"Virtue and Rosalind" by Anne Serre

Translated from French into English by Mark Hutchinson. This book isn't out yet, but will be in November 2026. I received a digital ARC from the publisher (thank you!). I was excited to read this title after having read "A Leopard-Skin Hat" by Anne Serre last year. This book has the same beautiful language, but its structure is quite different. This book is a series of short anecdotes, as remembered and told by the protagonist. It feels like you're sitting somewhere, outside, sharing a drink while you get to hear about parts of their life. The tone is generally airy and I had a few good laughs, but still it manages to casually touch upon very serious topics. There's a bit of whimsy going on, maybe even a bit of deception too. Quite a few chapters focus on relationships between women. What to make of these experiences? Where do the lines blur between memory, reality and fiction? I thought the language was elegant and flowed well. The text simply felt very human, pleasant to read, and I…