the streets of Paris. No is slow to trust Lou, but eventually we learn the background to No's homelessness and see something of the day to day hardship she endures.Lou's own home life is far from perfect but she wants to bring No to live with her, in warmth and comfort, which produces many problems in itself.No and Me is written in an appealingly naiive style and we feel for Lou as she struggles with seemingly easy things like tying her own shoe laces, while, at the same time, she feels compelled to analyse the content of her family's daily meals.Although this is a short, concise read, we are introduced to many fascinating concepts, particularly the effects of bereavement on Lou's family and her desire to give a home to a homeless person. Also the question of education for children of high IQs; would Lou have been happier in a class of thirteen year olds?This was a book group read and I am looking forward to a fascinating discussion on the issues raised.
    • 4/5
      Beautiful, tender story about a 13 year old girl named Lou and her complicated friendship with a homeless teen named No.When Lou is given an assignment for school, she decides to focus on homeless females. After meeting No, she wants to help her re-enter society. Lou convinces her parents, who have suffered the loss of a baby, to bring No into their home and their lives.What happens may be obvious, but it's none the less disturbing and heart breaking.A quieter book than most but deserving of high accolades.
    • 5/5
      Going out on a limb early in 2011, I believe this will be one of my top reads this year. Thanks to Darryl (Kidzdoc) for sending this incredible book my way!No and Me is poetically, stunningly, profoundly beautiful and incredibly structured. Originally written in French, it was translated into English.Introverted, obsessive compulsive, precocious 13 year old Lou Bertignac possess an IQ of 160. Her mind races way ahead as she solves complex problems and tests, tracking variables and patterns until it seems her head will explode.Ahead of her class, she rarely interacts, except marginally with one lone boy who sits in the back of the room. She and Lucas exchange furtive eye contact.When she must give a dreaded oral presentation in a sociology class, she chooses homelessness as a subject.Finding raggedy, dirty and street savvy 18 year old Nolween (No) in a railway station and interviewing her for her class project is a life-changing event for Lou. For the first time in her life, she discovers that not all problems have a predictable solution.Soliciting the help of her classmate Lucas, they try to rescue No. With compassion, truth, honor and integrity, through No, Lou and Lucas, the author takes the reader on a realistic journey of the pervasive problems of homelessness and the complexity of this issue.The author superbly compares the home life of Lou and Lucas with the homeless reality of No's struggles. This is written without sappiness and there is nothing trite about the depiction of the cold reality that sometimes good intentions and love are just not enough.Highly Recommended
    • 4/5
      I've struggled for some time since I finished this book on Friday about how to formulate this review because it is, after all, 'only' a novel. But it felt like a lot more than that to me. It forces you to look at how you respond to this emotive social issue but avoids being sanctimonious by a well judged ending. I wouldn't have loved this book half as much if it had been all sunshine and light at the end and I think it would have been much less powerful. Lou is an incredible choice for the novel's narrator. At 13, she sees everything with moving simplicity. No is homeless. She has a home with a spare room. If No had a home, things would be better for her. The solution is simple to her - No lives in the spare room. I loved everything about her: her awkwardness; her compassion; her fragility and her unique kind of genius. What isn't said by her is often painfully obvious to an adult reader by her observations and I adored her for her naivety. Most of all, though, I loved how she kept fighting and trying to understand No. I always find it upsetting when I hear people say, "Oh, it's their own fault" or "They could always just get a job.." etc about homeless people and it was touchingly refreshing that this book bypassed that in Lou, who is almost baffled by how No came to be where she is:"At what point is it too late? From what moment? The first time I met her? Six months ago, two years ago, five years? Can you get out of a fix like that? How do you find yourself at the age of eighteen out on the streets with nothing and no one?" Although this is mostly about No and Lou, their relationships with Lou's parents and Lucas lend brilliant support and Lou's glimpses of others' interactions are often revelations for the reader, if not always for Lou.One more obvious point is that this is written by a French author and is set in Paris. I have read criticism of this book for making too many cultural references. I disagree. Paris is one of my favourite places to visit and every time I go I love it more so I would have been more than happy to lose myself in reminders of its streets - worry not, this isn't the case. Amazingly, the book manages to depict the atmosphere of the city without making it a key factor. Part of the point of the book for me was that it could be any city in any country.My favourite quote sums up the book, Lou and the issues they address perfectly:"We can send supersonic planes into and rockets into space, and identify a criminal from a hair or a tiny flake of skin, and grow atomato you can keep in the fridge for three weeks without it getting a wrinkle, and store millions of pieces of information on a tiny chip. Yet we're capable of letting people die in the street."Overall: This is in one way a very easy read - the narration is that of a teenager and is written in that style. It is, however, difficult to read without feeling somewhat guilty about the comfortable chair you're reading it in or the steaming mug of coffee you're sipping or the biscuits you're chomping...and I couldn't recommend it enough for that very reason!
    • 4/5
      When I got this book through my letter box to review I hadn?t heard anything about it before but thought that it sounded good enough. Shortly after receiving it I started seeing it everywhere. In 3 for 2 offers in bookshops, being reviewed on blogs and just generally seeming to be read and enjoyed by everybody everywhere so I bumped it up on the TBR pile and picked it up when I fancied a quick read earlier on this week. The story starts when our heroine intelligent, quirky Lou has to do a presentation (which she loathes) in front of her class. Lou chooses to do her presentation on the homeless and introduces herself to No a teenage girl living on the streets. The pair start meeting so Lou can take notes on No?s thoughts on street life. Touched by No?s story, once Lou?s research is finished Lou finds that she can?t just turn her back on No and persuades her parents to let her stay with them even though their home life is far from perfect. Lou?s family is falling to pieces. Ever since her baby sister died her mothers been deeply depressed and hasn?t left the house in years whilst Lou?s father is struggling to hold their family together. With No living with the Bertignac?s her presence forces the family to come together and challenges their beliefs on friendship, family and the true meaning of home.I found this book to be highly original. I?d never read or even heard of for that matter a book about homelessness before and it?s a real eye opener. No and Me made me consider things that I?d never really gave much thought to before and made me question the concept of home and family and what they truly mean. This book has a big message and plenty of lessons to be learned within its pages and some parts are so true and brilliant that they brought tears to my eyes on quiet a few occasions. There?s nothing else quiet like No and Me out there for teens at the moment and I think it would be a really good book for them to read. This certainly isn?t a book just for teens though. In fact there?s both a young adult and adult version on the market and I can really see why. No and Me has something to offer everyone and is the perfect book for book clubs or families to share. Like the story itself it will bring people together. I loved the characters of Lou and Lucas, they felt very real and developed to me especially as they both try to fix No because they can?t fix their own situations at home. No sparked some mixed emotions in me sometimes I wanted to hug her and look after her and other times I wanted to shake some sense into her. I didn?t agree with a lot of her actions but I could understand why she did them. I really loved seeing how each character grew through out the book especially Lou who?s intelligent yet naive a lot of teens will relate to her and I think she?s a YA heroine to look up to.Above all what made this book for me was the writing. Delphine de Vigan has a wonderful voice. Sometimes with books that are translated the writing can feel a little unnatural at times but No and Me sailed along beautifully. The writing feels almost poetic at times it really is wonderful - one of the most well written books that I?ve read all year. The only fault I had with this book was that I would of liked a bit more of a story just to give it that un put down able edge that I feel it lacked a little bit. That a side though I can appreciate it for what it is. I can see why this books doing so well at the moment and I warmly recommend it. Buy it, read it and pass it around to your family and friends. Lend it to your mums or children because it?s guaranteed to bring families together and warm your hearts. 4 stars.
    • 3/5
      Quite a pleasant little read. Probably aimed for the younger generation, though.
    • 3/5
      Lou Bertignac comes up with a project on homelessness simply to appease her teacher. She doesn't want to do a presentation. In fact she hates being in front of a group. Who was she to know that this decision would affect the entire rest of her life?Lou meets No at a train station and they begin a very tentative relationship with one another. No is 18 years old, five years older than Lou, and is a part of the homeless community. As their relationship progresses into more of a friendship, each girl is given a glimpse at the other's life through what they share with one another.What I really enjoyed about this story was Lou, the main character. Lou was a sweet, intelligent and socially awkward girl when the story began and it kind of reminded me of myself at her age. Shying away from the boys, keeping to herself, making sure she stayed off the radar to keep others from talking about her. I really loved Lou's character. As Lou progresses through the book, her eyes are opened by No's predicament. No becomes less of a project to Lou, and more of a mission. It is endearing to see the need that buds between these two. They become part of one another. Unfortunately I can't elaborate too much more without spoiling the story, but I will say that this book is worth a read. If you are worried that you might not enjoy this book, I can say that is a fairly short read. Give it a try, you might love it!
    • 3/5
      I felt nothing. Have you ever read a book, where you feel no emotions about it. This is what I felt with No and Me. Maybe it's because I don't really comprehend the situation, because I'm to young. Or that where I live, you don't really see any homeless people. Or, I don't know. But I really wanted to have feelings about this story, but it just didn't happen.I think the problem with this book, is that the character narrates to much. She tells you to much, instead of the author describing it. And I believe that, that may be one of the reasons why I felt it had no affect on me. I mean, the one situation in the story is that Lou's family is falling apart. I rather Lou describe it to me, then tell it. Also, in that situation, it was brought in to quickly in the story. I wished that issue were slowly brought to my attention, then immediately. Because I had the strong sense that I was dropping into a conversation that started a millennium ago, and I was only joining it now.Even through all that, I still found it a intriguing read. It's quick paste, and you want to learn more and more. The characters (Lou, No & Lucas) were nicely written. Especially Lou (the protagonist). Lou has an IQ of 160, so she acts differently then most girls. She is very smart, but acts very childish. And for a while, it was hard to believe that she was in high school. So I asked my aunt, because my cousin is the same as Lou, and she totally agreed that, that is how someone would act. Or how my cousin acts. One thing that I could connect and understand about Lou, is that she's shy. She has a hard time talking to people, and doing stuff that out of her boundary line. No (and yes that is a name, short for Nolwenn) is a interesting character. I can't relate with her, though I know people who have some of the problems that she does. And I can connect with her as a bystander. Lucas on the other hand, is the type of guy I would like to have in my life. That is all I'm going to say about him.I don't think I would find myself recommending this book to someone. But if someone ask me, I would tell them to read it. It has an important message in there, that I think is useful to learn about. This is the type of book where you have to reread it a few times to fully understand it, especially the ending. I didn't enjoy the ending, because I didn't understand it fully. And I think if I reread this, I would comprehend it.Overall it was a great read, but not the best. Another thing is, it's important to remember that this is a translated book. So there is some cultural differences in it.